Esperanza Rising Summary
Description
Here you will find a Esperanza Rising summary (Pam Muñoz Ryan's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters
Chapters Esperanza Rising Summary Overview
Esperanza Ortega, the privileged young daughter of land-owner Sixto Ortega, enjoys a lifestyle of affluence in 1920s Mexico until misfortune strikes. The family property is encroached upon by bandits, resulting in the tragic death of her father. Subsequently, the property is left to her father's stepbrother, Luis, who attempts to coerce Esperanza's mother into marrying him. Tragedy strikes again when their house is burnt down, forcing Esperanza and her mother to immigrate to the United States with their trusted housekeeper, Hortensia, and her family, leaving behind Esperanza's injured grandmother. After a grueling journey, they arrive in California and live in a small, humble cabin in a worker's camp, a stark contrast to their prior luxuries. Esperanza is thrust into a new life of chores, looking after the children of Josefina and Juan, relatives of Alfonso, and dealing with the antagonistic Marta, a fellow worker who stirs unrest among the workers. As Esperanza adjusts to her new responsibilities, her mother falls ill from a dust storm, forcing Esperanza to work and save for her grandmother's journey to California. Esperanza quickly adapts to her new role, diligently saving money for her grandmother's travels. However, she's warned of imminent strikes and potential danger if she doesn't participate, stirring fear and uncertainty. Her mother's health deteriorates further, causing more hardship and tension. Amidst this, Miguel, Hortensia's son, lands a temporary job, offering some relief. After experiencing further social injustices and the deportation of her fellow workers, including Marta, Esperanza struggles with her faith in their new life. When Miguel leaves abruptly after a heated argument, Esperanza suspects him of stealing her hard-earned savings, only to be surprised by his return with her beloved grandmother. As they reunite, Esperanza learns to draw strength from her challenges, appreciating the simple joys of life amidst adversity.
introduction
The story introduces Esperanza Ortega, a six-year-old residing in Aguascalientes, Mexico, with her father, Sixto, also known as Papa. They are seen strolling through their vineyard, as Papa personifies the valley as a living entity with a pulse and breath. He instructs Esperanza to lie on the ground to sense the valley's life. Initially, Esperanza fails to perceive it, but with some patience guided by Papa, she eventually experiences the heartbeat of the land.
chapter 1
Esperanza Ortega, an only child, is the daughter of wealthy landowner Sixto Ortega and his wife Ramona. Their estate, El Rancho de las Rosas, is abuzz with activity as everyone prepares for the annual grape harvest, coinciding with Esperanza's pending thirteenth birthday. During the preparations, Esperanza gets a thorn prick while collecting roses, which she interprets as a bad omen. Her father's delayed return from the fields deepens her unease. Sixto's generous act of allocating land to some workers doesn't quell the anger of bandits targeting affluent landowners like him, and this puts him in danger. When Sixto doesn't return, Ramona dispatches two employees, Alfonso and his son Miguel, to locate him. Ramona, Esperanza, Esperanza's grandmother Abuelita, and their housekeeper Hortensia, who happens to be Alfonso's spouse and Miguel's mother, anxiously await news. Despite their socioeconomic differences that Esperanza once pointed out to Miguel, they've remained close friends with Miguel affectionately referring to her as his queen. To distract themselves from their worries, Abuelita and Esperanza crochet, with Abuelita encouraging Esperanza not to fear starting again when her work seems imperfect. The tension escalates when Esperanza's uncles, Tío Luis and Tío Marco—both powerful figures as the bank president and town mayor respectively and Sixto's elder stepbrothers—bring troubling news. They've discovered Sixto's silver belt buckle but not him. The household, consumed with worry, starts to pray for his safety. The distressing wait ends when Alfonso and Miguel return bearing tragic news—they bring home Sixto's lifeless body, leaving Esperanza grief-stricken and desolate.
