essay about esperanza rising

Esperanza Rising

57 pages • 1 hour read

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Chapters 12-14

Character Analysis

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Discussion Questions

Dolls frequently appear in the story. Discuss their appearance at various points and what lesson they are meant to teach Esperanza.

Describe Marta and talk about how her traits differ from Esperanza and the other peasant girls in Esperanza’s group.

Abuelita says that one should not be afraid to start over. Compare and contrast her attitude to Esperanza’s.

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Esperanza Rising

Pam muñoz ryan, everything you need for every book you read., esperanza ortega, ramona ortega / mama, sixto ortega / papa.

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Debatifying ‘Esperanza Rising’

Pam Muñoz Ryan’s young adult novel Esperanza Rising , published in 2000, tells the title character’s story, a 14 year old Mexican girl, who with her mother lose their large estate in Aguascalientes and emigrate to southern California in the 1930s, like tens of thousands of Mexicans did.  Esperanza is thrust from an upper-class privileged life into a working class, meager existence, and the servants that she had in Mexico (who make the trip to the United States to re-locate with her) are now her peers. 

But the U.S. holds the promise of more opportunity for girls and women, and even of a classless society, where people are judged based on character and achievements, rather than on their lineage or background.  That promise doesn’t always hold up in the face of Esperanza’s experience and observations, but one year after the novel begins, Esperanza ends the novel with a hopeful, optimistic quincenera , one occasioned by a vision of herself soaring high above her current home in the San Joaquin Valley.

Esperanza Rising is a widely assigned book in middle school ELA classes in part because kids respond well to and are engaged by the challenges and adventures faced by the novel’s young protagonist, in part because it speaks to Latino and more broadly the American immigrant experience, and in part because it delivers the uplift for readers that is codified by the title.  It is also, as we discovered last spring with a partner school, an excellent subject of debatifcation, which for a literary work is itself a sign of its depth and salutary complexity.

Debatification

Often the key to debatifying a unit is identifying and formulating the debatable issues that you want to organize instruction around and have students thinking hardest and most deeply about.  That was certainly the case with Esperanza Rising .  Through a productive couple of meetings with the teachers, we arrived at these three debatable issues, ensuring that they met the criteria of openness, balance, focus, authenticity, and intellectual interest .

Debatable Issue #1

Would Esperanza have been a better person if she had been allowed to stay with Ramona, her mother, on their estate in Aguascalientes after her father died?

Debatable Issue #2

Author Pam Muñoz Ryan has said in interviews that she was influenced in writing Esperanza Rising by the Latin American literary genre of “magical realism,” in which make-believe or magical events occur in otherwise realistic settings, usually to underline the significance of the moment in the story, or to develop a theme in the work.  Which of the “magical moments” in the novel is the most important, both to the story and to the themes?

Debatable Issue #3

Marta and the other California farm-working strikers are shown in both a positive and a negative light in the novel.  Does Esperanza Rising support or oppose the strikers, on balance?

We recognized these three questions go to the heart of what the novel is about, what meaning we want the students to make of it, and why it is – and should be – of such interest to our students, and to us.  The first issue asks us to think more reflectively, more critically, about the novel’s theme of the redemptive power of hope.  Yes, Esperanza (literally “hope” in Spanish, of course) ends the novel in a state of uplift (literally rising, in her magic-realist vision), but does her positive attitude completely erase the adversities and injustices she has suffered in the past year, in the United States and even more so in Mexico, where her property and pleasure is stolen from her?  Another way to think about this question is: according to the novel, just how powerful is hope?

The second issue is a formalistic one, asking students to learn about and then think through the use of tropes from the literary genre invented by Spanish-speaking writers, namely “magic realism.”  By identifying a set of “magic moments” in the text, and then re-contextualizing them within the novel’s plot and its various themes, students become more sensitive to and appreciative of the way that in fiction (in literary writing more broadly) style and content are fundamentally inter-related.  This debatable issue illustrates for us that we can and should think openly about the questions we want students to make arguments about, when we study a text.  Rather than thinking formulaically about “controversial issues,” we should understand that no issue is off limits – certainly not formalistic or stylistic ones – and that any question we have about a work (if it is higher-order, if it is rich) can be formulated as a debatable issue.

