"Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros

Featured literary device: Point of View (P.O.V.)

Who tells the story is an important part of the story itself. Told from a different point of view, a story can change completely.

Types of Point of View

  • First person: The main character is telling the story. Uses words such as I, we, and me.

  • Second person: The author is telling the story to the reader. Uses words such as you and your.

  • Third person: The author is telling the story, but is not part of it. Uses words such as he, she, and they.


Eleven .pdf

Questions to think/talk about:

  • What is this story about?

  • Who is telling the story?

  • Which point of view is used in this story?

  • Do you think Rachel’s experience is typical of how young people feel about growing up?

  • Are there times when you just wish you could be a kid forever? Why?



Remember to write down words you don't know in your journal and find out the definition.

Summary (click on the arrow on the right to see)

On her eleventh birthday, Rachel was accused of owning an ugly red sweater by her teacher Mrs.Price. Rachel tried to explain that the sweater isn't hers but is humiliated when is she forced to put it on. Just before lunch, Phyllis Lopez remembered the sweater was actually hers. Rachel returned it while Mrs. Price 'pretends like everything is okay.' Rachel finds that it's already too late for her to have a happy birthday. She wishes she were older, because in her mind, being older would mean escape and more power.

P.O.V

Passage from the text: "I’m eleven today. I’m eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I wish I was one hundred and two. I wish I was anything but eleven."

The main character of the story, Rachel, talks about her 11th birthday. The word "I" shows that the story is written in first person p.o.v. This helps the readers to know what she is thinking and feeling. The passage shows that she doesn't want to be 11, which is something that the readers may not know if the story was written from another character's point of view, such as Mrs.Price, who probably doesn't even know or care about Rachel's birthday.

Image: https://i3.wp.com/fortunetellingplus.com/assets/img/numerology/11.png