SpencerWariner

ELA10
September19,2015

SandraCisnerosusesmanynarrativetechniquesthroughoutherstory.Thesetechniqueshelp
portrayRachelasacharacter.

ElevenisastorybySandraCisneros.ItisaboutagirlnamedRachelwhoisinthefifthgrade
andturningeleven.WhenRachelturnselevenyearsold,shesaysshefeelsnodifferentto
whenshewasten.Inclass,Rachelisaccusedofowningalostandunwantedsweater.The
teacherMrs.PriceordersRacheltowearthesweater,butRachelinsistsitisnthers.Finally,
shegivesinandputsthesweateron.Withtearsstreamingdownherface,shewearsthe
unownedsweater.Aftermakingafoolofherselfinfrontoftheentireclass,anothergirl
remembersthesweaterwashers.AssoonasRachelhearsthis,shetakesoffthesweaterand
givesittoher.Mrs.PricepretendseverythingisresolvedbutRachelthinkstheopposite.
Icanrelatetothisstorybecause

Onetechniquesheusesiscalledrepetition,itsprettyselfexplanatory,butitshapesthe
charactersinabigway.WhenRachelsaysnotminenotmineoverandover,therepetition
reallyprovesthepoint.AnotherexampleofrepetitioninthisstoryiswhentheteachersaysIt
hastobelongtosomebody,thissignifieshowunfortunateRacheliswhensheisaccusedof
owningthesweater.Theteacherhascheckedsomanytimesthatitshouldnthavebeen
possiblefortheownertomissit,butshedoesanditisthrusttoRachel.Thelastexamplefor
repetitioniswhenRachelrepeatshowherbirthdayfeelsasifitisnothingtoherTodayIm
elevenThisreallysymbolizestheunfortunaterealitiesoflife,likewhatRachelhadtogo
throughonherbirthday.Itshowsthatonanyday,somethingcangowrong.

AsecondnarrativetechniqueSandraCisnerosusesinthisstoryisdiction,orchoiceofwords.
AnexampleofthisiswhenCisnerosusesthewordstupidrepetitively.Theuseofthisword
mayseeminsignificant,butitactuallyformsRachelasacharacter.Itshowshowmuchofabad
daysheishavingandhowunfortunatesheis,evenonherbirthday.Yetanotherexampleof
dictionisthewayRachelstuttersinherspeaking.Whenpresentedwithadifficultsituation,
Racheloftenstuttersinthestorywhichshowsherpersonalityinabrighterlight.Itshowshow
selfpreservedsheis.ItgivesmetheideathatifIwastomeetRachelinpersonshewouldbe
shyandconserved,butveryjudgementalinherownthoughtsandopinions.Thelastexample
forSandraCisneroswordchoicefromthisstoryiswhensheusesheranalogyforgainingyears
inlife.Sandrasphilosophyistheolderyouget,thelesstheyoungeryoucomesout,butitdoes
inkeysituations.Thishappensinthestoryhere:alltheyearsinsideofmeten,nine,eight,
seven,six,five,four,three,two,andonearepushingatthebackofmyeyes

SandraCisnerosusesmanymetaphorsandsimilesinherstories.Oneexampleofasimileshe
usesis:OnlytodayIwishIdidnthaveonlyelevenyearsrattlinginsidemelikepenniesinatin
BandAidbox.ThisfurtherdevelopsRachelasacharacter.Itgivesafurtherperspectiveon

howsheseeslifeandwhatshemakesofexperiences.Asecondexampleofsimilesiswhen
RachelisdescribingtheuglysweaterItsanuglysweaterwithredplasticbuttonsandsleeves
allstretchedoutlikeyoucoulduseitforajumprope.ThelastexampleIhavefromthisstoryof
similesisoneCisnerosusestodescribehowRacheldoesnotwantorcareforthelostsweater.
theredsweatersstillsittingtherelikeabigredmountain.Iveshovedtheredsweatertothe
tippytipcornerofmydeskanditshangingallovertheedgelikeawaterfall.

Throughtheuseofvariousnarrativetechniquessuchasrepetition,diction,andsimiles,
CisnerosisabletoformacharactersuchasRachel.Inthesetechniques,shecapturesthe
readerinthepersonalityofnotonlyherself,butalsohercharacter,Rachel.
SandraCisnerosisaverygoodwriterwhenitcomestousingnarrativetechniques,whichshe
usesflawlesslytoformhercharacters,aperfectexampleofwhatitmeanstousethese
techniquesandhowtoproperly.