1. 2/WTRF
Written tasks rationale form: language A2
Submit to:Examiner Arrival date: 15 Mar / 15 Sep Session: May 2012
0 0 0 3 0 7
School number:
School name: ....................................International School Bangkok…..................................................................
Write legibly using black ink and retain a copy of this form.
Complete one copy of this form for each task.
Complete this form in the target language.
The rationale will not be included in the word count.
To complete this form, refer to the written tasks assessment details in the Language A2 guide.
Subject: _______IB English A2___________________________Level:____SL_________________
Candidate name: NaratchnanKraichok_________________________________________________
Candidatesession number: 0 0
Option to which the task is linked.If literary option, the text title(s) should be included (for example, George
Orwell, 1984).If cultural option, the topic should be included (for example, propaganda).
Topic Option: Literally Option: The House on Mango Streetby Sandra Cisneros
Title (if appropriate): “The Trapped Trees of Mango Street”
Area of communication and type of text: Poetic Communication
Subject: Esperanza_____________
Purpose: To turn Cisneros’s poetic language in “Four Skinny Trees” in to an actual poem that was
told by Esperanza
Audience: Readers
Context (where appropriate):____________________________________________________
Turn Over
Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2011

2. International Baccalaureate 2/WTRF (reverse)
School name:………………….…International School Bangkok............................................................
In the space below, provide the following information:
Your objective and how you have attempted to achieve them
My objective in writing this poem was to take the already beautiful and lyrical vignette, “The Four
Skinny Trees” by Sandra Cisneros and tell the same story of Esperanza, her friends, and the trees on
the street in the form of a poem. In order to do this I have used part of Cisnero’s writing style, but
converted it into a poetry-oriented layout utilizing short lines, indents, and breaks to show where
thoughts change and shift. In order to keep the feeling of the vignette, the same basic pacing was used
along with some of the same vocabulary and thought patterns. I also attempted to keep the same
theme of separation and lack of belonging so it would remain consistent to theme of not belonging
that Cisneros focuses on “Four Skinny Trees”. I also took great efforts to make the end of the vignette
clearer. While it ends on an upbeat note, it does not express very well the differences between the
trees and the girls: the girls can leave, the trees cannot.
Specific examples showing how this was done
The use of Cisneros’ writing style and tempo was used in this poem. For example, Cisneros
writes,“They are the only ones who understand me. I am the only one who understands them” in
reference to the trees at the beginning of the poem. This theme and tempo was kept when I wrote,
“Only I understand them / Those sad skinny trapped trees”. The theme of sadness must be maintained;
otherwise the two pieces will be too different.
Additionally, although Cisneros uses vignette form, her words are often very poetic. For example, she
uses “They send ferocious roots beneath the ground” to discuss the trees. I felt this, while beautiful,
could also be expressed in a more purely poetic layout, which is why I wrote,
Lonely trees, like lonely girls
Know they do not belong
Fighting with the dry concrete
Or the monochrome sky
This is an important difference, because it forces the reader to stop and think before moving on to the
next thought.
Also, in order to maintain the sense of separation and longing by utilizing more imagery to present the
thoughts and feelings of the characters by saying, “Rachel, Lucy, Nenny and I / Stand in the empty
street / Looking like the four trees / Dreaming of open fields.” This shows very clearly the sense of
longing that comes from being born (or planted) in an area where you have very little potential or
ability to grow.
In order to highlight what I feel to be the meaning of Cisneros’ vignette, I clarified the end by
personifying the tree saying “Unlike us, you don’t have roots / you don’t have to stay here / One day
you can escape and find / the place truly your own” This demonstrates that there is hope. The trees
give her inspiration and even if it feels dark sometimes. To keep on “keeping” and not let your
surroundings keep you from doing everything you can to thrive.
Comments on how the task demonstrates understanding of the cultural or literary option on
which it is based.
This task demonstrates my understanding of my literary option, poetry, because I feel I was able to
recreate the feeling of The Four Skinny Trees in the form of a poem. While the medium is different, I
believe it fundamentally expresses the same facts, feelings, and emotions. I feel the voice of
Esperanza comes though clearly in my poem, as well as the desperation surrounding her
Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2011

3. The difficulties I had in completing this task were word-choice issues, as it is sometimes hard to find
the exact word to give the feeling necessary to maintain Cisneros’ setting throughout. For example, in
the opening two lines, I was tempted to describe the trees as lonely, because The Four Skinny Trees
has a very lonely feeling to it. However, the trees were not lonely because they had one another, even
if that was all they had. My intial line was “Only I understand them / Those sad skinny lonely trees”
but as I read over it again, I realized “lonely” was not applicable and spent a long time looking at
various word choices.
Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2011

4. The Trapped Trees of Mango Street
Only I understand them
Those sad skinny trapped trees
All four thin brown trunks
Reaching towards the cluttered sky
Lonely trees, like lonely girls
Know they do not belong
Fighting with the dry concrete
Or the monochrome sky
Trees should be in the forest
Not in a desolate dry ghetto
Girls don’t belong here either
They belong in a better life
Rachel, Lucy, Nenny and I
Stand in the empty street
Looking like the four trees
Dreaming of open fields
Angry for a much better life
With open sky and colors
Dreaming of a bright future
And of a world without pain
When I hear their gentle whispers
I listen to their quiet lessons
“Keep it up kid” their leaves say
“You will be alright”
Their trapped rustling reminds
Me in my house of red bricks
They grew despite the concrete
Just like me, they must stay
“You don’t have our roots
To grab at the sad earth
But you can stand tall, side
By side, with your sisters”
Word Counts: 175 words
Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2011