Falling Short

After his car accident, Isaac’s father shows that he believes in second chances, making it clear to his son that mistakes are okay, as long as you learn and improve from them. Isaac’s grandmother, however, believes that opportunities are often limited to only one chance. How do the events of the story reflect these conflicting beliefs? Does the narrative support one of these perspectives more strongly?

Both Marco’s and Isaac’s fathers have character flaws that negatively impact their roles as parents. How do the redeeming qualities of Marco’s father compare to those of Manuel Castillo? Consider the strengths and weaknesses to evaluate their overall effectiveness as fathers, and the ways Cisneros highlights they must improve.

In Chapter 7, Isaac and Coach Chavez get off to a difficult start. How does the text initially portray Coach Chavez’s character? As Isaac and Marco become more familiar with him, how does the story’s depiction of Coach Chavez change? Use specific examples from the text to support your response.

Isaac struggles with Feeling Inadequate Versus Being Enough due, in part, to his mother’s pressure regarding his poor grades. How does Falling Short depict Vero’s concerns about Isaac’s academic standing? Are her concerns similar to or different from the way Marco’s father approaches his expectations for Marco?

Isaac says multiple times that he believes basketball is the only area in which he excels. His poor school performance makes him feel like he is not a smart person. How do Isaac’s insights about people and his understanding of life situations demonstrate a form of intelligence that he may not fully recognize or value? Use specific examples from the text to support your answer.

Marco develops a theory for classifying people similar to how pet stores classify fish. What is this theory, and how does he categorize himself? How does his self-classification foreshadow the role he will eventually play on his school’s basketball team?

Do some research into the real-life basketball player Muggsy Bogues. In Falling Short, how does Cisneros use Bogues as a symbol to represent the theme of The Importance of Resilience and Perseverance? Based on your research into his life and career, why is Bogues a particularly effective figure to use in the narrative? Use specific examples to provide evidence in your response.

Although Byron functions as the story’s antagonist, Dos Equis also displays problematic behavior toward Isaac and Marco. How does Cisneros characterize Byron and Dos Equis similarly and differently? What lessons does each character impart through their actions in the narrative?