"This was the house Papa talked about when he held a lottery ticket and this was the house Mama dreamed up in the stories she told us before we went to bed." (p.4) On Sundays, which was Papa's day off, the family would go out and look at the nice houses on the hill. ... Mama begins, and then I stop listening." ... She "...cries every day for the man who left without even leaving a dollar for bologna or a note explaining how come." ...

• Word Count: 1279
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Esperanza views her mother as a pretty, warm loving person: "my mother's hair, my mothers hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe- (6). ... The day of her cousin's baptism her mother doesn't bring home the shoes Esperanza wanted for her new outfit, showing Esperanza she really doesn't care about her feelings. ... "Mama dances, laughs, dances. All of a sudden, mama is sick" (47). ...

• Word Count: 1635
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

Mama and Papa frequently dreamed of a new house, but Esperanza knew dreams were just dreams. ... She mentions how one day, she will have a great big house, and welcome the homeless into her attic. ...

• Word Count: 722
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School