Esperanza Rising
A novel by Pam Munoz Ryan
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
About the Author
Background Information
• Mexican Revolution
• Cesar Chavez
• Causes of the Great Depression
• The Great Depression
Proverbs
A 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 gold
Meaning: Not everything that is shiny and superficially
attractive is valuable.
Proverbs
Esperanza 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 Uvas
“Aguantate
tantito y la
fruta caera
en tu
mano.”
Las Uvas
Things 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?
“What does the scene in
which Esperanza and her
father lie down to hear the
heartbeat of the earth,
reveal about their
relationship.
Las Uvas
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?
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: 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?
• 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
“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.”
•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.
Las Guayabas
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)
“The rich take care of the
rich, while the poor take
care of those who have
less than them.”
Los Melones
“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.”
1. 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.
Las Cebollas
•Re-read
Pgs. 100-101
•Draw the
scene at
Arvin Camp
•Re-read Pgs.
103-104
•Why is Mama
so happy?
•Re-read Pg.
102
•Draw the
scene inside
the cabin
Las Almendras
•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?
“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.”
Las Ciruelas
•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.
“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.”
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 Esparragos
Journal
Entry:
Would
you turn
Marta in?
Why or
why not?
Journal
Entry: Draw
the striker’s
camp.
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.