Theme Analysis: Boys by Haley McClain https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb Haley McClain, Rawan Ghabris, David Oberts en-us 2021-02-18 15:27:55 UTC 2024-05-26 06:53:21 UTC hello@padlet.com Boys & Girls (8) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219189694  In the beginning of the vignette, Esperanza mentions something in the beginning sentence, “The boys and girls live in separate worlds. The boys in their universe and we in ours.” (Cisneros 8). Right away we can tell that boys and girls in her world are different from each other and are treated differently. She already understands some of the gender separation that is around her. ]]> 2021-02-19 15:28:11 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219189694 The Family of Little Feet (39) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219190859 In the vignette the Esperanza and her friends discover pairs of high heels which they put on. The high heels are meant to symbolize growing up and maturity for the girls. As they walk around in them, Mr. Benny tells them, "Them are dangerous. You girls too young to be wearing shoes like that. Take them off before I call the cops." (Cisneros 41). The "dangerous" is referring to the world they live in which is full of men who are dangerous and will likely view them as a sexual object. For now Esperanza doesn't quite understand this but sooner or later she will have to grow up and realize the danger of a male dominated society.]]> 2021-02-19 15:28:29 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219190859 A Rice Sandwich (43) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219192110 Throughout the vignette we can see how Esperanza is adamant on eating in the canteen with the rest of the kids. Eating there would give her a sense of accomplishment and belonging. This was during Esperanza's early stages when she wasn't as vocal about things. For example when the nun is yelling at her and asking her where her house is and points to a random house asking if that's hers, Esperanza just nods her head and goes along with it because she's scared and she starts to cry.]]> 2021-02-19 15:28:48 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219192110 The First Job (53) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219198104 In the vignette, Esperanza gets her first job at the age of 14. She mentions how she is nervous to eat in the lunchroom with everyone watching her, the nervousness she puts out for the world may be a sign of vulnerability. She meets a man who she describes as having "nice eyes" which compelled her to trust him. Later in the vignette she mentions, "..he said it was his birthday and would I please give him a birthday kiss...as I was about to put my lips on his cheek, he grabs my face with both hands and kisses me hard on the mouth and doesn't let go." (Cisneros 55). Esperanza got sexually harassed, she got taken advantage of and she knew that. At this point she gets a taste of reality and realizes that life is not as safe as she always thought it was.]]> 2021-02-19 15:30:22 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219198104 Sire (72) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219199700 In this vignette we see Esperanza catch feelings for a boy. She mentioned that she notices him looking at her, staring at her as if to intimidate her possibly. However, she doesn't let that scare her, she mentions, "I knew he was looking I had to prove to me I wasn't scared of nobody's eyes, not even his." (Cisneros 72). This may be to show that although she likes him that doesn't mean he would have any effect on her or how she acts. As she continues to grow and mature, the conflict between her desire to be noticed and loved by a man and her need for independence grows and becomes a conflict.]]> 2021-02-19 15:30:45 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1219199700 Throughout the entire reading we see men related to violence and absent. However during the time period of this novel women did not know of any other lifestyle. No woman calls out for change or for help. Esperanza sees the unfairness in the world with men, she sees that there needs to be a change yet no one hears her. 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236709733 2021-02-24 15:11:22 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236709733 “Everything is holding its breath inside me. Everything is waiting to explode like Christmas. I want to be all new and shiny. I want to sit out bad at night, a boy around my neck and the wind under my skirt. Not this way, every evening talking to the trees, leaning out my window, imagining what I can’t see.” (73) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236792184 Esperanza sees Sire and Lois in the neighborhood doing romantic things with each other. She notices how Sire gives her some attention. This shows how she begins to want attention from boys specifically Sire ]]> 2021-02-24 15:25:23 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236792184 “In the movies there is always one with red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her power is her own. She will not give it away.” (89) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236820679 Esperanza sees some older girls like Marin and Sally. Realzies that women have this power over men when they look desirable. She begins to imagine herself as one of the bad girls in movies, strong and independent. 

]]> 2021-02-24 15:30:26 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236820679 7176361 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236838794 2021-02-24 15:33:42 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1236838794 “And all I hear is the clapping when the music stops. My uncle and me bow and he walks me back in my thick shoes to my mother who is proud to be my mother. All night the boy who is a man watches me dance. He watched me dance.” (48) 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1264133992
  • All night long Esperanza was embarrassed by her shoes. She was feeling self-conscious and said no to a boy when he asked her to dance. When she finally got out of her shell and began to realize that boy are attracted to her or else they wouldn't want to dance.

    • ]]>     2021-03-03 15:03:38 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1264133992     She begins at a very young and immature stage. She begins with looking at inspiration from the trees outside her window. She even says that those trees don’t belong on Mango Street and neither does she. That is her first step of finding her worth. Then, she gets first job and is forced into a kiss with an old dirty man. In that moment we can see her lose her innocence. Later in the novel her Grandpa passed away and her father is left a mess. She as a young teenager has to tell her siblings about their Abuelito (grandpa in spanish) passing away. She also has to be there to comfort her own father. After the tragic loss you can see Esperanza mature somewhat as a parental figure for her little siblings. Once she realizes her worth, she decides to leave Mango street. However she leaves us with hope that she will return for those who are stuck in that lifestyle. 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1269510975 2021-03-04 15:21:37 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1269510975 Haley 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1293458975 The theme “Boys” can be interpreted many different ways depending on how you look at it. I look at it as a way that parts of society are broken. Society tends to make women look and feel weaker than they actually are. Many people say that women need a man in their life to help take care of them. ]]> 2021-03-10 15:30:36 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1293458975 Over the years do you believe that the world gives women the same opportunities as men? If not what do you think has to change? 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298377741 2021-03-11 14:58:42 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298377741 Is sex a factor in the work place. Are their jobs women just simply can’t do. If so, what are those jobs. 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298381735 2021-03-11 14:59:23 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298381735 Do you believe women should get the same pay as men? Are there jobs where men get paid more than women? 690458 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298382675 2021-03-11 14:59:32 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298382675 Rawan 6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298481454 I think the theme "Boys" really plays a big role in this novel as well as real life. In the world we live in, women are often looked down on by men. Women are often perceived as too emotional, or weak when in fact we are just comfortable with showing emotions. Being described as "weak" by men just shows their insecurities of being threatened by a strong independent woman. It's almost as if men want women to depend on them as if we need them to survive when actually we'll be just fine with or without them. ]]> 2021-03-11 15:15:36 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298481454 Literary Elements 7176361 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298776206 Boys and Girls
    • Situational Irony- “The boys and girls live in separate worlds.  The boys in their universe and we in ours.” (Cinceros 8)
    • Metaphor- “Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor.” (Cinceros 9)
    The Family of little feet
    • Metaphor- “Rachel you are prettier than a yellow taxicab, you know that?” (Cinceros 41)
    • Anaphora- “Lucy hides the lemon shoes, and the red shoes and the shoes that used to be white but are now pale blue under a powerful bushel basket.”  (Cinceros 42)
    A Rice Sandwich
    • Hyperbole- “Kiki and Carlos, on the other hand, are patrol boys.  They don’t want to eat at school either.  They like to stand out in the cold especially if it was raining.  They think that suffering is good for them even since they saw the movie 300 Spartans.” (Cinceros 44)
    • Metaphor- “That one? She points to a ragged row of three-flats, the ones that even the raggedy men are ashamed to go into.” (Cinceros 45)
    The First Job
    • Simile- “I thought I would find an easy job, like working in a dime store or at a hot dog stand.” (Cinceros 53)
    • Tone-“I was to say I was a year older than I was and that was that.”  (Cinceros 54)
    Sire
    • Mood-”They didn’t scare me.  They did but I didn’t let it show.  Straight ahead, straight eyes, past them.”  (Cinceros 72)
    • Personification- “Sometimes I hear them laughing late, beer cans and cats and the trees talking to themselves: wait, wait, wait.” (Cinceros 73)
    ]]>     2021-03-11 16:06:40 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1298776206     David 7176361 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304466125 I think the theme "Boys" plays a big role in Esperanza's story, as well as Cisneros' life.  Society in the House on Mango Street revolves around the narrative that women are helpless creatures that need men to survive. However, throughout the story we are shown that this completely not true. Sadly, society has mirrored the way that the book states for years. In the last few years, there has been success at trying to have equality for all. However we are not there yet.]]> 2021-03-12 22:18:46 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304466125 6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304760669 Our theme of "Boys" talks about how most of the men portrayed in the novel just tear women down and don't really care about them. I think this Ted Talk does an excellent job and telling us what needs to be done in order for everyone to be happy. Not only do women need to empower each other but men need to empower women and vice verse.]]> 2021-03-13 02:41:01 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304760669 6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304766020 2021-03-13 02:46:57 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304766020 6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304775957 Throughout the book we can see Esperanza breaking the social norm around her. In a world where women don't really have a voice and are too scared to speak up we see her starting to speak up for herslef.]]> 2021-03-13 02:57:51 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304775957 6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304779011 2021-03-13 03:01:36 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304779011 6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304784366 "Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection." Youtube,
    uploaded by TED, March 28, 2016, https://youtu.be/fC9da6eqaqg.]]>     2021-03-13 03:08:07 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304784366     6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304786588 "Empowering Women Benefits Everyone." Youtube, 
    uploaded ny TED, July 18, 2018, https://youtu.be/PC0Zx7VxxNg]]>     2021-03-13 03:10:56 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304786588     6292741 https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304790182 Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. Arte Publico Press, 1983]]> 2021-03-13 03:14:21 UTC https://padlet.com/690458/dcawlitmzzeq71wb/wish/1304790182