Esperanza Rising Analysis
After an erosion of tragic and unexpected events, life always seems to give you an opportunity to prove to yourself what you are really made of. Defining one's character is not always easy and painless. In fact, most of the time it is assumed that there must be several harsh circumstances surrounding a person's life before he or she can truly find the thickness of their will. In the novel, Esperanza Rising- Pam Munoz Ryan, the main character shows us a great variety of contrasting emotions that embattle her life from the moment her world took a onehundred and eighty degree turn after her father's murder. As Esperanza's future constantly shows her deterrence after deterrence, she manages to find the light in the midst of every storm that
crosses …show more content…
her path and that of her family's at a very early age. Just like her, I had to learn on my own how to take care of myself and others at a very early stage of my life. I have suffered through the years tied to an incurable sickness that grieves my family and me because of a loved one's condition. The sorrow of being away from family and friends is no stranger to me either, just like it was not to Esperanza. I have lived through my own share of unfairness portrayed by a government that at times discriminates and downgrades the importance of my own minority.
Esperanza and I have seen the crimson red flood the streets of my beloved Mexico in these times of war. I began to understand through ugly experiences and devastating situations that life is not fair and plays by no rules. Just like the main character in this novel, I had to define my character
BB - 16 SPRING RDNG 461 904_ TEACHING RDNG CHILD LIT - A1D1. Page 1 of 5
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everyday in order to stay strong while living the consequences and difficulties of being away from my home, and realize it also is not fair to anybody, not just myself.
Just after the murder of Esperanza's father, her family began to endure a brutal decline quality of the life they had always been accustomed because of her father's wealth. She and her mother, with their hearts torn to pieces, took their hopes of a better future as immigrants to the
United States when she was still too young. In my case, violence erupted in Mexico in 2008 when the cartels decided to take over the entire northern region of the country, which is exactly where my family had always lived. After finishing the ninth grade, where I lost many close friends in open shootings and abductions, my parents encouraged me to come to school in Texas, where I found my new home in San Antonio. Like Esperanza, I had always been used to maids who cleaned after me, cooked for me, and sometimes even picked me up from school. My parents had always been economically stable and I never needed for anything. Well, once I was in American territory, I had to learn the hard way how to take care of myself and my younger sisters Paola and Yolanda. At only sixteen years of age, my parents trusted me with the task of teaching my sisters how to clean after themselves, go to school, pay all the bills, and make sure we were all staying focused in our priorities and extra curricular activities. At age of seventeen I learned what it meant to earn money through an honest job. One thing I learned from working is appreciation. Esperanza never knew what it meant to do real hard labor until she left her country, just like myself. It is always tough to adapt to that transition. Yet, I feel it accelerated my personal and intellectual growth by showing me nothing in this life is given, and we must not unravel our humanity by taking anything for granted. Circumstances derail you in order to teach lessons one way or another, so I am not sorry for the way I learned to live in a world outside
BB - 16 SPRING RDNG 461 904_ TEACHING RDNG CHILD LIT - A1D1. Page 2 of 5
Lullaby 3 mommy and daddy's blanket. It made a woman out of me, just like it did to our beloved
Esperanza.
When I read of how Esperanza's mom's sickness had Esperanza all twisted and angry, it reminded me of how I felt during the first months I was aware of my mother's cancer. I remember I cursed at everything and everyone for no good reason, other than the fact I found it wickedly unfair that my mother attracted this seemingly incurable disease. “But she's a great person”, “she's a healthy woman”, “she prays and goes to church”, and “she is the strongest person I know”, are some of the things I constantly repeated in my head. I became ridiculously cynical, like if God or somebody owed me and my family an apology for doing this to my mother. Then, I sat by myself for sometime and realized this has happened to thousands and thousands of people around the world every year. People sometimes do not even have a chance to say goodbye and tell their beloved ones just how much they mean to them, and that seems even more unfair. Part of growing up is dealing with sickness and knowing it is not about you, but about supporting and loving that person who is battling that sickness in those moments.
Esperanza knew she had to bring her grandmother back to make her mama feel better, just like I know I have to be there more often for mine in order for her to feel a little better at times.
The unfairness of the working conditions that Esperanza becomes aware of after the strike resembles the battle many Hispanics still fight for today. Despite the fact wages are more parallel to the rest of the American community, unlike the ones back in Esperanza's days, unfair treatment and discrimination are still being shown in many places, even for those who are actual citizens of this country. Many friends of mine, including myself, still carry thick accents because they were raised in Mexico or other Latin American countries. However, we have all been part of some sort of racial or discriminatory joke in one way or another, without the jokesters realizing we are actually American citizens like themselves. It is never easy to be an immigrant, and if I had not been raised in another country instead of my true homeland, which is the United States, I might've gone unaware of it for the rest of my life.