The third issue a political one, asking students to think deeply about an important political question raised in the novel – namely, whether unions are a good thing for workers or not.  This is a question clearly asked and addressed by the narrative, though a recent parental protest in North Carolina shows that in some localities making this a debatable issue for study can generate community opposition.  We think that this kind of opposition to studying genuinely open political and historical questions is unwarranted and counter-educational – which, however, doesn’t make them any less real as impediments to certain argument-centered instructional choices in certain parts of the country.  Our partner school in this instance isn’t in such a locality, so the students were able to study and make interpretive arguments about this fictional narrative’s implicit position on the question of the virtue and impact of trade unions in America.

Argument-Centered Assessments

This post is focused on framing and formulating the debatable issues in the study of a novel, so I won’t spend much time summarizing – nor posting resources on – the argument-centered projects and assessments that we worked with our partner school on in implementing this unit.

For the second issue, we identified five instances of magical realism in the novel, and asked students to come up with five additional instances on their own.  Then students were put in groups of four.  In those groups, each student chose two “magic moments” to defend as the most important for both the plot and the themes of the book.  Students were told to negotiate in instances where more than one student picked the same incident, so that each of the four students had two distinct moments to argue for and defend.  They then had an informal argument-based discussion format to use, one in which they were each tracking each other’s arguments and counter-arguments.  Finally they completed graphic organizers in which they rank-ordered the instances in terms of importance to plot and theme, summarizing argumentation from the discussions.

With the third issue, we conducted a condensed Shaping Arguments activity with the full class.  Students were able to take their own preferred position, and they were to build two arguments in favor of it and counter-arguments to possible arguments in favor of an opposed position to theirs.  The teacher led a classroom-wide argument-based discussion using the Shaping Arguments format.

And finally we conducted Table Debates on the second issue – that of novel’s view of the power of hope, as we put it above.  This was the most formal and developed of the three activities.  Not only were these debates fully prepared, and assessed summatively by the teachers, but they also were used as pre-writing preparation for a final on-demand essay on the same question, one that culminated the unit.

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In Esperanza Rising , author Pam Muñoz Ryan shares the story of Esperanza Ortega, a young child forced to flee her home in Mexico after her father is murdered. After a long, difficult journey, Esperanza and her mother settle in a camp for Mexican farmworkers in California and endure hard labor, financial struggles, and discrimination.

For young readers of Esperanza Rising , this novel provides an opportunity to learn about the plight of Mexican workers during the Great Depression and reflect on what it takes to rise above tragedy, adversity, and the harsh realities immigrants often face . This novel also presents complex themes related to race, class, courage, and compassion to your students, while introducing them to the power of passionate storytelling .

During reading, encourage your students to reflect on the experience of Esperanza through writing and discussion. The following 18 prompts will not only help boost your students’ comprehension of the story, but they’ll also help your young readers connect with Esperanza’s inspiring story in a deeper and more meaningful way.

1. Why does the author open with a scene of Esperanza and her father lying down to hear the heartbeat of the earth? How does this shared experience seem to affect Esperanza's relationship with her father?

2. Explain Mama's reasons for leaving Mexico. Would you have been willing to make the same decision if you were in her situation? Why or why not?

3. Esperanza and Miguel take a train ride together as young children. Compare this train ride to the one they take when going to live in America.

4. What does Esperanza mean when she says to Miguel that there is a "deep river" that runs between them? Does this change in California? If so, describe how their relationship changes and give reasons for why this might happen.

5. Describe the cabin where Esperanza must live in America. How does this home compare to her home in Mexico? When Esperanza points out these differences, why does Mama become angry with her? Is Mama right to be angry with her? Why or why not?

6. A poor woman on the train to Los Angeles explains that although she is poor, she is rich. How can a poor person be rich? How can a rich person be poor?

7. Why does Esperanza dislike Marta when they first meet? What makes Esperanza change her mind about Marta?

8. After the dust storm, Mama is the only one of the workers in the cabin to become ill. Why is this so? How does her illness affect Esperanza? Why does Esperanza agree to cut the eyes out of the potatoes?

9. When Esperanza is told she cannot visit her mother for several weeks, she describes her life as going through "the motions of living." Have you ever felt this way? If so, describe how. What does Esperanza do to increase the amount of joy in her life?