chapter 2
Esperanza is notified that her father and his laborers have been brutally murdered by robbers. She relays the horrifying news to Señor Rodriguez, the parent of her close friend Marisol, who came to deliver the papayas for her birthday celebration. The mourning period for her father extends for three days, with locals offering food and flowers. Despite initially resisting, Esperanza opens her birthday gifts, as her mother insists it would have been her father's wish. Among her presents, she gets a porcelain doll from her late father. Tío Luis and Tío Marco, Esperanza's uncles, become increasingly vexed as they daily visit the grieving family. A legal practitioner informs the family that the late patriarch bequeathed the ranch house to Esperanza and her mother, but the land now belongs to Tío Luis. He attempts to purchase the house from them with an unfair proposition, and when refused, he proposes marriage to Esperanza's mother to retain their home. She rejects this too, prompting Luis to threaten her with difficulties. In the midst of their dilemma, Esperanza chats with Miguel, who mentions the roses her father planted for both of them. He informs her that his family plans to relocate to America seeking employment rather than working under Luis. However, they promise to stay a bit longer to assist Esperanza's family. Despite her gratitude, Esperanza remains firm in her resolve to stay in her home.
chapter 3
Awakened by her mother's shrieks, Esperanza witnesses their home being consumed by flames. They barely escape, with Miguel rescuing the incapacitated Abuelita, who clutches her crochet bag tightly. The family can only look on helplessly as the fire reduces their home to ashes. Luis and Marco extend their sympathies, noting the unfortunate timing soon after Papa's demise. Luis seizes the opportunity to propose to Mama once more, asking what they would do if further calamities occur. Mama considers the proposition, inciting Esperanza's anger and blunt admission of hatred towards Luis. It's collectively agreed that Luis is likely to cause more destruction unless Mama consents to marry him. Hortensia announces her family's move to the U.S. to work on a large farm, offering them jobs too. Mama decides to join them, planning for Abuelita to follow once her injuries heal. Meanwhile, Abuelita will stay with her sisters at a neighboring convent. The transition to America isn't going to be easy. The group discusses the challenges of border crossing. Abuelita offers to secure the necessary documents for the mother-daughter duo through her sisters in the convent. She hands over her crochet bag to Esperanza, urging her to continue her work, and encourages her not to fear starting anew. Mama relents to Luis's offer of marriage, with conditions. He must restore the ranch and arrange for her visits to the convent-bound Abuelita. Luis, taken aback by this development, complies. In a clandestine operation a few days later, Esperanza and her mother abscond. They carry with them a bag of essentials, including clothes, tamales, and Esperanza's new doll. They glance back at their former home one last time, and Mama assures Esperanza that Papa's spirit will accompany them wherever they go.
chapter 4
Esperanza, her mother, and Hortensia make a covert escape from Aguascalientes, concealing themselves in the back of a wagon. Despite feeling claustrophobic, Esperanza is distracted by Hortensia’s stories about a past occasion when they hid under a bed to avoid thieves. After two days of travel, they board a crowded train filled with people Esperanza terms as peasants. When a little girl attempts to touch Esperanza's doll, she snatches it away, causing the girl to cry. Ashamed of Esperanza's poor behaviour, her mother helps her make a yarn doll for the child. During the journey, Miguel and Alfonso keep getting off at each stop to hydrate an oilcloth package. Miguel's cheerfulness on the train annoys Esperanza, but he explains his excitement about fulfilling his dream of working on the railroad in California – a promise made by Esperanza's father. He believes that in America, even the poorest can become wealthy with hard work. After a four-day journey, they encounter Carmen, who sells eggs. Despite her poverty, she considers herself rich due to her loving family, garden and cherished memories. On her departure, Carmen generously gives money and food to a beggar. Observing this, Miguel explains to Esperanza that the underprivileged often help those even less fortunate, while the wealthy tend to only look after their own kind.
