Esperanza Rising is a story of a young girl, Esperanza, who lives on a vineyard in Mexico. Her family is very wealthy and she gets everything she can imagine. Her life is going perfect until one day after her fifteenth birthday party celebration. Esperanza finds out that her father is missing. Her family soon finds out that her father was murdered and from that moment on their life is turned upside down. Her house and vineyards get burned down and Esperanza, her mother, and grandmother soon find themselves trying to leave the country. They take a long journey to California where they all get jobs working in the field, trying to make an income for themselves. The living and working conditions are horrible but it is a way for them to start a new life. Can Esperanza adapt to the life style that she was forced into? Can she support and take care of her family and the ones that she loves? Will she ever relize that her life will forever change? Read and find out more!

Question One

Esperanza’s mother got very ill in the book. In order to support the family Esperanza had to work very hard. Do you think this is a hard role on Esperanza since it is commonly know as a male role?

Question Two

Esperanza experienced many changes as a young girl. She lost her father and had to adapt to a new life. Do you think these changes are similar to young girls today?

Question Three

Did you like the book Esperanza Rising? What is it that you like about the book? Would you recommend this book to others? Did you feel the literature was to easy or hard?

Queston Four

In this novel, we come to understand how hard the immigrants from Mexico work. They work long hours in the fields and receive very little pay for their labors. Do you think that this is fair? What do you think about equal pay and equal work to legal or illegal immigrants?

Question Five

In Mexico, Esperanza's family is rich and has much land; in California she has none of these. How do you think this will affect her?

Question Six

In the beginning of the novel, Esperanza Rising, Esperanza's house and possessions are destroyed in a fire started by jealous family members. Do you think the punishment in America is different than what it was in Mexico?