10. Why does Miguel drive out of his way to shop at the Japanese store? What does Alfonso mean when he tells Miguel that Mr. Yakota is "getting rich on other people's bad manners"?

11.  Compare the strikers' camp to the camp in which Esperanza lives. How does seeing this camp and its inhabitants affect Esperanza?

12.  Alfonso and Miguel keep telling Esperanza that if is she does good work the farmers will keep employing her. Do you believe that philosophy applies in today's world? Why or why not?

13.  What do you think of "voluntary deportation"? Is this a peaceful or violent way to handle the situation with the strikers? Did Esperanza do the right thing by helping Marta and risking the chance of being deported herself?

14.  Papa's words, "Wait a little while and the fruit will fall into your hands," are said by Miguel in a heated argument with Esperanza. How does this idea relate to the titles of the chapters in this novel? How does this relate to the end of the novel when Esperanza is retelling all the events from California to Abuelita?

15.  When Esperanza finds out Miguel has taken her money orders, she is devastated. Describe how she must feel when Alfonso comes to take her to the train station to pick Miguel up. Is she justified to feel this way? What was Miguel's reason for taking the money? What do his actions mean?

16.  The last section of the novel has Esperanza and Miguel listening to the heartbeat of the earth. What does this parallel to the first chapter mean?

17.  The novel ends with Esperanza teaching Isabel how to crochet the zigzag stitch. How do the "mountains and valleys" compare to the plot of the novel? Is there a skill or talent that someone in your family has that you have learned or would like to learn? Please describe.

18.  Read the last sentence of the novel and explain how it relates to the book's themes.

After reading, invite your students to imagine being taken out of their life right now and put in a work camp like Esperanza’s. Encourage your students to reflect on how they would react and how they would overcome the harsh realities of their new life using the lessons they learned from Esperanza Rising .

Order your class copies of Esperanza Rising below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store . For more teacher resources on the expansive works of Pam Muñoz Ryan, check out this discussion guide .

EL Education Curriculum

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• ELA G5:M1:U2

Writing to Inform: Threats to Human Rights in Esperanza Rising

In this unit.

• Guiding Questions and Big Ideas

The Four Ts

Content connections.

• Habits of Character

Unit-at-a-Glance

Accountable independent reading, supporting english language learners.

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Preparation and Materials

• Technology and Media

Additional Language and Literacy Block

• Optional Activities

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• ELA Grade 5

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In this unit, students continue to read Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan to make connections to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They also compare and contrast characters' reactions to situations and events in which their human rights have been threatened and interpret metaphors woven throughout the story to determine how they convey themes. For the mid-unit assessment, students independently interpret a metaphor that is woven throughout the novel and determine a theme that it conveys. They also analyze and compare the reactions of two characters to an event in Esperanza Rising .

In the second half of the unit, students choose an event in the novel to write a literary essay that compares and contrasts the reactions of two characters. Students begin by writing a two-voice poem with a partner to really get inside the minds of the characters during that event. They then follow the Painted Essay structure, writing their literary essay one part at a time after analyzing a model. For the end of unit assessment, students revise their literary essay for linking words and phrases, specifically those that signal contrast.

Big Ideas & Guiding Questions

• What are human rights, and how can they be threatened?
• Human rights belong to everyone, but they can look different to different people in different places.
• We can better understand how human rights can be threatened by reading about the experiences of fictional characters in stories.
• We can raise awareness of human rights issues by writing about the issues fictional characters face.
• Topic: Human rights
• Task: Students reread a literary text, and answer selected response questions and write a paragraph about it (mid-unit assessment). Students revise a literary essay comparing and contrasting character reactions to events that threaten their human rights in Esperanza Rising (end of unit assessment).
• Targets (standards explicitly taught and assessed): RL.5.1, RL.5.2, RL.5.3, RL.5.10, W.5.2c, W.5.2d, W.5.5, W.5.6, W.5.9a, W.5.10, L.5.2d, L.5.5a, and L.5.6 . 
• Text: Esperanza Rising and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Each unit in the 3-5 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

This module is designed to address English Language Arts standards and to be taught during the literacy block of the school day. However, the module intentionally incorporates social studies content that many teachers may be teaching during other parts of the day. These intentional connections are described below. 

