Eleven by Sandra Cisneros

Summary: Rachel turns eleven and describes the feelings of turning eleven.

Characters:

  • Rachel: It is her birthday and is turning eleven and explains how she feels about turning eleven (Rachel is the narrator of the story)
  • Sylvia Saldivar: Another student in class that convinces the teacher, Mrs. Price that an ugly sweater belongs to Rachel
  • Mrs. Price: Forces Rachel to wear the ugly sweater because Mrs. Price imagined that Rachel wore it once
  • Phyllis Lopez: The real owner of the sweater

Section :

  • Rachel on her birthday feels like when she's eleven she's also all the other ages below (she points out things she might do at age 5 or 3 with her mother)
  • Rachel feels like she's 10 when she's 11
  • Rachel wishes she was 102 so that she would know what to say to Mrs. Price about the sweater not being hers
  • Rachel is forced to wear an ugly, old sweater by her teacher, Mrs. Price after Sylvia Saldivar points out that she thinks that the sweater belongs to Rachel
  • Rachel is pushed to cry in front of her class as she feels all of her years "push" at the back of her eyes
  • Phyllis Lopez claims the sweater, Rachel gives it to Phyllis and the teacher thinks it's okay
  • After thinking about the party for her birthday that is to come later, Rachel again wishes she was 102 so that she would be far away from 11

Other Notes:

  • Rachel seems to be wise beyond her years
  • Rachel seems to have a good idea about the meaning of birthdays and how they relate to her life
  • Rachel thinks that she is skinny
  • Rachel seems that she is shy and is unable to defend herself very well
  • Mrs. Price, Sylvia and Phyllis seem insensitive to Rachel's feeling
  • Rachel tends to feel like she doesn't have the strength to defend herself against the teacher because Mrs. Price is "older and the teacher"

© 2013 copyright www.notes4free.com Eleven | Sandra Cisneros