The House on Mango Street is a novel by Sandra Cisneros that was first published in 1984. In a series of vignettes, the novel explores how patriarchy, gender roles, and sexual violence impact the lives of women. Sandra Cisneros, through her semiautobiographical protagonist Esperanza, demonstrates that patriarchal society cannot accommodate women seeking to develop independent identities.

Summary

Read one-minute Sparklet summaries, the detailed section-by-section Summary & Analysis, the Full Book Summary, or the Full Book Analysis of The House on Mango Street.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in The House on Mango Street and in-depth analyses of Esperanza, Sally, and Nenny. 

Literary Devices

Here's where you will find analysis of the key themes, motifs, and symbols in The House on Mango Street.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes from The House on Mango Street.

Essays

Learn more about The House on Mango Street by reading these mini-essays and suggested essay topics.

Further Study

Go further in your study of The House on Mango Street by reading background information about Sandra Cisneros and the novel as well as suggestions for further reading.