College, Career, and Civic Life C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards:

• D2.Civ.3.3-5: Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key U.S. constitutional provisions.
• D2.Civ.4.3-5: Explain how groups of people make rules to create responsibilities and protect freedoms.
• D2.Civ.7.3-5: Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school settings.
• D2.Civ.10.3-5: Identify the beliefs, experiences, perspectives, and values that underlie their own and others' points of view about civic issues.
• D2.Geo.2.3-5: Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
• D2.His.2.3-5: Compare life in specific historical time periods to life today.
• D2.His.4.3-5: Explain why individuals and groups during the same historical period differed in their perspectives.
• D2.His.14.3-5: Explain probable causes and effects of events and developments.
• D3.4.3-5: Use evidence to develop claims in response to compelling questions.
• D4.6.3-5: Draw on disciplinary concepts to explain the challenges people have faced and opportunities they have created, in addressing local, regional, and global problems at various times and places.

Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus

Central to EL Education's curriculum is a focus on "habits of character" and social-emotional learning. Students work to become effective learners, developing mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, collaboration); work to become ethical people, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, integrity, respect, compassion); and work to contribute to a better world, putting their learning to use to improve communities (e.g., citizenship, service). 

In this unit, students work to become effective learners . Throughout Unit 2, students practice perseverance and collaboration as they work in pairs to write a literary essay. They practice initiative and responsibility as they revise their essays using peer feedback.

The following student learning targets are a focus for this unit. Please refer to Teaching Notes in the lessons:

• I work to become an effective learner:
• I take initiative.
• I take responsibility.
• I persevere.
• I collaborate.

Each unit is made up of a sequence of between 5-20 lessons. The “unit at a glance” chart in the curriculum map breaks down each unit into its lessons, to show how the curriculum is organized in terms of standards address, supporting targets, ongoing assessment, and protocols. It also indicates which lessons include the mid-unit and end-of-unit assessments.

View the unit-at-a-glance chart

The ability to read and comprehend texts is the heart of literacy instruction. Comprehension is taught, reinforced, and assessed across both components of this curriculum: module lessons and the Additional Language and Literacy Block. Refer to the 5M1 Module Overview for additional information.

In this unit, students continue to read research texts independently for homework, collect new academic and domain-specific vocabulary, and engage in frequent research reading shares during the module lessons for accountability.

The Meeting Students' Needs column in each lesson contains support for both ELLs and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and some supports can serve a wide range of student needs. However, ELLs have unique needs that cannot always be met with UDL support. According to federal guidelines, ELLs must be given access to the curriculum with appropriate supports, such as those that are specifically identified as "For ELLs" in the Meeting Students' Needs column.

