Sandra Cisneros "Those Who Don't" & "Bums in the Attic"

A good place to start is the Cisneros page at Voices from the Gaps. There is biographical information as well as some literary analysis of her work, plus great links to other relevant sites such as interviews, poetry, and more. The Cisneros page at Los Mujeres also has some useful resources. The Modern American Poets site has a page about her as well. Another interview also exists online, as well as critical essays on her work.

Her characters are mostly Chicano, some are US Americans and others are immigrants from other parts of the Americas to the US, especially Mexico. Many of them are children and also working-class. What do you think about her characters' identities? How do the stories differentiate between different groups of people?

Let's think of some good discussion questions for class. What do you think we should talk about? Post a comment or email me!