The Coat Hanger Book Project -English II, Mr. Elmore and Ms. Thorne

Directions: You will be showing your knowledge of characterization and symbolism with this project. You will use a coat hanger as the main anchor for your project. You will choose ONE character from your book to represent on the coat hanger. You will then use paper as the outer skin of the coat hanger to put the character’s name and also to have a picture of an actor/actress who you think would be the best person to play that character in a movie version of your book. Then, you will choose FIVE items that symbolize the character that you chose for the project. You can have actual items or pictures of them. You will take string and hang them from the bottom of the coat hanger. Along with this, you must submit a written piece that explains why each item represents that character.

Example – The House on Mango Street The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros America Ferrera would be the perfect casting choice for Esparanza, the protagonist of this novella.

ITEM #1 - Hair Hair is important in the novel because of how it differentiates the members of Esperanza's family. It is incredibly important when she thinks of her mother's hair and the rich images that come to her when they are close and she can smell the aroma of bread in her hair. The importance of hair relates to a feeling of intimacy, closeness and warmth that Esperanza experiences as a child, as she comes to associate the smell of her mother's hair with being close to her and being allowed in the same bed as a child. Hair, and the images it conjures up, are therefore very important as an image of closeness and family love and unity.

ITEM #2 – Rice Sandwich Esperanza manages to convince her mother to let her eat lunch at school by repeatedly nagging at her for a few days until she gives in. Initially, her mother argues that it would create extra work for her, as she would have to make the lunches the night before. This is something she doesn't want to do. She convinces her mother that seeing less of her during the day would actually help her to love her daughter more. It is this repeated nagging and arguing that leads Esperanza's mother to give in, saying that her daughter can take with her a rice sandwich to school which represents independence as well as a huge part of Esparanza’s culture.

ITEM #3 - Shoes Esperanza tries on a pair of high heels for the first time when her neighbor gives her and her friend Lucy a pair. The shoes in this book represent femininity and growing up. When they try on the shoes, the girls appear more lady-like and feminine. One can see the growth and development of Esperanza through her experiences with shoes. Shoes not only symbolize femininity, but also escape. Shoes are used for walking or running, and running is what Esperanza wants to do. She wants to escape from life on Mango Street and discover who she truly is. At the end of the book, Esperanza talks about how she will leave Mango Street and go out on her own, which can be represented by shoes.

ITEM #4 - Trees Esperanza expresses respect and admiration for trees throughout the novella, and her affection stems from her identification with their appearance, resilience, and independence. In “Four Skinny Trees,” Esperanza personifies the trees in her front yard, saying she and they understand each other, even that they teach her things. She relates to the trees because they don’t seem to belong in the neighborhood and because they persevere despite the concrete that tries to keep them in the ground. The tree in Meme Ortiz’s back yard has flourished even more than the trees in her front yard have, again without anybody doing much to help it. Meme’s hardy tree was probably once like the elms in Esperanza’s yard, which suggests that Esperanza will perhaps be able to grow into a strong and independent woman despite the setbacks in her first year on Mango Street.

ITEM #5 – The House In the vignette, "Bums in the Attic," there is a comparison of the small, crooked, drab house Esparanza actually lives in to the one she imagines for herself. There is longing for something more - or a desire to live more comfortably. Esperanza's house is symbolic of this desire. It is the constant reminder of what she does not have materially. On the other hand, the house is symbolic of stability and protection from the difficulties of childhood. It gives Esperanza a place to feel safe so that she is able to create and hold on to dreams of a better future for herself.

DUE DATE The book project for the 1st nine weeks is due by Wednesday, October 19. YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT YOUR PROJECT TO THE CLASS ON THE WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OF THAT WEEK. 