Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan.

A.Bibliographic Data:
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2000. Too Many Tamales. Scholastic Press: New York, New York. ISBN 0-439-12041-1.

B. Plot Summary:
Esperanza Rising is a story of a young girl that was accustomed to living lavishly with her wealthy family in Aguascalientes, Mexico who owned a very large vineyard, and Esperanza was taught at a very young age to appreciate land and the fruit that grows from it. The story takes place ten years after the revolution ended but the backlashes still reached Esperanza when bandits assault and kill her father. During this era women's rights were very limited and with the death of her father, Esperanza and her mother are at the hands of her ruthless Uncles who leave them with no choice but to runaway to the United States in order to remain together, leaving her grandmother in a covenant. They make the journey to the United States with their faithful servants Hortencia, Adolfo, and Miguel where they will live with Adolfo's brother. Once they arrive, Esperanza and her mother are hard at work in the fields, until Esperanza's mother falls ill and Esperanza has to take on the responsibility of working to provide for her mother's medical aide, and to save money to bring her Grandmother from Mexico. Esperanza is also is confronted with the political issues that were arising with the competition for work during the Great Depression in the United States, injustices and discrimination. To end the story Esperanza's mother's heath starts to improve, and she is reunited with her grandmother.

C. Critical Analysis:
Pam's use of idioms “Aguantate tantito y la fruta caera en tu mano”, metaphors “We are like the phoenix,” said Abuelita. “Rising again, with a new life ahead of us”, and symbolism (Ex. the land symbolized home, and the fruit symbolized family, and at the end of the story Esperanza finally appreciates her new home (land), and the fruit (family and friends) that grows from it) help bring out the rich culture of Mexican traditions. Each chapter is titled with a name of a different fruit or vegetable that held a significance in the dramatic changes that were occurring in Esperanza's life, according to time of the year. The first chapter in which Esperanza is happy in her home in Aguascalientes with her family including her father is titled, “Las Uvas”, then, “Las Papayas”, “Los Higos”, etc., until the last chapter which is once again titled, “Las Uvas”, which is where Esperanza is once again happy with everyone that she loves and in her new home. This book is great to inform students of the struggles of Mexican immigrants in this country, and includes interesting information which Pam provides in her authors note at the end of the book for example that, “the federal government passed the Deportation Act that gave counties the power to send great numbers of Mexicans back to Mexico”.

C. Critical Analysis:
Pam's use of idioms “Aguantate tantito y la fruta caera en tu mano”, metaphors “We are like the phoenix,” said Abuelita. “Rising again, with a new life ahead of us”, and symbolism (Ex. the land symbolized home, and the fruit symbolized family, and at the end of the story Esperanza finally appreciates her new home (land), and the fruit (family and friends) that grows from it) help bring out the rich culture of Mexican traditions. Each chapter is titled with a name of a different fruit or vegetable that held a significance in the dramatic changes that were occurring in Esperanza's life, according to time of the year. The first chapter in which Esperanza is happy in her home in Aguascalientes with her family including her father is titled, “Las Uvas”, then, “Las Papayas”, “Los Higos”, etc., until the last chapter which is once again titled, “Las Uvas”, which is where Esperanza is once again happy with everyone that she loves and in her new home. This book is great to inform students of the struggles of Mexican immigrants in this country, and interesting information which Pam provides in her authors note at the end of the book that, “the federal government passed the Deportation Act that gave counties the power to send great numbers of Mexicans back to Mexico”.


D. Review Excerpt:
From Horn Book Magazine:
“Esperanza's struggles begin amidst class unrest in post-revolutionary Mexico and intersect with labor strikes in the United States, which serve to illustrate the time period's prevailing hostility toward people of Mexican descent. In one of the more glaring injustices she witnesses, striking workers, who were born American citizens and have never set foot on Mexican soil, are loaded onto buses for deportation. Through it all, Esperanza is transformed from a sheltered aristocrat into someone who can take care of herself and others. Although her material wealth is not restored in the end, the way it is for Sara Crewe, she is rich in family, friends, and esperanza--the Spanish word for hope.” By Cristine M. Happermann.


E. Connections
Make a list of idioms that students have heard similar to the ones in the story, they can also go home ask their family and bring back their list to post on the list.

Have students research the Great Deportation Act and Cesar Chavez, and create a timeline that shows the setbacks, and accomplishments of immigrants from Mexico in this country.

Have students research and create a graph of which fruits and vegetables are available at what time of the year, and present it to the class. (Group project).