Summary & Study Guide Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Esperanza Ortega is a young girl, who grows up in Mexico in the 1920's on Rancho de las Rosas, a vineyard her family owns. Mexico is recovering from the revolution of ten years earlier. There is still a great deal of animosity towards the rich landowners, who are seen to be uncaring of the peasants. The story opens, as she is anticipating the harvest of the grapes from their vineyard that always coincides with her birthday. At the end of the harvest, there is always a wonderful fiesta attended by the servants, vaqueros, campesinos, and many of the wealthy families in the area. The afternoon before the La cosecha, or harvest ceremony, Esperanza cuts her finger on a rose thorn, while she is gathering roses for table decorations the next day. As she is thinking this is bad luck, the plot begins.

This study guide includes the following sections: Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes, Style, Quotes, and Topics for Discussion.