Settings in The House on Mango Street

Though there is more time spent on character development, much of the description Esperanza gives concerns the environment in which she lives from her own home and yard, to the shops she frequents and schools she attends.

Choose from three of the many settings in the book, and illustrate them using a traditional storyboard with description cells and title cells. Put the name of the setting in the title, and give an explanation as to why the setting you have chosen to illustrate is important in the book.

The Streets

Esperanza explains that outsiders (people not from her neighborhood) are scared to enter. When her neighbor's cousin takes them for a ride, it turns out to be a stolen car. They all have fun, but this might be scary to outsiders.

The Neighborhood

The local pawn shop is one of the places Esperanza and Nenny sometimes go. One of the most descriptive environments, the book describes the cluttered shop full of "tables with their feet upside down" and "rows and rows of refrigerators."

The Homes

Much of Esperanza's time is spend at her own house. Her mom, dad, two brothers, and younger sister all live there with her. Her mom is often described as seeming overworked.

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard depicting three important settings in The House on Mango Street.

1. Use the template provided by your teacher.
2. Identify three different settings.
3. Describe each setting and it's importance in the story.
4. Illustrate each setting with appropriate characters, scenes, and items.