Review: ESPERANZA RISING by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2000. Esperanza rising. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439120411.

PLOT SUMMARY:
A tragic series of events forces thirteen-year-old Esperanza Ortega and her mother to flee the privileged life they have always known in Mexico. They travel to the United States to work as laborers on a farm in California during the Great Depression. As Esperanza experiences the physical and emotional hardships of her new life, she matures and learns to appreciate the peaks and valleys of life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Although there were a few elements within this book that distracted me from truly becoming immersed in the story, Esperanza Rising was overall an entertaining and enlightening read. The Ryan’s Esperanza is likeable in the way that Jane Austen’s Emma is likeable. As the reader, you know that some of her thinking is wrong, but her good intentions outweigh her faults. As a result of her station in life, Esperanza is prideful. Without intending any offense, she looks down on people who she does not consider equals. However, her good heart reassures the reader that, in the end, she will overcome any prejudice and conceit.

One failing of the book is the method of translation for the Spanish words and phrases used throughout the book. Nearly all of the Spanish words used followed by literal translations. Although some of these translations flow naturally (“He calls you mi reina! Will you tell me about your life as a queen?"), most seem repetitive and unnecessary to readers with some familiarity with Spanish. While the use of some Spanish throughout the story does add to the setting and theme, contextual translations, along with a glossary, would have worked better in this book.

Ryan uses physical descriptions of her characters to illuminate the differences between the social classes in Mexico. In comparing her similarity to her mother, Esperanza surveys her “black hair, wavy and thick… dark lashes and fair, creamy skin.” Hortensia, a servant and friend to the Ortega family, is described as “a Zapotec Indian from Oaxaca, with a short, solid figure and blue-black hair in a braid down her back.” Hortensia’s son, Miguel spells out the situation to Esperanza: “Have you never noticed? ...Those with Spanish blood, who have the fairest complexions in the land, are the wealthiest.” This is contrasted with the Esperanza’s situation in California, where all of the Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans are equally discriminated against.

REVIEWS:
School Library Journal: “Set against the multiethnic, labor-organizing era of the Depression, the story of Esperanza remaking herself is satisfyingly complete, including dire illness and a difficult romance. Except for the evil uncles, all of the characters are rounded, their motives genuine, with class issues honestly portrayed.”

CONNECTIONS:
When learning about the Great Depression or reading The Grapes of Wrath, teachers can incorporate this book into the lesson to provide a different cultural perspective.