• Prioritizing lessons for classrooms with many ELLs: To prepare for the Unit 2 assessments, consider prioritizing and expanding instruction in Lessons 1-4, which establish the pattern of reading and analyzing character reactions to events in Esperanza Rising , and interpreting metaphors and answering questions about their meaning. Also prioritize the analysis of essay structure using the color-coding system and the Language Dive in Lessons 12-15. If necessary, consider condensing instruction in Lessons 6-9, which continue the patterns established in previous lessons, but do not introduce as many new concepts.
• Language Dives: ELLs can participate in an optional Language Dive in Lesson 12. This Language Dives is designed to help students notice and apply the English subject-predicate structure using the subordinating conjunction while. Most lessons also offer optional Mini Language Dives for ELLs. Language Dives are guided conversations about the meaning of a sentence from the central texts, models, or learning targets. The conversation invites students to unpack complex syntax, or "academic phrases," as a necessary component of building both literacy and habits of mind. Students then apply their understanding of language structure as they work toward the assessments and performance task. All Language Dives follow a Deconstruct-Reconstruct-Practice routine, in which students discuss and play with the meaning and purpose of the sentence and each chunk of the sentence; put the chunks back together into the original order and any possible variations; and practice using the chunks in their own speaking and writing. To maximize language practice and accommodate time, consider dividing or reviewing each Language Dive over multiple lessons. A consistent Language Dive routine is critical in helping all students learn how to decipher complex sentences and write their own. In addition, Language Dive conversations can hasten overall English language development for ELLs. Avoid using the Language Dive Guide to lecture about grammar; the Guide is designed to prompt students as they grapple with the meaning and purpose of the chunks and the sentence. Consider providing students with a Language Dive log inside a folder to track Language Dive sentences and structures and collate Language Dive note-catchers. Assure students that this log will not be graded; however, consider inviting students to use their log and note-catchers to gauge the progress of their speaking and writing skills. For more information on Language Dives and supporting English language learners, see the Tools page . 
• Diversity and inclusion: Investigate the languages, routines, practices, rituals, beliefs, norms, and experiences that are important to ELLs and their families. An ideal context for inclusiveness emerges as students are invited to add their feelings and experience in regards to Esperanza Rising and the UDHR. Create a safe space for students to express their experiences and feelings, in both their home language and English, about the sensitive issues embedded in the texts, knowing that these discussions may help create equity or unearth trauma or both. Consider integrating this background into the classroom as students discuss Esperanza's immigrant experience, culture, history, and language in E speranza Rising , and as students read about human rights in the UDHR. Consult with a guidance counselor, school social worker, or ESL teacher to further investigate diversity and inclusion.
• Goal 1 Conversation Cues: Continue to encourage productive and equitable conversation with Conversation Cues, which are questions teachers can ask students to help achieve four goals: (Goal 1) encourage all students to talk and be understood; (Goal 2) listen carefully to one another and seek to understand; (Goal 3) deepen thinking; and (Goal 4) think with others to expand the conversation (adapted from Michaels, Sarah and O'Connor, Cathy. Talk Science Primer . Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2012. Based on Chapin, S., O'Connor, C., and Anderson, N. [2009]. Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn , Grades K-6. Second Edition. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications). Refer to the Tools page  for the complete set of cues. Goal 1 Conversation Cues are introduced in Unit 1, Lesson 3. Heightened language processing and development is a primary potential benefit for ELLs.
• Strategic grouping: As students are invited to pair up to analyze characters' reactions to events in Esperanza Rising , to make connections between the events and the UDHR, and interpret metaphors and theme, seriously consider grouping ELLs with partners who have greater language proficiency. The conversations that happen as a result of such strategic grouping will greatly serve the language development of both partners. Be aware that partnering with, looking at, talking with, or touching the opposite gender may be uncomfortable and inappropriate for some students. In addition, some students may believe it is inappropriate to speak with other students at all during class. Let them know that, in the United States, speaking with a peer of either gender when the teacher gives the signal is appropriate, and it is one way that students can become independent learners and develop their content knowledge and language ability. At the same time, tell them you respect their needs, and if necessary, seek alternative arrangements for students according to their cultural traditions. 
• Metaphor and theme: Students will analyze metaphors in Esperanza Rising and explore how metaphors that run throughout the story contribute to themes in the book. Support student understanding of the concept of metaphors by inviting students to share examples of metaphors and their meanings in their home languages, and consider working closely with students who need additional support in understanding the figurative language and answering questions about metaphors.
• Essay organization: Students will receive explicit instruction in how to craft an informational essay: introductory paragraph, focus statement with points 1 and 2, Proof Paragraphs 1 and 2 with a transition, and concluding paragraph. Students will use the Painted Essay format. Organization may be difficult to grasp for some students who may struggle to comprehend the language itself. Use color-coding and manipulatives inspired by the Painted Essay routines, such as sentence strips, to support this skill. Also, this essay structure may be different from the text structure students may be familiar with in their home languages. Compare and contrast home language text structure whenever possible. As students work on writing complete sentences, color-code sentences to support students' understanding of subject-predicate sentence structure.
• Celebration: Celebrate the courage, enthusiasm, diversity, and bilingual assets that ELLs bring to the classroom.

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• Prepare two individuals (e.g., students, other teachers, adult guests, etc.) to perform the model two-voice poem in Lesson 11. This will require them to read parts both independently and in unison.
• Prepare materials for the Painted Essay lesson plan in Lesson 12:
• Paintbrushes (one per student)
• Read, yellow, blue, and green watercolor paint (one set per pair)
• Cups of water (one per pair)
• Painting an Essay lesson plan (for teacher reference) 
• Red, yellow, blue, and green colored pencils (one set; for teacher modeling)
• Prepare technology for students to type their final literary essays in Lesson 16. 
• The following materials are introduced in this unit and referenced both throughout the module and the school year:
• Peer Critique Protocol anchor chart
• The Painted Essay template
• Painting an Essay lesson plan
• Working to Become Effective Learners anchor chart
• Parts of Speech anchor chart
• Linking Words and Phrases handout

