Characters
This is Esperanza’s mother, who bravely speaks to the immigration officer.
Who is Ramona?
This U.S. state is where Esperanza and her family travel to find work.
What is California?
Esperanza must show these documents to the immigration officer to enter the United States.
What are immigration papers?
Esperanza feels this emotion while waiting nervously in the immigration line.
What is fear (or nervousness)?
Farm owners separate workers into different camps to prevent them from doing this together.
What is organizing or striking?
This man, Alfonso’s brother, welcomes Esperanza and her family at the train station.
Who is Juan?
This valley filled with farms and fields spreads out before Esperanza like a “patchwork blanket.”
What is the San Joaquin Valley?
The immigration officer stamps Esperanza’s papers with these two words.
What is “Mexican National”?
Esperanza feels this when Alfonso and Miguel are late returning to the train.
What is anxiety (or worry)?
Marta suggests workers might stop working to demand better pay and housing; this action is called this.
What is a strike?
This young girl with long braids is Juan and Josefina’s daughter who befriends Esperanza.
Who is Isabel?
Before moving to the better camp, Isabel’s family lived in this temporary shelter in El Centro.
What is a tent?
Some families are sent back to Mexico because they lack these.
What are proper papers or proof of work?
Esperanza cries while lying on the ground because she misses this person deeply.
Who is her father (Papa)?
Workers from Mexico, Oklahoma, and Japan live in separate camps, showing this social problem.
What is segregation (or discrimination)?
This boy comforts Esperanza when she cries about missing her father and Mexico.
Who is Miguel?
This highway carries the family down into the valley toward their new home.
What is Highway 99?
Juan stops the truck so Alfonso can collect many of these fruits from a harvested field.
What are cantaloupes?
Esperanza experiences this new emotion when she sees Miguel laughing and talking with Marta.
What is jealousy?
Marta’s father fought in this conflict in Mexico against wealthy landowners.
What is the Mexican Revolution?
This outspoken girl calls Esperanza a “princess who has come to be a peasant.”
Who is Marta?
Workers in the valley harvest crops like grapes, cotton, and this fruit that gives the chapter its title.
What are melons (or cantaloupes)?
These weekly summer celebrations at the camp include music, dancing, and food.
What are jamaicas?
Esperanza begins to realize she must live like these people now instead of like a rich ranch owner’s daughter.
Who are migrant farm workers?
The conflict between Marta and Esperanza highlights this difference between the rich and the poor.
What is social class (or class inequality)?