Charactersmango

Esperanza Rachel Sally Nenny Marin Esperanza's Father Esperanza's Mother Alicia Cathy

=Characters:= **Esperanza****-** novel's heroine and narrator. __Facts:__
 * her name means Hope in Spanish
 * Latina
 * Hates her house on Mango Street; Chicago (ghetto); wants a new house
 * Unhappy with her life
 * 10 to 13 years old (book spans more than a year)
 * low self-esteem (doesn't think she's pretty)
 * Not wealthy
 * hates her name
 * Friends with Sally, Rachel, and Lucy
 * Litter sister is Nenny (real name: Magdelana)
 * Her mom quits school when she was young because she was poor
 * gets a job at a photo lab and an old Asian man kisses her- that was one of her sexual encounters
 * gets raped in the Vignette called "Red Clowns"
 * her first crush was Sire
 * her grandpa died (dad's side)
 * high heel shoes: sexual advances
 * dreams

**Rache**l- Esperanza's best friend, Mexican-American, lives across the street from Esperanza, born in Chicago.
 * Lucy**- Esperanza's best friend, Mexican -American, lives across the street from Esperanza, born in Texas, older sister of Rachel.

**Sally**- young girl Esperanza befriends. She is the same age as Esperanza but more bold and glamorous to her. She is not a good friend to Esperanza and is leaving her behind for guys. She has a physically abusive father. While she is still very young she runs off to get married to a man who does not allow her to leave the house or see her friends.

**Nenny**- Esperanza's little sister. Her real name is Magdalena. She is often the responsibility of Esperanza, but because she is very immature still she is often an annoyance to Esperanza when they play with Rachel and Lucy.

**Marin**- young woman who lives with her cousin's family. Spends most of her time babysitting, so she cannot leave the house. Sells make up for Avon. She teaches Esperanza and her friend's a lot about boys. Her husband lives in Puerto Rico and at the end of the year her cousins send her back to Puerto Rico.

**Esperanza's Father**- originally from Mexico. Works most of the time and is rarely home. Doesn't speak much of him.

**Esperanza's Mothe**r- grew up in the U.S. One of the strongest-willed and smartest women in the novel, but her admirable traits are lost on Esperanza because she has not escaped Mango street to live somewhere nicer.

**Alicia**- Esperanza's friend. Her mother died so her father forces her to do a lot of the chores for the family. Rare example of a neighborhood girl who tries to escape from Mango street not by marriage, but by working hard and moving up.

**Cathy**- Esperanza's first friend. Cathy moves out a week after Esperanza moves in. One of few characters not from Mexico or Latin America. She lived near her.