Technology and Multimedia

• Google Docs  - Complete note-catchers: Students complete their note-catchers, write their essays and monologues, and create their programs in Google Docs.
• Speech to Text (Many newer devices already have this capability)- To create writing by speaking: Students complete their note-catchers and create written work by speaking rather than writing or typing.
• Seesaw  - Create student learning portfolios to share with other students, families: Video/audio record students reading aloud their monologues to share with families and other students.
• The Mexican Revolution  - Additional reading and research: Students read more about the Mexican Revolution with adult support. 
• Knight, Alan. "The Mexican Revolution." History Today May 1980: n. pag. History Today. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
• The Mexican Revolution: November 20th, 1910  - Additional reading and research: Students read more about the Mexican Revolution with adult support.
• "The Mexican Revolution: November 20th, 1910." EDSITEment. National Endowment for the Humanities, n.d. Web. 3 June 2016.
• Mexican Revolution  - Additional reading and research: Students read more about the Mexican Revolution with adult support.
• "Mexican Revolution." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.
• Immigration Past and Present  - Additional reading and research: Students read more about immigration.
• "Immigration Past and Present." Accessed June 3, 2016.
• Teach Unicef  - Additional reading and research: Students read about current events that are threats to human rights.
• "Teach Unicef." Unicef. Web. Accessed Jun 3, 2016.
• Human Rights Education  - Additional reading and research: Students read about current events that are threats to human rights.
• "Human Rights Education." Amnesty International. Web. Accessed Jun 3, 2016.
• Human Rights Watch  - Additional reading and research: Students read about current events that are threats to human rights.
• Human Rights Watch. Web. Accessed Jun 3, 2016.

The Additional Language and Literacy (ALL) Block is 1 hour of instruction per day. It is designed to work in concert with and in addition to the 1-hour Grades 3-5 ELA "module lessons." Taken together, these 2 hours of instruction comprehensively address all the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

The ALL Block has five components: Additional Work with Complex Text; Reading and Speaking Fluency/GUM (Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics); Writing Practice; Word Study and Vocabulary; and Independent Reading.

The ALL Block has three 2-week units which parallel to the three units of the module.

ELA G5:M1:U2:L1

Analyzing character reactions: esperanza rising: “las cebollas”, ela g5:m1:u2:l2, metaphors in esperanza rising: “las almendras”, ela g5:m1:u2:l3, analyzing character reactions: esperanza rising: “las ciruelas”, ela g5:m1:u2:l4, metaphors in esperanza rising: “las papas”, ela g5:m1:u2:l5, making connections: “los aguacates” and article 2 of the udhr, ela g5:m1:u2:l6, analyzing character reactions: esperanza rising: “los espárragos”, ela g5:m1:u2:l7, analyzing character reactions: esperanza rising: “los duraznos”, ela g5:m1:u2:l8, writing a character reaction paragraph: esperanza rising: “los duraznos”, ela g5:m1:u2:l9, metaphors in esperanza rising: “las uvas”, ela g5:m1:u2:l10, mid-unit 2 assessment: interpreting metaphors and analyzing character reactions, ela g5:m1:u2:l11, character reactions in esperanza rising: writing a two-voice poem, ela g5:m1:u2:l12, writing a literary essay: analyzing a model, ela g5:m1:u2:l13, writing a literary essay: introduction, ela g5:m1:u2:l14, writing a literary essay: proof paragraphs, ela g5:m1:u2:l15, writing a literary essay: conclusion, ela g5:m1:u2:l16, end of unit 2 assessment: revising a literary essay, optional: community, experts, fieldwork, service, and extensions.

• If students have families with experience with some of the issues described in Esperanza Rising , consider inviting them in to speak to students about their experiences.
• If students come from Spanish-speaking families, consider inviting adults to come in to share some words with students in Spanish.
• If you have a number of English language learners speaking the same native language, invite family members to come into the classroom to talk with ELLs in their native language about human rights.
• If students have families with experience of some of the current threats to human rights that students will read about in research in Lesson 9, consider inviting them in to speak to students about their experiences.
• Invite experts on local human rights issues or immigration in your area to come in to talk to the students about the work that they do and about the local population.
• Have experts on human rights or immigration come in to talk with the students about the work that they do.
• Have experts on dramas and plays come in to talk with students about writing and performing monologues.
• Take students to exhibitions about immigration or about Mexican history or culture.
• Take students to performances of monologues.
• Reach out to local immigration charities to find out if students can participate in any charity events or work or if they can raise funds for a specific cause.
• Identify a local threat to human rights that students could learn more about and take action on.

