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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What honor is Isabel expecting to win at the celebration at her school in Chapter 12?

2. What do the families have for dessert on their first dinner together?

3. Before Esperanza leaves the hospital after Mama's diagnosis, what does she do for Mama?

4. Who encourages Esperanza to do her first job well so she will get hired again?

5. What is Esperanza's reaction to Isabel's news about the new building project?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Miguel's attitude toward his job being taken away differ from Esperanza's position about this injustice?

2. When Esperanza details the things she misses about her mother, why is she so surprised at herself?

3. What is the significance of Esperanza's visit to the hospital on Christmas Day?

4. What is significant about Esperanza giving beans to the man at Marta's camp?

5. Isabel wants to be the May Day Queen. When she tells Esperanza this, what is ironic about her reason for wanting to be this queen?

6. In Chapter 9, when Esperanza brings the blanket to the hospital, why do she and Mama cry?

7. In Chapter 9, before Mama is in the hospital, how does the reader see that her illness affects all?

8. How does the sequence of events from Miguel and Esperanza's argument, to her money missing work to cast suspicion on Miguel as the thief?

9. What is the symbolic significance of the the shrine Alfonso and Miguel erect?

10. In Chapter 11, the strikers want to impede the progress of the asparagus harvest. Why is that an effective tactic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the first chapter of Esperanza Rising, Papa instills a love of the land in Esperanza. There are several ways in which the characters can be categorized. One way is that are those who "love the land" and those who do not. Examine the love and respect for the land through the characters that are aligned with Papa with respect to the land, and how this love "gives back" to them.

Essay Topic 2

The Ortegas and Alfonso's family are never far from nature. Even when they are rich, Ryan resorts to nature imagery. Later, when they live as peasants, they are close to nature. Discuss the role of nature and the nature imagery in Esperanza Rising.

Essay Topic 3

Much of what the reader learns about life in the migrant work camps entails children's lives. Comment on the quality of life available to children in these circumstances and how responsible Ryan's portrayal of children in the camps is.

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