painted essay esperanza rising

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Esperanza Rising: Compare & Contrast Essay

School: PS 89

City/State: Bronx, New York , NY

Grade(s): 5

Subject(s): English Language Arts

Writing Assignment Description

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.

From EL Education's ELA Curriculum G5:M1:U2

Building educators' capacity to produce college-ready performance for all students.

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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Esperanza Rising

57 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-7

Chapters 8-11

Chapters 12-14

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Pam Muñoz Ryan is the award-winning author of over 40 books for new readers, middle-grade students, and young adults. Esperanza Rising (2000) is one of her most popular works and was honored with the 2001 Southern California Judy Lopez Award and the 2001 Arizona Young Adult Book Award. It also became a 2001 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist. Other titles by the same author include Riding Freedom (1998), Becoming Naomi Léon (2004), Paint the Wind (2007), The Dreamer (2010), and Echo (2015).

Esperanza Rising is categorized as children’s historical fiction. It is intended for readers in grades 3 through 7. The novel draws on Muñoz Ryan’s Mexican heritage and her memories of growing up in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The character Esperanza is based on Ryan’s grandmother and her experience as a migrant worker in a company camp during the Great Depression.

The story begins in 1924 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, but quickly skips forward to 1930 and covers events from autumn 1930 to autumn 1931. Most of the action takes place in a migrant worker camp in Arvin, California. The story is told using limited third-person narration from the perspective of 13-year-old Esperanza Ortega .

Esperanza begins life as the pampered only child of a wealthy Mexican landowner, but her world is shattered on her 13th birthday when her father is killed by bandits. She is separated from her grandmother and forced to flee to America with her mother to escape the clutches of greedy relatives. The author uses Esperanza’s transformation from a princess to a peasant to explore the themes about the true meaning of wealth , the importance of family , and how to embrace new beginnings in life.

The page citations in this study guide refer to the Kindle edition of the book.

Plot Summary

Esperanza Ortega lives a life of luxury on a ranch in Mexico with her father, mother, and grandmother. They are attended by their faithful servants, Hortensia and Alfonso . Their servants’ son Miguel has been Esperanza’s lifelong friend. On the eve of her 13th birthday, Esperanza proudly participates in the ritual of initiating the grape harvest. That night, she learns that her father and his men have been killed by bandits. Esperanza is devastated as are her mother, Ramona , and Abuelita , her grandmother. Her father’s greedy stepbrothers soon take control of the estate. Her uncle Luis tries to force Ramona to marry him by setting fire to the house and burning all the family’s possessions. Esperanza, Ramona, and Abuelita escape and take shelter with their servants, but Abuelita sprains her ankle and must stay at a local convent until she recovers.

Meanwhile, the servants smuggle Esperanza and Ramona out of the country, and everyone finds jobs as migrant farmworkers in the San Joaquin Valley. Esperanza has a terrible time adjusting to the hard work and cramped living conditions in her new home. She constantly laments the loss of her father and fortune until Ramona falls ill with Valley Fever. Fearing to lose her mother too, Esperanza steps up to the challenge and goes to work to earn enough money to bring her grandmother to California.

Esperanza’s troubles multiply when Ramona develops pneumonia. Meanwhile, other migrants are pressing to form a union and are threatening those workers who don’t want to join. Between union agitators causing trouble and a raid by the Immigration Bureau, Esperanza is terrified that she and her friends will be harmed or sent back to Mexico. Fortunately, Miguel finds a way to bring Abuelita to America and reunite her with Ramona and Esperanza. The novel ends on a hopeful note as Esperanza finally lets go of her lost past and looks forward to a better future for herself and her family.

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Esperanza Rising

By pam muñoz ryan, esperanza rising essay questions.

Describe how Esperanza matures and evolves over the course of the novel.

Esperanza grows and matures in several ways. At the beginning of the novel, she is a wealthy girl without a trouble in the world and is largely ignorant to the problems of people around her. However, her father's death starts a series of events that shatters Esperanza's sheltered bubble. She is forced to leave behind everything she knows and overnight, goes from a carefree young girl to a desperate migrant worker. Though she struggles to adapt to these changes, Esperanza becomes increasingly aware of the larger issues in the world - because now, they affect her directly. As the novel goes on, she takes on more responsibility as a caretaker and provider for her family and learns to show compassion for others.