chapter 5
Once the train arrives at the California border, Esperanza gets spooked by the police. However, Mama reassures her by proving their legal papers. They switch trains to Los Angeles, where Alfonso's brother Juan, his family, and their children, Isabel, Lupe, and Pepe, greet them. Isabel shares her ambitions of learning English as they head to the farm. During a meal break, Esperanza tries to connect with the land as her father once taught her. Despite failing to feel the pulse of the land, she experiences a sensation of soaring and falling, leading her to pass out and awaken to Miguel's concerned face. They are joined by Marta, a worker from another camp, who learns about Esperanza's past from Isabel. She provokes Esperanza by questioning if she's a royal turned commoner. Isabel and Miguel support Esperanza by sharing her family's tragic losses. Marta is indifferent, revealing her own father died opposing affluent landowners in the Mexican revolution. Isabel introduces Esperanza to diverse camps of workers from the Philippines, Oklahoma, and Japan. Marta reveals the landowners' strategy to keep the labor groups segregated. This maintains the status quo as, if privileges were unequally distributed, it could incite strikes. Upon reaching the Mexican camp, Marta tries to belittle Esperanza by saying she won't find any servants there.
chapter 6
Marta starts chatting about Esperanza in English with some girls. Isabel shows Esperanza the camp toilets, and then Miguel leads them to their cabin, where they'll stay with Alfonso. They pretend to be cousins to get accepted by the landowners. Despite the rough conditions, Esperanza's mother reminds her to be thankful for their shelter. Esperanza and Isabel are tasked with babysitting while the rest of the group works. Esperanza is also responsible for cleaning the camp's wooden platform. Isabel introduces her to the platform, the brooms, her friend Silvia, and two women named Irene and Melina. When Melina reveals her knowledge of Esperanza's past, Isabel explains how the camp's community is closely-knit and everyone's stories are known. Isabel is taken aback when Esperanza admits she doesn't know how to do laundry. She warns Esperanza that she will be back at school next week, leaving Esperanza alone with the babies. Isabel questions her ability to sweep, but Esperanza insists she can. However, her attempt at sweeping the platform results in a mess, attracting laughter from some women, including Marta who teases her by calling her Cinderella. Ashamed, Esperanza retreats to the cabin. In the evening, Miguel teaches her the proper way to sweep. Grateful, Esperanza thanks him, and he affectionately labels her his queen. Isabel later asks about Esperanza's royal lifestyle, and Esperanza agrees to share her past experiences in exchange for Isabel's help with laundry and childcare.
chapter 7
Miguel shows Esperanza and her mom a hidden shrine he has created with rosebush cuttings he saved from their burnt ranch in Mexico. Esperanza's rose is placed strategically by a trellis for climbing. Mama reassures Esperanza that Papa's spirit would always be with them. The next evening, the camp holds a jamaica fiesta. Esperanza expresses anxiety about facing the camp residents and inquires about Marta. Isabel informs her that Marta, born in the U.S. with her mother, speaks English fluently. Isabel's father disapproves of Marta's attendance at gatherings due to her persistent talk about labor strikes. During the festivities, Esperanza observes a crowd around Marta and her group, who are planning a strike in a fortnight, at the peak of cotton season. They urge everyone to join in hopes of improving lives. Marta and her group are expelled from the camp. Josefina later enlightens Esperanza about the harsh realities of being a migrant worker, like Marta, including low wages, no protection, and the fear of being replaced if they strike. In the late hours, Mama expresses pride in Esperanza's evolving understanding. Esperanza plans to light a candle the following day at church in memory of Papa, seek divine assistance for Miguel's job, help with babies, and Abuelita's health. Mama, in turn, pledges to pray for Esperanza's resilience.
