Only Daughter Sandra Cisneros

SANDRA CISNEROS

Born December 20, 1954 (age 57)

Occupation Novelist, poet, short story writer

Nationality USA

Ethnicity Mexican American

Notable

work(s)

The House on Mango Street, Women

Hollering Creek and Other Stories

Notable

award(s)

American Book Awards, Clay McDaniel

Fellowship

Quotations to

Remember“I was/am the only daughter and only a

daughter” (142)

Initial thought: She is the only girl in a family of six

boys.

• Going beyond: In this quote the word “only” has a double meaning. It not only shows that she is the only daughter in a family of 6 sons but also that in the eyes of her family she is merely just a useless girl.

What does Cisneros mean when she says

being an only daughter in a family of six

son’s “explains everything's”?

It is because in a Mexican family, the sons

are more useful than the daughters. They

can get a job and provide for the family but

the daughters are expected to stay home

and cook and clean.

What distinction does Cisneros make in

paragraphs 2 and 3 between being “The

only daughter” and being “Only a

daughter”?

She was the only daughter, therefore she

wasn't allowed to play with her brothers

because they were too embarrassed to be

seen playing with a girl. Being the

only daughter left her to be by herself to

think about things and start writing

What advantages does Cisneros see in

being the only daughter? In being a only

daughter?

Because she could think and create things

in her mind that she could write on paper to

become a writer. He father expected her to

go to college and find her husband.

Difficult words with their meanings

Anthology : A collection of literary

passages or works, esp. poems, by various

authors 2 any printed collection of literary

pieces, songs, works of art, etc

Beneath : below, esp. if covered, protected,

or obscured by .

Retrospect : The act of surveying things of

past

Trauma : A powerful shock that may have

long-lasting effects

Woo : To seek the affection, favor, or love

of (a woman) with a view to marriage or

hopefully

Bologna : A city in N Italy, at the foot of the

Apennines

Sleeve : The part of a garment covering the

arm

Stub : A short piece remaining after

something has been cut, removed, etc: a

cigar stub

Trickle : To run or cause to run in thin or

slow streams fellowship

Throb : To pulsate or beat repeatedly, esp.

with increased force: to throb with pain

Hiss : A voiceless fricative sound like that

of a prolonged

Tortilla : Mexican cookery a kind of thin

pancake made from corn meal and cooked

on a hot griddle until dry

Twine : String made by twisting together

fibers of hemp, cotton, etc