Caramelo By Sandra Cisneros

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Caramelo By Sandra Cisneros

• Presentation by Ms. Danielle Arroyo

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Setting

• Chicago rural community-apartment over an
  upholstery shop
• Mexico City
• San Antonio, Texas
• Flashbacks- Story shifts from the early 1910s to
  2000

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Main Character Lala

• Celia (Lala) is a Mexican-American tomboy in her
  teens. In the novel, she tells the life of her
  grandmother, mother, and herself. Many of the
  stories are woven into one another and each of
  their heritage, personalities and motives grow
  familiar to Celia. Celia is the narrator
  throughout the book with a few interruptions from
  Grandmother. She is a character full of dreams
  and aspirations and looks forward to the future.
  On the other hand, her parents and family have
  their own dreams for her in mind. Celia is an
  appreciative, respectful, and curious young lady.
  Throughout the book, Celia reveals her true
  thoughts and shares her childhood experiences
  that any teenager can relate to. She discovers so
  much from her familys past that she begins to
  understand her familys way of living and
  sacrifices that were made for the sake of family
  togetherness and well-being. Celia is an
  inspirational character and her version of the
  truth tells the story of many, no matter what
  race, religion, or background one comes from.

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Themes/Lessons Learned

• Deceit- lying to people to protect their own
  well-being, family, friends, or future
• Love- how far one would go to protect another
• Family togetherness- Very strong in Celias life.
  Strong bonds.
• Favoritism- mother/son, mother/daughter,
  father/daughter, father/son-huge dilemma with
  this family
• WEALTH- TYPE? Family, friendship, or money?
  Characters conflict with what is first priority
  for them.
• Coming of age- Lala, Grandmother, and Mother all
  share their own stories and battles.
• Borderlands- Different ways of living between two
  countries- Mexico and the U.S.

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Favorite Passage

• Were so Mexican. So much left unsaid. Im
  afraid, but there is nothing I can do but stare
  it in the eye. I bring the tips of the caramelo
  rebozo up to my lips, and, without even knowing
  it, Im chewing on the fringe, its taste of
  cooked pumpkin familiar and comforting and good,
  reminding me Im connected to so many people , so
  many(pg.428).
• The rebozo is a symbol of how the family is
  connected. The women in the story treasured the
  rebozo and shared their own hardships and glories
  wearing it. A rebozo is a shawl with extreme
  detail of artwork.

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ECV KEY

• Connection to ECV Key
• No, Father, youve always given us so
  muchYouve been a wonderful father, a king. And
  were your kingdom--your kids(pg. 426).

• Respect Lala shows respect towards her family.
  Her family trusts and confides in her to keep
  their white lies a secret. She spends her
  childhood trying to understand and please her
  family. She appreciates everything her parents
  do for her.

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Plot

• Mijo, youll have to chooseHer
• The Grandmothers fat finger points toward
  Mother, who is trembling with rage. Or me.
• Father looks at his mother. And then at our
  motherThen Father does something hes never done
  in his life. Not before, nor since(pg. 86).

• The father in the story is torn between
  respecting his mothers words and his wifes.
  Lala is caught in the middle when she has to take
  sides, just like her father. Lalas mother and
  Grandmother constantly argue and battle each
  other to the extent where they make the man they
  both adore, choose.