cathy queen of cats

In this chapter, Esperanza first meets another child resident of Mango Street, who she calls Cathy Queen of Cats. Cathy's monologue is the first knowledge Esperanza has of her neighborhood, which is indeed composed of a colorful cast. From Cathy herself, the self-proclaimed great great grand cousin of the queen of France, to Joe the Baby Grabber, Cathy's descriptions are full of promise that Esperanza will have much to observe and explore. The diction of Cathy's speech is that of teenage gossip and indeed reflects the favorite pastime of the occupants of Mango Street. The excitement the young girl experiences while relating the tale of the "queen of cats" is evident in the repetition "Cathy who is queen of cats has cats and cats and cats. Baby cats, big cats, skinny catsŠ" Yet while Esperanza's excitement might be that of any normal adolescent, her keen perception and poetic vision of the world is distinctly hers. This is not only evident by the many kinds of creatures she picks out from the pack, but from diction such as "Cats taking a walk on the dinner table." Indeed, Esperanza notes the humor of her world. The simile, "cats asleep like little donuts" emphasizes the joy Esperanza creates for herself by appreciating the little details of everyday life.