Describe the similarities between Papa and Miguel (especially in the way they relate to Esperanza)

Both Papa and Miguel serve as protectors for Esperanza and comfort her in times of despair. Esperanza often sees parts of her father in Miguel. Both men also have a close relationship with nature and connect with Esperanza over this. They are patient, kind, and compassionate - even though they have completely different social backgrounds. At the beginning of the novel, Esperanza and Miguel are somewhat estranged due to the pressure of their class disparity. However, Esperanza learns to see beyond their superficial differences and realizes how much she cares about Miguel.

Describe the ways in which Marta serves as a catalyst in the novel.

Marta urges the strikers into action, but she also serves as a catalyst for Esperanza's change in perspective. She rallies the workers and helps call them to action in a similar way that she pushes Esperanza towards taking action to improve her own life. Before meeting Marta, Esperanza does not realize how lucky she is. However, Marta's hostility forces Esperanza to look truthfully at her past life and to stand up for herself when it is necessary.

How does the opening scene with Esperanza and her father shape her relationship with nature?

When Papa teaches Esperanza to hear the heartbeat of the land, Esperanza forms a connection with nature and her father. From that point on her life follows a seasonal pattern - the rotating crops affect her daily routine. However, she can always count on the fact that the seasons will change, and that fruit will always grow. She just has to be patient and listen to the earth.

Abuelita tells Esperanza while knitting, "do not be afraid to start over." How does Esperanza "start over?"

When Esperanza's father dies, she loses the stability of her family and her home. She must start over physically when she and Mama leave everything behind and move to the United States. Once she arrives in California, Esperanza has to start from scratch when it comes to contributing to the camp. She has no idea how to do chores or manual labor. Also, in the camp, it does not matter that Esperanza is the daughter of a wealthy landowner, or that she once was a member of a higher social class - she must learn to work hard like everyone else, and she faces the same prejudices as all the Mexicans in America.

How does Esperanza learn from her elders?

Esperanza is fortunate to have many people around her who can guide her progress and help her cope with her circumstances. At the beginning of the novel, Papa teachers Esperanza to be patient and respect the cycles of nature. After Papa's death, Mama and Abuelita encourage Esperanza to stay positive and help her adapt to her rapidly changing life. Mama shows her daughter humility and how to be compassionate to others - regardless of social class. Miguel helps to keep Esperanza grounded when she is losing hope, while Josefina and Isabel teach the young girl how to do housework and pull her weight in the camp.

Describe the symbolism of Esperanza's doll and how it represents Esperanza's evolution over the course of the novel.

In the beginning of the novel, Esperanza's doll is a physical manifestation of her family's social status and wealth, as well as her connection to her father. Later, Esperanza refuses to share the doll with the a dirty child on the train, which demonstrates her immaturity and her denial about her new circumstances. At the end of the novel, Esperanza gives the doll to Isabel. This action is symbolic of Esperanza's personal growth. She has since realized that she does not need material objects to keep the memory of Papa alive.

Compare the trajectory of Esperanza and her family to the image of the rising phoenix.

Esperanza describes the phoenix as a bird that rises from the ashes. Esperanza, Mama, and Abuelita are left with nothing once Papa dies and their home burns down. Throughout the novel, they must start over again and again. In the United States, Mama must become a migrant worker. When she falls ill, Esperanza takes on the responsibility of making money for her family. Abuelita is injured and has to stay behind in Mexico. Ultimately, Esperanza's hard work, faith, and determination reunites her family. Just like the phoenix, Esperanza and her family persevere even when they have lost everything they ever cared about. They are able to recover, even after finding themselves in the most desperate possible position.

Describe the role of Marta in relation to Esperanza in the novel. How do they affect and learn from each other?

