Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican American novelist, poet, and short story writer. Some of her notable works include The House on Mango Street and Women Hollering Creek and Other Stories. She was born in 1954 in Chicago, Illinois to Mexican parents. In her writing, Cisneros explores themes of femininity and cultural identity through the lens of growing up as a young Mexican American woman.

1. Only Daughter
Sandra Cisneros

2. 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

3. Quotations to
Remember
“I was/am the only daughter and only a
daughter” (142)

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9.  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

10.  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