One Book/One Community Project
Each year, the entire Mercy community embarks on a literary adventure by reading and reflecting upon a common book specially chosen to inspire and influence. A text is chosen each spring that is read over the summer and the themes are integrated into various courses over the academic year.
The objectives of this program are:
- to engage students of all grades and levels through the summer
- to nurture a shared cultural experience among all members of the community
- to increase the students' awareness of connections across the curriculum
- to heighten the global awareness and sense of social justice definded by our Christian identity
The
Summer 2012 One Book/One Community book selection is
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
The House on Mango Street is a coming-of-age novel by Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros, published in 1984. It deals with a young Latina girl, Esperanza Cordero, growing up in Chicago with Chicanos and Puerto Ricans. Esperanza is determined to "say goodbye" to her impoverished Latino neighborhood. Major themes include her quest for a better life and the importance of her promise to come back for "the ones I left behind."
Book availability
- The librarian at the Green Township Library has gathered all the copies in the Hamilton County Library system to that branch. They can be checked out at the main desk of the Green Township Library by asking for the Mercy High School summer collection.
- The book is widely available in local bookstores for about $10 in paperback.
- The book is available for purchase on amazon.com for about $6.00 in paperback.
- Audio versions of the book are available on amazon.com for about $11.
- Some audio versions may become available in the library system: ask at Green Township Library about this possibility.
- Mercy High School has a limited number of copies for free loan. Check out in the main office. Please return in a timely manner so others can use them as well.
Assignments for this novel
Assignments for sophomores, juniors and seniors are posted on Blackboard.
For Freshman English
1. This novel is a series of vignettes (separate little stories) about a little girl. As you read notice how they string together into a connected narrative. Take notes about how you see the main character Esperanza changing and growing up. This is not formal essay, but is a journal of examples in a sentence or two each from the story that show she is maturing.
2. Notice the rich imagery. This book is also stylistically beautiful, almost poetic in parts. As you read, copy down phrases or sentences that you think are especially expressive or meaningful to you. Try to find at least a dozen of these examples.
For freshmen taking a world language
You will follow the same assignments as the U.S. History students.
PLEASE NOTE: You will NOT need to do this assignment twice! You will discuss the same immigration topics in both classes from different historical, language and cultural perspectives.
For freshmen taking U. S. History next year
Take notes about the immigrant experience as it relates to the immigrants’ reasons for leaving their home country and what they look to find in the United States. How does their experience of the U.S. compare to their expectations? This is not a formal essay, but rather a journal of paragraph-length observations and ideas about these topics.
For freshmen taking World History next year
Take notes about the experience of the Cordero family in the novel relating to how they are cultural and ethnic minorities who are different from the majority population in the book in looks, language, culture, and lifestyle. What are their feelings about these differences? What are the feelings of the majority Americans toward them? How does the American government deal with them? This is not a formal essay, but rather is a journal of sentence-length ideas and observations from the book on these topics.