What is the main idea of eleven by Sandra Cisneros?
Sandra Cisneros’s “Eleven” uses point of view, diction, dialogue, and symbolism to characterize an eleven-year-old’s coming of age. The unique characteristics of an eleven- year old have allowed her to make important discoveries about growing up.
How does Sandra Cisneros characterize an eleven-year-old coming of age?
Her old self floats away like a balloon. Sandra Cisneros’s “Eleven” uses point of view, diction, dialogue, and symbolism to characterize an eleven-year-old’s coming of age. The unique characteristics of an eleven- year old have allowed her to make important discoveries about growing up.
What is the point of view of eleven by Lois Lowry?
"Eleven" is told from the perspective of a shy eleven-year-old. The author uses the first person point of view to depict what is happening internally to the narrator. The reader gets an intimate view of what thoughts the narrator has, and this helps build sympathy for the narrator.
What literary devices does Cisneros use in the story eleven?
One literary device Cisneros uses in the short story " Eleven " is the diction of a child. Cisneros captures the voice and cadence of a real eleven-year-old. For example, she begins a sentence with "like," just as a child of that age might, and uses the word "stupid." This helps readers to believe they are overhearing the child's actual thoughts:
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What is the point of view in a story?
Point of view is the “eye” or narrative voice through which you tell a story. When you write a story, you must decide who is telling the story, and to whom they are telling it.
What is the main idea of Eleven by Sandra Cisneros?
The theme of the short story "Eleven" is that no matter how old you get, there are still moments in your life where you feel like a child. Even though you continue to age, you bring along the past with you. The past experiences of the younger you is still a part of your personality even as you get older.
Who is the narrator of the story Eleven?
Rachel“Eleven” has a first person narrator. This means that the story is told in the first person by the main character, Rachel, rather than in the third person, as many stories are. The first person narrator refers to him- or herself as “I.” Because Rachel tells the story, we see what happens through her eyes.
What is the plot of Eleven by Sandra Cisneros?
Eleven is a short story about Rachel on her eleventh birthday. She has an experience that demonstrates the challenge of growing up. The setting is in her classroom. The story takes the reader through Rachel's conversations with herself as she faces a situation with her teacher, Mrs.
What is the main conflict in Eleven?
The Fashionista Faux Pas Everyone denies the sweater belongs to them, and Sylvia Saldívar says it's Rachel's. Rachel protests that it isn't hers, but Mrs. Price doesn't listen and sets it on her desk without a word. Although it may seem a simple thing, this little incident is the source of the story's central conflict.
How does Rachel feel at the end of the story?
Q. How does Rachel feel at the end of the story? Happy that it is her birthday. Happy that the sweater wasn't hers.
Who is the main character in Eleven?
Rachel. Rachel is the protagonist of "Eleven," and it's her eleventh birthday.
Who is the antagonist in the story Eleven?
totally Mrs. PriceThe antagonist is the character in conflict with the protagonist, and in "Eleven," that character is totally Mrs. Price. This teacher wants to get rid of the red sweater, and because she is in a position of authority, she won't listen to anything Rachel has to say.
What does the red sweater symbolize?
The symbol of the red sweater symbolizes how other people have more power/control over Rachel. This is represented when the sweater is with Rachel and there's nothing that she can do about it when she says it's not hers.
What is the role of the main character in Eleven?
Rachel. Rachel is the protagonist because this is her story. She's the character in conflict with the antagonist and the one we want to succeed in the end. Sure, her conflict is over an old red sweater and not to save the world from some army of darkness, but she's still our protagonist all the same.
What does the sweater symbolize in Eleven?
The sweater could represent social stigma, or, to quote our favorite sociology textbook, "the disapproval of a person because they do [sic] not fit the required social norms that are given in society" (source).
What is the tone of the story Eleven by Sandra Cisneros?
The tone of Eleven is sad and powerless. Tone reflects the speaker's attitude toward the subject; and in the story, the speaker is an eleven-year-old girl who is forced to take and wear an old sweater by her teacher on her birthday.
What does the red sweater symbolize?
The symbol of the red sweater symbolizes how other people have more power/control over Rachel. This is represented when the sweater is with Rachel and there's nothing that she can do about it when she says it's not hers.
What does the red sweater symbolize in "Eleven"?
The red sweater can be interpreted as a symbol of injustice or embarrassment. It is the item through which Rachel is mistreated and is ultimately e...
What does the balloon symbolize in "Eleven"?
The balloon symbolizes Rachel's terrible birthday. She wishes it were high in the sky and far away from her, the same way she feels about this day.
What is the main conflict in "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros?
The main conflict is Rachel's teacher insisting an abandoned sweater belongs to her, even when Rachel says it does not. The teacher forces Rachel t...
What is the eleven in Sandra Cisneros?
Sandra Cisneros’s “Eleven” uses point of view, diction, dialogue, and symbolism to characterize an eleven-year-old’s coming of age. The unique characteristics of an eleven- year old have allowed her to make important discoveries about growing up. Rachel survives her humiliation and becomes smart eleven. She feels smart eleven, and almost ...
Who is the narrator of Eleven?