Extensions:

• Encourage students to read other articles of the complete version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Encourage students to consider other ways to raise awareness about human rights issues.

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Home — Q&A — Literature — Other Questions — How does Esperanza change throughout the story in “Esperanza Rising” by Pam Muñoz Ryan?

How does Esperanza change throughout the story in “Esperanza Rising” by Pam Muñoz Ryan?

Throughout "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza undergoes a dramatic transformation from a sheltered and privileged girl to a strong and resilient young woman. At the beginning of the story, Esperanza is accustomed to a life of luxury and comfort on her family's ranch in Mexico. However, when her father dies and her family is forced to flee to California, Esperanza must learn to adapt to difficult circumstances and make a new life for herself.

One of the key turning points in Esperanza's character development comes when her mother falls ill with Valley Fever. In order to care for her mother and keep her family afloat, Esperanza must take on new responsibilities and learn to work hard. Through her struggles, she gains a deeper appreciation for the value of sacrifice and develops empathy and compassion for others.

Esperanza's transformation is also evident in the way she interacts with others throughout the story. At the beginning of the book, she is hesitant to make friends with the other migrant workers and often looks down on them as inferior. However, as she begins to work alongside them and get to know them better, she learns to appreciate their strengths and sees them as equals.

By the end of the story, Esperanza has become a strong and confident young woman who is capable of facing any challenge that comes her way. Her experiences have taught her the value of hard work, sacrifice, and resilience, and she is ready to embrace whatever the future holds.

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Esperanza Rising

By pam muñoz ryan, esperanza rising summary and analysis of chapter 5: los melones (cantaloupes).

After several days, the train ride comes to an end. Esperanza , Hortensia , Alfonso , Miguel , and Mama arrive at the Mexican-American border. Esperanza and Mama get in line at the immigration office. Esperanza notices that the first class passengers get preference and speed through the process. Esperanza is nervous when she sees that some people are getting rejected from the border, but she and Mama pass through immigration without any complications. They board another train to the United States. Hortensia, Alfonso, and Miguel board at the last minute.

Mama wakes Esperanza up when they arrive in Los Angeles, where Alfonso’s brother and his family are waiting for them. Esperanza meets the whole family: Alfonso’s brother Juan , his wife Josefina , their twin babies, Lupe and Pepe, and their daughter Isabel , who is about the same age as Esperanza. Isabel immediately questions Esperanza about her family's wealth in Mexico, which catches Esperanza off guard. She assumes that Miguel has told his cousin that Esperanza is a spoiled brat.

Everyone loads into Juan’s beat up truck; the adults sit in the cab and the children climb into the flatbed. Isabel tells them about the past year. The family has been living in a tent and working to afford their current residence on a larger estate. Now, Isabel hopes to start attending school so that she can learn English. Esperanza explains that she is quite well-educated and plans to return to school once Abuelita arrives.

When they stop for lunch, Esperanza wanders off on her own. As she looks out at the valleys below, she thinks about how Papa taught her to feel connected with the land. Esperanza tries to hear the heartbeat of the earth but she cannot, which frustrates her. In a fit of tears, Esperanza falls back onto the ground and suddenly feels as if she is floating above it without any anchor. Esperanza feels like she is floating higher - but she is uncertain about whether or not she enjoys the sensation of being unmoored. Miguel brings her back to reality by holding her hand and confessing that he, too, misses Papa.

They keep driving until the mountains disappear and all Esperanza can see are fields full of workers. Juan stops so that a girl, Marta , can get into the car. Marta is about Miguel’s age and has a sharp tongue. Upon learning that Esperanza was once wealthy, Marta begins to taunt her. Esperanza tries to explain that her father was a kind man and Isabel explains that Esperanza lost everything in a fire, but Marta does not stop ridiculing the new arrival.