At the end of the day, after the loss of her father through violence, the difficulties of having to become an adult in her early teenage years, claiming complex responsibilities, suffering through her mother's sickness, and working under unfair conditions in a
brutal atmosphere, Esperanza pulled through. Her character kept her strong through adversity. And, in the middle of darkness, a light in the shape of her grandma came through. It rejoiced her life all over again, and that of her mothers. She began to look forward to her future with optimism. That is the character I hope to possess everyday for the rest of my life, so that I can understand life is not fair to anyone. Yet, I have to deal with it fearlessly to come out on top.
crosses …show more content…
her path and that of her family's at a very early age. Just like her, I had to learn on my own how to take care of myself and others at a very early stage of my life. I have suffered through the years tied to an incurable sickness that grieves my family and me because of a loved one's condition. The sorrow of being away from family and friends is no stranger to me either, just like it was not to Esperanza. I have lived through my own share of unfairness portrayed by a government that at times discriminates and downgrades the importance of my own minority.
Esperanza and I have seen the crimson red flood the streets of my beloved Mexico in these times of war. I began to understand through ugly experiences and devastating situations that life is not fair and plays by no rules. Just like the main character in this novel, I had to define my character
BB - 16 SPRING RDNG 461 904_ TEACHING RDNG CHILD LIT - A1D1. Page 1 of 5
2
everyday in order to stay strong while living the consequences and difficulties of being away from my home, and realize it also is not fair to anybody, not just myself.
Just after the murder of Esperanza's father, her family began to endure a brutal decline quality of the life they had always been accustomed because of her father's wealth. She and her mother, with their hearts torn to pieces, took their hopes of a better future as immigrants to the
United States when she was still too young. In my case, violence erupted in Mexico in 2008 when the cartels decided to take over the entire northern region of the country, which is exactly where my family had always lived. After finishing the ninth grade, where I lost many close friends in open shootings and abductions, my parents encouraged me to come to school in Texas, where I found my new home in San Antonio. Like Esperanza, I had always been used to maids who cleaned after me, cooked for me, and sometimes even picked me up from school. My parents had always been economically stable and I never needed for anything. Well, once I was in American territory, I had to learn the hard way how to take care of myself and my younger sisters Paola and Yolanda. At only sixteen years of age, my parents trusted me with the task of teaching my sisters how to clean after themselves, go to school, pay all the bills, and make sure we were all staying focused in our priorities and extra curricular activities. At age of seventeen I learned what it meant to earn money through an honest job. One thing I learned from working is appreciation. Esperanza never knew what it meant to do real hard labor until she left her country, just like myself. It is always tough to adapt to that transition. Yet, I feel it accelerated my personal and intellectual growth by showing me nothing in this life is given, and we must not unravel our humanity by taking anything for granted. Circumstances derail you in order to teach lessons one way or another, so I am not sorry for the way I learned to live in a world outside
BB - 16 SPRING RDNG 461 904_ TEACHING RDNG CHILD LIT - A1D1. Page 2 of 5
Lullaby 3 mommy and daddy's blanket. It made a woman out of me, just like it did to our beloved
Esperanza.
When I read of how Esperanza's mom's sickness had Esperanza all twisted and angry, it reminded me of how I felt during the first months I was aware of my mother's cancer. I remember I cursed at everything and everyone for no good reason, other than the fact I found it wickedly unfair that my mother attracted this seemingly incurable disease. “But she's a great person”, “she's a healthy woman”, “she prays and goes to church”, and “she is the strongest person I know”, are some of the things I constantly repeated in my head. I became ridiculously cynical, like if God or somebody owed me and my family an apology for doing this to my mother. Then, I sat by myself for sometime and realized this has happened to thousands and thousands of people around the world every year. People sometimes do not even have a chance to say goodbye and tell their beloved ones just how much they mean to them, and that seems even more unfair. Part of growing up is dealing with sickness and knowing it is not about you, but about supporting and loving that person who is battling that sickness in those moments.
Esperanza knew she had to bring her grandmother back to make her mama feel better, just like I know I have to be there more often for mine in order for her to feel a little better at times.
The unfairness of the working conditions that Esperanza becomes aware of after the strike resembles the battle many Hispanics still fight for today. Despite the fact wages are more parallel to the rest of the American community, unlike the ones back in Esperanza's days, unfair treatment and discrimination are still being shown in many places, even for those who are actual citizens of this country. Many friends of mine, including myself, still carry thick accents because they were raised in Mexico or other Latin American countries. However, we have all been part of some sort of racial or discriminatory joke in one way or another, without the jokesters realizing we are actually American citizens like themselves. It is never easy to be an immigrant, and if I had not been raised in another country instead of my true homeland, which is the United States, I might've gone unaware of it for the rest of my life.
At the end of the day, after the loss of her father through violence, the difficulties of having to become an adult in her early teenage years, claiming complex responsibilities, suffering through her mother's sickness, and working under unfair conditions in a
brutal atmosphere, Esperanza pulled through. Her character kept her strong through adversity. And, in the middle of darkness, a light in the shape of her grandma came through. It rejoiced her life all over again, and that of her mothers. She began to look forward to her future with optimism. That is the character I hope to possess everyday for the rest of my life, so that I can understand life is not fair to anyone. Yet, I have to deal with it fearlessly to come out on top.