chapter 8
Isabel coaches Esperanza on babysitting Pepe and Lupe, and preparing the family's meal before leaving for school. Excited about her new duties, Esperanza feeds the babies plums and cooks dinner. Sadly, the babies fall sick from the plums and she scorches the dinner. Isabel, however, praises Esperanza for remedying the infants' illness with rice, but no one comments on the ruined meal. The grape harvest season is almost over and everyone is busy securing the remaining grapes before the imminent autumn rains. With more time on her hands, Esperanza befriends her neighbors Irene and young Melina, who is a dedicated wife and mother. A dust storm disrupts the quiet day, causing everyone to take shelter. Melina and Irene tell Esperanza to stay indoors and avoid the windows. Esperanza anxiously awaits her family and friends as the dust infiltrates their cabin. Isabel eventually arrives home safe but worried about her kitten, Chiquita, who Esperanza had thoughtfully kept safe indoors from the dust. The rest of the family, covered in dirt, returns shortly after. Once they have cleaned up, Alfonso shares that the dust storm has postponed the planned strike, news that relieves Esperanza, knowing they all rely on their wages. She is relieved when they resume work as if the dust storm never occurred. A month later, Esperanza becomes concerned about her mother's declining health, convincing her to rest. Their fears are confirmed when a young doctor says Mama has contracted Valley Fever from dust spores in the lungs. The news that Mama's recovery could take six months, or she might not survive, shakes Esperanza.
chapter 9
Committed to her ailing mother's care, Esperanza keeps constant vigil. Despite Mama's condition not improving or deteriorating, the doctor advises rest. A longing for Abuelita makes Esperanza pick up the unfinished blanket her grandmother had started knitting on her father's last night. She gathers various yarn pieces from neighbors, knitting to cope with her stress. Yearning for Abuelita's help, Esperanza moves Mama to Kern General Hospital for superior care. Hortensia reveals Mama is also emotionally drained due to the unfortunate happenings in recent months. Esperanza regularly seeks divine intervention from the Lady of Guadalupe statue, hoping to fulfill her promise of looking after Mama. The day after hospitalizing Mama, Esperanza approaches Miguel for a job in the fields in order to pay for the mounting hospital bills. She even contemplates disguising herself as a boy. Unfortunately, Miguel informs her that they only remove potato eyes in winter. Undeterred, Esperanza joins Hortensia and Josefina in potato work, not flinching from the cold as before. She emulates the workers, remembering Miguel's words about good winter workers securing jobs in spring and summer. Meanwhile, Esperanza eavesdrops on Marta's aunt discussing an impending strike, causing unease in the camp. Days before Christmas, Isabel curiously asks about Esperanza's past Christmas celebrations in Mexico. Esperanza reminisces about their traditions but refrains from discussing the gifts she used to receive, instead asking Isabel about her Christmas wishes. Isabel is content with any gift, while Esperanza hopes for Abuelita's arrival and Mama's recovery. On Christmas, Esperanza spends the day at the hospital with a sleeping Mama. Witnessing her mother's weakness, Esperanza pledges to shoulder the family responsibilities.
chapter 10
As winter intensifies, Esperanza spends more hours outside tying grapevines to earn money to bring her grandmother, Abuelita, to California. She is constantly worried about Abuelita but can't reach her in Mexico. Her hands become rough and calloused from the hard work, a sight she hardly recognizes. Hortensia makes a soothing salve, but Esperanza knows her hands will never regain their soft texture. As grape-tying season ends, Esperanza and Miguel visit Mama in the hospital. A doctor informs them Mama is suffering from pneumonia and spectators are prohibited until she recovers. Despite the doctor's warnings, Esperanza insists on seeing Mama briefly before returning to camp with Miguel. Observing Esperanza's low spirits, Hortensia suggests she and Miguel go to the Saturday market. Esperanza and Miguel travel a great distance to shop at Mr. Yakota’s store, due to his fair treatment of Mexican customers unlike other local store owners. At the store, Esperanza buys necessary items including a small piñata hoping it'll uplift Mama. On their way back, they give a lift to Marta and her mother, Ada, who are headed to a dirtier campsite where many strikers live. Esperanza empathizes with the impoverished kids at the camp and gifts them the piñata. Marta discloses her involvement in organizing a strike during the asparagus harvest and warns of potential dangers for non-strikers. Esperanza hears this with no ill-feelings, but commits to keep working for Abuelita's arrival. Days later, they celebrate Miguel's new mechanic job at the railroad. Seeing Miguel's happiness, Esperanza recalls joyful memories of her father.