Marta has become jaded after suffering her own losses and living in the San Joaquin Valley for many years. She explains the reality of the Mexican workers' situation. Migrant workers are separated by place of origin (Mexico, Japan, Oklahoma) so that there is no inter-communication between ethnic groups. Marta explains that landowners do this to keep the workers from uniting in an uprising against their masters.

Esperanza is distressed after hearing Marta's revelations. She is also jealous that Miguel keeps speaking to Marta after the way she has spoken about Esperanza's father. At this point, Esperanza is uncertain about her new life but she is certain that she does not like Marta.

Chapter 5 is full of confrontation and uncertainty. Esperanza feels as though she is losing her connection to Papa and the land, and later, Marta’s harsh words feel like an unnecessary attack. Esperanza realizes that her past social standing actually makes people dislike her in her new life. As a result of this difficult realization, Esperanza can finally start to understand the world outside her sheltered past at el Rancho de las Rosas.

Isabel serves as a foil to Esperanza. She constantly prods Esperanza about her family’s wealth to the point where Esperanza is embarrassed. She is not used to speaking about her family's money. However, Esperanza's interactions with Isabel and Marta force Esperanza to realize that in her new circumstances, her past wealth is more of a hindrance than a boon. She feels different from those around her, and not in a way that makes her feel confident.

Marta acts as a catalyst in changing the way that Esperanza views her past life. Marta shines light on the harsh reality that even though Papa was a kind, decent man, he was defined by his wealth. Esperanza is both shocked and hurt by Marta’s outrage; she feels that she is not deserving of Marta’s anger because she did not do anything wrong. In her interactions with Marta over the course of the novel, Esperanza learns to develop her own perspective instead of taking all her old beliefs for granted.

Esperanza’s reaction to Marta’s outburst is a microcosmic representation of the class divide on the farm. Marta comes from a poor background. She has always had to fight for survival and knows that if she wants something to change, she has to do it herself. She has seen injustice firsthand, which is why she lashes out against the wealthy and speaks openly about the difficulties of life in the San Joaquin Valley. In contrast, Esperanza keeps her feelings to herself and lets others speak up in her defense. She has always had someone else to protect her - Papa, Mama, or Miguel. However, Esperanza does develop one strong opinion of her own - she dislikes Marta.

Esperanza reaches an emotional climax towards the middle of the chapter. While she is alone, she starts remembering her father and tries to feel a connection to him again. She describes her heart as “untethered” when she is unable to hear the heartbeat of the land. Esperanza's fantasy of floating above the ground is representative of the fact that her entire life has been uprooted. She has lost her father, her home, and everything she has ever known. She no longer has anything to keep her grounded.

Miguel - not Mama - brings Esperanza out of her daydream. When Esperanza feels like she is floating away, Miguel is there to bring her back to Earth. In this chapter, it becomes clear that their relationship is developing into something more than friendship. They hold hands during the lunch break and Esperanza feels jealous when Miguel talks to Marta. While Esperanza and Miguel have always been close, external forces (like their class differences) created a rift between them. However, in America, Esperanza and Miguel are social equals and therefore free to explore their true feelings without any reprimand from society.

Esperanza Rising Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Esperanza Rising is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

What are some things the strikers do to try to accomplish their mission? Do you agree or disagree with their methods? Explain.

There are people holding signs all over the camp, urging everyone else to join the strike. Some throw rocks and hurl insults at the workers going in. I can understand their frustrations at the bad working conditions and low pay. It seems like a...

How does Marisol demonstrates that she is a true friend in chapter 2?

Reality settles in and Esperanza must accept the tragedy from the night before - bandits killed her beloved father while he was repairing a fence on their ranch. Esperanza hears a knock at the front door. It is Señor Rodríguez, Marisol’s father,...

What gesture makes Esperanza begin to worry?

I'm not sure what chapter you are referring to. In chapter 2 Esperanza is gathering roses in preparation for the big party. She pricks her thumb on a nasty thorn, and thinks, "bad luck."

Study Guide for Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising study guide contains a biography of Pam Muñoz Ryan, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Esperanza Rising
• Esperanza Rising Summary
• Esperanza Rising Video
• Character List

Lesson Plan for Esperanza Rising

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Esperanza Rising
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Esperanza Rising Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Esperanza Rising

• Introduction
• Plot synopsis
• Main characters and personalities
• Background information
• Critical reception