Sandra Cisneros’ Eleven: Summary & Analysis. “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros, uses many literary devices to characterize a complex eleven-year-old. Rachel, the ingenious 1st person narrator, relates the details of her humiliating eleventh birthday.
What does Rachel's diction reflect?
Although her diction reflects her age, Rachel conveys the difficulty of growing up with adult precision. She is embarrassed and feels helpless, but knows she will soon be home with her parents, and her terrible day will drift away. Rachel’s age is given away not only by the title but by her word choice.
What is Rachel's most impressive thought?
As amazing as those thoughts are, Rachel’s most impressive thought is about age. She understands that people display the characteristics of the ages they have passed.
Is Rachel in first person narration?
First-person narration reveals though Rachel’s thoughts are those of a typical eleven-year-old her descriptive ability is more mature. Rachel has an uncanny ability to convey her feelings. However, because she is an ingenious narrator, she sometimes misses the deeper significance of her feelings. Although she twice mentions she is looking forward to cake, her birthday song, and normal birthday things, she does not mention she also needs the comfort of her parents.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don’t.
Eleven by Sandra Cisneros
What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don’t.
Why does Rachel want to be one hundred and two?
Rachel desperately wants her terrible day to be over. She wants to be one-hundred and two, because then days like this one would be far behind. After she is brought to tears and reluctantly she puts on the sweater and even though she did not have to wear the sweater long, she is changed.
What does Rachel not grasp?
What she does not grasp is that people can display characteristics beyond their years. Rachel displays that advanced maturity in her thoughts. The only dialogue in the story is between Rachel and her teacher, Mrs. Price. Every conversation is the same, Mrs. Price does not listen to Rachel and dominates their conversations. Rachel associates being right with being older, so she lets Mrs. Price have her way. Mrs. Price is so dominating Rachel can respond with what she calls her four- year-old voice. She stumbles for a reply, eventually saying only, “Not mine, not mine. Rachel is helpless and feels sick inside as she is forced to wear that weater.
Is Rachel a first person narrator?
First person narration reveals though Rachel’s thoughts are those f a typical eleven-year-old her descriptive ability is more mature. Rachel has an uncanny ability to convey her feelings. However, because she is an ingenuous narrator, she sometimes misses the deeper significance of her feelings. Although she twice mentions she is looking forward to cake, her birthday song, and normal birthday things, she does not mention she also needs the comfort of her parents. On the other hand, unlike most older, or mature, people, she understands enough about life experience to know she does not have enough.
What are the literary techniques in Eleven?
Follow Us: Among the literary techniques Sandra Cisneros uses in her short story "Eleven" are first-person point of view, tone, similes, repetition, stream of consciousness and dialogue. Cisneros uses these techniques to help ...
How does Cisneros use repetition?
Cisneros uses repetition in the story, counting down the years three separate times, emphasizing the youth of the main character. The author uses several similes, such as "the way you grow old is kind ...
How is the story of Rachel told?
The story is told from a first-person point of view by the main character, Rachel, whose 11th birthday it is. She tells the reader her feelings all the way through the narrative, so the reader knows the story from her perspective. Cisneros employs stream of consciousness in the narrative as well, as Rachel diverts from telling the story at times to thinking about what is going on at home because today is her birthday. The reader gets to enter her mind through this technique. The choice of words and diction are those of a child. The use of dialogue makes the story seem more personal, as the reader hears the teacher's words at the same time the character does. Cisneros uses repetition in the story, counting down the years three separate times, emphasizing the youth of the main character. The author uses several similes, such as "the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk" and "eleven years rattling inside me like pennies in a tin Band-Aid box." She also uses hyperbole, saying the sweater is "maybe a thousand years old." These examples, along with the figurative language used to describe Rachel's crying spell, all help the reader relate to Rachel.
What literary device does Cisneros use in the short story Eleven?
One literary device Cisneros uses in the short story " Eleven " is the diction of a child . Cisneros captures the voice and cadence of a real eleven-year-old. For example, she begins a sentence with "like," just as a child of that age might, and uses the word "stupid." This helps readers to believe they are overhearing the child's actual thoughts:
Why doesn't the narrator want to be eleven?
She wants to be just about any other age so that she knows how to face this particular age. She doesn't feel eleven; she notes that you never feel like a "smart eleven" until you're almost twelve. She certainly doesn't feel special and celebrated on her birthday at school.
What is the literary device used in Cisnero?
Cisnero uses the literary device of simile —a comparison that uses the words "like" or "as"—to capture the experience of an eleven-year-old, such as when the narrator compares being eleven to the rattle of "pennies in a tin Band-Aid box." We can imagine a child that age saving pennies and keeping them in an old Band-Aid box. (Maybe today it would quarters, but the idea is the same.)
How does Cisneros describe age?
The narrator describes age by saying that "the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk or like my little wooden dolls that fit one inside the other, each year inside the next one." The narrator describes her point of view that when you turn a year older, you still have all the previous ages inside of you. She compares this to other things that have layers to explain her point.
What literary device is used to convey a sense of the tumbling quality of the narrator'?
Another literary device employed is polysyndeton. This means stringing together a series of conjunctions, such as "and." Cisernos uses this in the following to convey a sense of the tumbling quality of the narrator's thoughts:
