THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET: RAFAELA WHO

DRINKS COCONUT JUICE… SALLY… AND MINERVA WRITES

POEMS By Cam McGuire, Tyler

Messenkopf and Kyle Guzinski

Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut Juice

Rafaela, Rafaela’s husband, Rapunzel and the kids.

Rafaela is lonely Home all alone Drinks coconut and papaya juice Tuesday nights Locked in her home while her husband is

out playing dominoes.

Abstract Ideas

1. Coconut and Papaya juice is an alternative to being lonely because her husband is gone.

Juice is a symbol for loneliness 2. Rafaela has coconut and papaya juice Wants something sweeter Always wants something better

Examples: “Dreams her hair is like Rapunzel’s”(79). “Wishes there were sweeter drinks”(80).

Main Ideas

She is trapped in her house by her husband who is out having a good time.

Loneliness because she is all alone in the house and has nothing to do.

Wants out of house and to be free

Review Questions

Who can you relate Rafaela to? If Rafaela had the chance to leave her

husband and be free do you think she would? Why or Why not?

SALLY•Sally wears black and nylons. •All of the boys like her because she is beautiful • Sally's father doesn’t like the way she dresses•Esperanza likes the way she dresses and wants her shoes

Bigger Idea

Her father says, “To be this beautiful is trouble.” Father worries that she will have problems with

bums like in the story The Family of Little Feet where Lucy almost kissed the bum for a dollar

Theme is loneliness and discrimination Lonely because all guys said they did stuff with

her Judged by her friends because they think that

she is easy. Main idea is she is trapped in this little

neighborhood Everybody thinks she is easy

Review Questions

Why do you think Sally’s friends are judging her because of a false rumor?

Why is it so dangerous for Sally to be wearing black at her age?

Minerva Writes Poems

Girl Minerva has two kids and a husband Esperanza’s age Husband neglects her and her kids She wanted to end relationship He beat her and left Minerva and the kids Every night she writes herself to sleep To depressed to do anything else Her mom takes care of the two kids

The Big Idea

Women aren’t always treated the greatest.

When you are depressed you don’t have the strength to do anything

Minerva can’t take care of kids

Questions

How do you think Minerva’s mom feels knowing that her daughter is depressed and she can’t take care of her kids?

How do you think Esperanza feels knowing that the world isn’t the best place for a female?

Thank You