Marta serves as a foil for Esperanza in the novel. While Esperanza comes from a wealthy background, getting everything she ever wanted, Marta's origins are humble - she has had to fight for everything she has. Because they come from opposite social class backgrounds, Marta and Esperanza have very different opinions about the world. Marta is a woman of action - she calls the workers to strike and is not afraid to state her opinion. Initially, Esperanza is a bit more shy and insecure. For most of the novel, she acts in response to others rather than taking responsibility for her own actions. However, the two girls have similar relationships to their mothers, which is what motivates Esperanza to help Marta escape from the immigration officials during the strike.

How do Isabel and Esperanza help each other? Describe the mutual benefits of their relationship.

Initially, Isabel finds Esperanza's wealthy upbringing fascinating. She always asks Esperanza about her past life as if were a favorite fairy tale. However, the younger girl must help Esperanza learn to do chores and take care of the babies, as Esperanza has never done any manual labor in her life. Later, Esperanza gives her doll to Isabel to make her feel better after she has failed to earn the Queen of May crown at her school. The doll makes Isabel feel like a real queen instead of a temporary one.

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 happened to Esperanza's hands? What did Hortensia do to make them better?

Due to all of the work she has been doing, Esperanzas's hands have become rough and calloused. Hortensia makes an avocado salve to soothe her injuries, but Esperanza knows that no remedy will ever restore her hands to their former softness.

I'm sorry, did you have a question regarding Esperanza rising?

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...

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

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Celebration of Learning Fiesta with Esperanza Rising

Celebrations of learning are more than a display of student work and more than a party at the end of the year. The events compel students to reflect on and articulate what they have learned, how they learned, questions they answered, research they conducted, and areas of strength and struggles. They are powerful opportunities to make learning public.

• Party Pack - Tablecloth and decorations
• Tablecloths - For Student Desks
• Table Centerpieces
• Fringe Curtains Backdrop
• Nacho Boats/Food Tray
• Beaded Necklace Fiesta Favors
• Piñata  for decoration
• Las Uvas (Grapes)
• Las Papayas (Papayas)
• Los Higos (Figs)
• Las Guayabas (Guavas)
• Los Melones (Cantaloupes)
• Las Cebollas (Onions)
• Las Almendras (Almonds)
• Las Ciruelas (Plums)
• Las Papas (Potatoes)
• Los Aguacates (Avocados) - Did you know you can buy chopped frozen avocados?
• Los Espárragos (Asparagus)
• Los Duraznos (Peaches)

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Esperanza Rising

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Wealth, Privilege, and Class

Esperanza Ortega is a pampered, spoiled only child whose servants teasingly call her la reina —the queen. When her father, a wealthy rancher, dies after being attacked by bandits outside their family’s ranch in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Esperanza, her mother Ramona , and her Abuelita (grandmother) lose everything. Plunged into poverty, Esperanza must confront—and overcome—her misconceptions about class, poverty, and the “ river ” that she believes divides her from “peasants” and servants. Over the course…

Grief and Loss

Though the early pages of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising are filled with joy and vitality, very quickly, a staggering and violent loss upends Esperanza Ortega ’s world and plunges her and her family into grief, poverty, and danger. As Esperanza, her mother Ramona , and her Abuelita consider how they can rebuild from the literal and figurative ashes of loss, Muñoz Ryan suggests that though grief and loss are debilitating, destabilizing forces, no life…

Hope and Rebirth

Esperanza Ortega ’s picture-perfect life on a lush, sprawling ranch in Mexico is upended in mere days when her father dies after being attacked by bandits, and her corrupt, lecherous uncles, Luis and Marco , burn the ranch house to the ground after Esperanza’s grieving mother Ramona rejects Luis’s sudden marriage proposal—a proposal meant to consolidate his wealth and power in the town where they all live. Esperanza and her mother are at the depths…

Activism and Solidarity

When Esperanza Ortega and her mother, Ramona , arrive in California to work on a company farm harvesting and preparing fruits and vegetables, they are forced to leave behind the privileged world they once knew. On the farm, a burgeoning labor movement is taking place, and workers, led by the young but fierce Marta , are preparing to strike to demand better wages and living conditions. As Esperanza works to shed her attachment to her…

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EL Education Curriculum

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