Esperanza Rising

A novel by Pam Munoz Ryan

About the Author

About the Author

Esperanza Rising, is about Ryan's grandmother. She wrote the story to honor her family. She also wanted to give her children something to remember about their culture and history. Finally, Esperanza Rising was a way to share the Mexican immigration experience with non-Latinos.

"But most important, my grandmother’s life gave me a dramatic premise on which to base a compelling story," Ryan said. "My most ardent desire is for the reader to turn the page. For me, that's ultimately the most important reason to tell any story."

Video of the Author

Background Information

• Mexican Revolution

• Cesar Chavez

• Causes of the Great Depression

• The Great Depression

ProverbsA proverb (from Latin: proverbium) is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. Proverbs are used in conversation by adults more than children, partially because adults have learned more proverbs than children. Also, using proverbs well is a skill that is developed over years.

Ex: All that glitters is not goldMeaning: Not everything that is shiny and superficially

attractive is valuable.

ProverbsEsperanza Rising is filled with many proverbial phrases, or sayings that teach life lessons. Your first journal entry will be a collection of proverbs, beginning with the two that start off the book. You will reserve 4 pages to collect and reflect on the proverbs you encounter. Keep your eyes peeled for more proverbs as you read.

Las UvasThings to

do:•Prepare chapter cover (Las Uvas), with quote. *•Make predictions about chapter•Pose questions •Begin character profile pages

Journal Entry:• Summary of chapter.• Reflection of what happened.

How did you feel? *• (Re-read 1924); What does the

scene in which Esperanza and her father lie down to hear the heartbeat of the earth, reveal about their relationship?

• Journal Entry: What does Esperanza mean when she says to Miguel that there is a “deep river” that runs between them? What does this reveal about her personality?

“Aguantate tantito y la fruta caera en tu mano.”

Las Papayas

Things to do:• Draw Papa’s Study (Pgs.

29-30)*• Journal Entry: Use a Venn

Diagram to compare Tio Luis and Tio Marco to Papa.*

• Journal Entry: Write a diary entry from the perspective of Ramona, after Tio Luis makes his offer of marriage. Be sure to include the pros and cons and how this makes you feel.

“Then the events of last night wrenched her mind into reality. Her smile faded, her chest tightened, and a heavy blanket of anguish, smothered her smallest joy.”

Los Higos•Imagine that you had to pick up and leave your house, at a moments notice! Think of what few possessions you would pack, if you were leaving your old life behind forever.•Write a journal entry from the perspective of Esperanza. Write about how you feel about leaving El Rancho de las Rosas and Aguascalientes, Mexico forever.•Write about your worst nightmare ever.

“Mountains and valleys. Right now you are in the bottom of the valley, and your problems loom big around you. But soon you will be at the top of the mountain again. After you have lived many mountains and valleys, we will be together.”

“The rich take care of the rich, while the poor take care of those who have less than them.”

Imagine that you were traveling in the hidden compartment of a car covered by guavas. Draw this chart in your journal to explain what you see, hear, smell, and feel as you travel in this tense situation.

Add 4 more character profiles! (Miguel, Isabel, Juan/Josefina, Marta)

Las Guayabas

Los Melones1. Journal Entry: Re-read

pgs. 90-93. On page 92 it says that Esperanza “tried to find the place in her heart where her life was anchored, but she couldn’t, so she closed her eyes and pressed the palms off her hands against the earth, making sure it was there.” What is the author trying to say? What other part of the book does this remind you of?

2. Journal Entry: Describe Esperanza’s first encounter with Marta. What does it reveal about Esperanza’s character.

“She listened again, but the heartbeat was not there. She tried one more time, desperately wanting to hear it. But there was no reassuring thump repeating itself. No sound of the earth’s heartbeat. Or papa’s.”

•Re-read Pgs. 103-104•Why is Mama so happy?

•Re-read Pg. 102•Draw the scene inside the cabin

•Re-read Pgs. 100-101•Draw the scene at Arvin Camp

Las Cebollas

Las Almendras“She remembered the

night before the fire, when she had last seen the roses and had wanted to ask Hortensia to make rosehip tea. But she never had the chance. Now, if they bloomed she could drink the memories of the roses that had known papa.”

•Re-read pgs. 122-123 and draw the rose garden, that Miguel and Alfonso have made for Esperanza and Mama.•Journal Entry: Why did Marta say that the workers were kittens? What did she want them to do?•Journal Entry: If you were in Esperanza’s camp, would you have gone to strike? Why or why not?

Las Ciruelas“She wanted to tell the doctor that she could not lose Mama, too. That she had already lost Papa and that Abuelita was too far away. Her voice strangled with fear. All she could do was whisper the doctor’s uncertain words, “If she survives.”

•Visualize what the dust storm looked like. Draw it.•Mama gets sick from the dust storm. Re-read pgs. 153-157 and then write a diary entry from the perspective of Esperanza that expresses what she is feeling and why. Think about possible outcomes from her mother being ill.

Las Papas“Her other life seemed like a story she had read in a book a long time ago, un cuento de hadas, a fairy

tale.”Journal Entry: On page 160 it says “the mountains and valleys in the blanket were easy, but as soon as she reached a mountain, she was headed back down a valley again. Would she ever escape this valley she was in?” What is the author referring to? What mountains/valleys is Esperanza experiencing?

Journal Entry: Make a Venn diagram. Compare and Contrast Esperanza and Cinderella.

Los Aguacates“She repeated Hortensia’s recipe and as she sat for

the second time with her hands smothered, she realized that no matter how much avocado and glycerin she put on them, they would never look

like the hands of a wealthy woman from El Rancho de las Rosas. Because they were the hands of a

poor campesina.”

•Journal Entry: Re-read Pgs. 183-186. Find 3 examples of foreshadowing. Explain what the author is hinting at.•Journal Entry: Compare the way Marta acted on pg. 193 to the way she acted on pg. 104. What changed? Why? •Journal Entry: Re-read pgs. 194-195. What other part in the story does this remind you of? How has Esperanza’s feelings/actions changed? Which proverb from the beginning of the story best apply to Esperanza?

Los EsparragosJournal Entry: Draw the striker’s camp.

Journal Entry: Would you turn Marta in? Why or why not?

“She was relieved, but still imagined the anguish of the

strikers. Troubled thoughts stayed in her mind. Something seemed very wrong about sending people

away from their own “free country” because they had spoken their

minds.”