Characters
List at least 5 characters from "Esperanza Rising".
Esperanza, Mama, Abuelita, Papa, Hortensia, Alfonso, Miguel, Senor Rodriguez, Marisol, Marta, Pepe, Lupe, Isabel, Juan, Josephina, Tio Luis , Tio Marco
What was the first tragedy of the novel?
What point of view is Esperanza Rising told from?
Third person - knowing only Esperanza thoughts/feelings
What reason does Esperanza give Miguel about why they cannot get married?
This leads to Miguel referring to Esperanza as "queen".
Esperanza says that they are on opposite sides of the river.
Who was Esperanza's childhood friend? (This person's parents were also friends with Papa.)
Miguel
Why did Tio Luis propose that Mama marry him?
Esperanza's home
The train
Living in the camp - cabin, fields, shed
What does Esperanza mean when she tells Miguel they live on opposite sides of the river?
Who warns Esperanza and Miguel about the strikers plan?
Marta
What lead Mama to decide that they would move to America?
Is is suspected that Tio Luis caused the fire that burned down Esperanza's and Mama's home because Mama turned down his proposal. Mama told Tio Luis that she would consider his second proposal. When Esperanza told Tio Luis that she hated him, Tio Luis started doing research on boarding schools to send Esperanza to.
Whose perspective is Esperanza Rising told from?
Esperanza
How much time has passed throughout the story?
1 year
How does Esperanza feel about the strikers who are being deported?
She feels upset and that no one should have to go through that. She thinks about herself and how she would feel. She thinks about how some of them have never even been to Mexico.
What is the climax (turning point) of the story?
When Miguel brings Abuelita to America.
What a possible theme of this novel?
Answers may vary
Why did the author name each chapter after a fruit or vegetable?
to represent the time that has passed.
Name a character and describe how he/she is important to the plot of the story.
Answers may vary
Mama becomes very ill from the dust storm. What does the doctor diagnose Mama with?
Name at least 1 thing that Esperanza does to try to help Mama.
She has valley fever - later diagnosed with pneumonia.
Esperanza helps Mama rest, feed her, brush her hair, work to help pay the bills, gives Mama Abuelitas unfinished blanket
How might the story be different if it were written from Miguel's perspective?
We would know more about his life as a servant in Aguacalientas, how he feels about moving to America, his journey finding work on the railroad, the specifics of how he got to Abuelita and bringing her to America.
Give at least one example of how hope is important to the story.
Answers may vary