Literature Help: Esperanza Rising

By Students' Academy

The plight of the Mexican farm workers is the main subject of the novel. It describes how these Mexican farm workers struggled to adapt and survive in the United States.

The migrant laborers from Mexico used to work for much lower pay. The employers gave them preference, ignoring the local Americans. The tension also prevailed on the fields between the migrant workers.

Some of the migrant workers believed that their living conditions were unlivable and they demanded better living conditions, but there were some others who were afraid to protest because they feared that they would be fired.

Literature Help: Esperanza Rising
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction and Background
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310256332

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Literature Help: Esperanza Rising

Students' Academy

Copyright

Literature Help: Esperanza Rising

Students' Academy

Copyright@2014 Students' Academy

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Chapter One: Introduction and Background

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan was first published in 2000. It is a young adult novel. The story of the novel is set in post-Revolutionary Mexico and in California when America was facing the Great Depression.

The plight of the Mexican farm workers is the main subject of the novel. It describes how these Mexican farm workers struggled to adapt and survive in the United States.

The book is the winner of several prestigious literary awards, including Pura Belpre Award.

The story describes how the American shopkeepers harshly treated the Mexican workers in Oklahoma. The people from Oklahoma believed that the Mexican workers were taking away their jobs.

The migrant laborers from Mexico used to work for much lower pay. The employers gave them preference, ignoring the local Americans. The tension also prevailed on the fields between the migrant workers.

Some of the migrant workers believed that their living conditions were unlivable and they demanded better living conditions, but there were some others who were afraid to protest because they feared that they would be fired.

There were about eighty eight percent white Americans in California in the 1920s and 1930s. It was about the time story takes place. There were around 36,800 Mexican field workers in that area. Most of the white people, about 88%, were the owners of the lands.

It is believed that the story is inspired by the author’s own childhood. She also grew up in San Joaquin Valley in California.

Esperanza Rising is believed to be Ryan’s best known novel. The book was included in the New York Public Library’s 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. It was also declared the best book of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly.

The book also made it to the finals of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

The story begins with the title character Esperanza Ortega. She is a rich girl. She happens to have everything she wants. She has a loving mother and father.

One day, some bandits kill her father and some of his men in a very mysterious manner. They were tending to their ranch when they were killed.

It transpires that Esperanza’s father wants to leave all his property to his wife, Ramona, and Esperanza, but the family lawyer informs them about a loophole in the legal system. He informs them that the will