chapter 11
As spring arrives, so does the anticipated strike led by Marta, causing tension in the camp where Esperanza, Josefina, and Hortensia work packing asparagus. The strikers, including Marta, harass the workers, who are shielded by guards at the packing shed. A similar scenario plays out in the fields, as relayed by Miguel and Alfonso. The influx of new immigrants willing to pick cotton for meagre wages intensifies the worries of Esperanza's family. One day, the striking workers cease their chanting as immigration officials arrive, ready to punish them by deportation. Those like Esperanza, who didn't join the strike, are safe, but the thought of being sent back to Mexico alone, away from Mama, horrifies Esperanza. In an unexpected turn of events, Esperanza discovers Marta hiding underneath crates. Despite their past rivalry, Esperanza assists Marta in concealing herself and even helps her disguise as a worker. She empathizes with Marta's fear of being separated from her own mother. Back at the camp, despite the temporary relief that the strike has ended, Miguel predicts another one on the horizon. Esperanza, recalling Marta's predicament, is desperate to know if she managed to evade the immigration officials. The subsequent day, Esperanza and Miguel return to an empty farm, already raided by immigration officials. Esperanza holds on to the hope that Marta is safe with her mother. The sight of the ravaged piñata she had given to the children is a stark reminder of the aftermath.
chapter 12
Isabel hopes her high grades will earn her the title of 'Queen of the May' at the school ceremony. Despite fitting norms of English-speaking and nice clothes, she's the only girl with straight A's. Isabel shares exciting news about a new worker camp with amenities like indoor toilets, hot water and a pool, but Mexicans are only allowed access to the pool before cleaning day. This infuriates Esperanza, who finds it offensive that Mexicans are considered less clean. Miguel comes home with news: the railway company has hired workers from Oklahoma for lower wages, offering the Mexicans menial jobs instead. Miguel opts for ditch digging over unpaid work. A raging Esperanza questions why the new employees can't do the menial tasks. She expresses frustration that their circumstances haven't improved since leaving Mexico. Miguel counters this, arguing that in America, he can aspire beyond servitude. He recalls her father's words about patience leading to reward. Esperanza, overwhelmed by memories of her father and Miguel's persistent optimism, breaks down. She accuses Miguel of still being a peasant, to which he retorts she behaves like a queen. The next day, Miguel leaves to find work in the North. Upon learning Isabel didn't become 'Queen of the May', Esperanza consoles her by gifting her porcelain doll, as the doll is a lasting treasure. Esperanza's mother is finally discharged from the hospital but needs time to gain strength and overcome depression. She returns home to a sight of blooming roses and a specially prepared bed and chair outdoors. Mama reassures Esperanza that Miguel's departure isn't entirely her fault and he will return. Esperanza excitedly shares with Mama that she's nearly saved enough to bring their grandmother to them. However, upon opening her bag to show the money orders, she finds them missing.
chapter 13
The family is convinced that Miguel is responsible for stealing Esperanza's money orders, which leads Alfonso to offer repayment. Despite her anger, Esperanza finds solace in her mother's improving health. One day, Alfonso decides to take Esperanza and Hortensia to Bakersfield to meet Miguel at the bus station. When they are reunited, Miguel surprises Esperanza with Abuelita, whom he brought from Mexico using the stolen money. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Esperanza shares a tender moment of joy and tears with her grandmother. Back at the cabin, Esperanza introduces Abuelita to her recovering mother. As the two women share a heartfelt reunion, Esperanza brings out the blanket she has been crocheting for her mother. In their conversation, Abuelita reveals that she had sensed her daughter's struggles and had been praying for the family's well-being. Esperanza recounts their trials and tribulations, using the changing seasons of crops as a timeline for her tale. Later, Esperanza and Miguel find a serene spot beyond the farm to lie down and listen to the heartbeat of the land. In the quietude, Esperanza finds herself uplifted, reminded of her roots, faith, and cherished memories. The family commemorates Esperanza's birthday with a special cake and fruit. In a warm moment, Esperanza watches Abuelita teaching the impatient Isabel to crochet. As Isabel struggles with her uneven rows, Esperanza steps in to unravel the yarn, encouraging her to embrace new beginnings without fear.
