Esperanza Rising Chapters 4 - 7
Chapter 4, Las Guayabas
In a clandestine escape from Aguascalientes, Esperanza, accompanied by her mother and Hortensia, hides in the back of a wagon, evading detection. Esperanza has a difficult time relaxing in the confined space, yet Hortensia, in a gesture of solace, diverts her apprehension by recounting a past encounter with thieves, where they concealed themselves under a bed. Subsequently, their journey leads them onto a train carriage teeming with what Esperanza, labels as 'peasants': weathered by grime, accompanied by livestock, and draped in tattered clothes.
Esperanza’s beautiful porcelain doll is noticed by a young and poor girl, but Esperanza jerks it out of the girl’s sight when she understands what the girl wants. The young girl begins to cry, and Esperanza’s mother intervenes. She helps calm the child and elicits Esperanza’s help in creating a yarn doll for the small girl. Along the journey, Miguel and Alfonso, at halts, use an oilcloth parcel to fetch water for their family whenever they can. Esperanza cannot stand Miguel’s positive optimism, but his joy has seemingly no end. He tells her about his wish to work on the railway track in California, something that he has desired since a very early age. Sixto had promised to help Miguel find exactly such a job before he had been murdered. He tells Esperanza that America is different because even the poorest people can gain wealth if they work hard enough, unlike their country. They encounter Carmen, an impoverished yet contented egg vendor, who tells them that she is happy despite her poverty because she has her children, a garden, and the memories of all the things that had gone right. Miguel and Esperanza watch her leave, before she departs she gives a little bit of her money to a destitute fellow traveler. Miguel notes that the peasants differ from the rich in that they are willing to share whatever little money they have with those who are less fortunate than them.
Chapter 5, Los Melones
As the train crosses into California, Esperanza, beset by trepidation induced by the presence of border forces, finds comfort in her mother. She presents their legitimate documentation and indicates their intent to work in the United States. Transitioning to another train destined for Los Angeles, they reunite with Juan, Alfonso's sibling, along with his wife, Josefina, and their children, Isabel, Lupe, and Pepe. During the journey, Isabel, who is the eldest among her siblings confides her desire to learn English.
During a pause for lunch, Esperanza tries to listen for the breath and heartbeat of the land as her father had taught her when she was six years old. Struggling to attune herself, she is overcome by an overwhelming sensation of ascension followed by a rapid descent, which causes her to faint. She comes back to her senses just as Miguel finds her.
The recent tragedies of Esperanza’s life suddenly resurface with the arrival of Marta, who comes to them from a different farm camp. She begins to make inquiries about their past and soon determines that Esperanza came from a rich landowner’s family while Miguel came from a family that had Esperanza. Miguel and his cousin defend Esperanza and speak of the tragic losses she has suffered in recent times, the murder of her father, the destruction of her childhood home, and the violent relocation to America. Marta is unaffected by Esperanza’s background and proudly tells them that her father had died fighting in the revolution against rich landowners like Esperanza’s father. Esperanza tries to defend her father’s character but Marta doesn’t pay her any heed.
Isabel introduces Esperanza to the heterogeneous camps of workers, indicating the deliberate segregation enforced by the landowners they work for. These boundaries exist to forestall unity among the farm laborers. Miguel and Marta discuss the upcoming Jamaica fiesta, while Marta pokes fun at Esperanza’s privileged upbringing by reminding her that there won’t be anyone to serve her at the labor camp.
Chapter 6, Las Cebollas
Marta easily ingratiates herself into a circle of girls conversing in English, upon their arrival at the camp. She leads the gossip-mongering in the group against Esperanza and her origin. Isabel shows Esperanza the communal toilets she’ll have to use while living at the camp, and then Miguel guides Esperanza and her mother to their designated cabin. Alfonso tries to shield his old employer’s family by presenting Esperanza and her mother as his cousins, which allows them to reside in a single cabin. Esperanza is deeply dissatisfied by their living conditions and she likens them to the stables in her old life. On the other hand, her mother is deeply grateful for whatever little room and safety she can secure for herself and her daughter.
Esperanza is too young to work so she is assigned caretaking duties of the infants while others, including her mother, toil in the fields. Esperanza's chores involve daily sweeping of the camp's central wooden platform. Isabel acquaints her with the tools of her work before she introduces her to Silvia, Irene, and Melina. Esperanza is surprised by Melina's foreknowledge of her origins from Aguascalientes perplexes her, but Isabel explains that communal knowledge is almost second nature in the farm camps.
Esperanza's complete cluelessness about even the basics of washing clothes surprises Isabel, who emphasizes Esperanza's impending responsibility for the babies when her school resumes. Esperanza is further humiliated publicly when she is unable to sweep the floor satisfactorily and she retreats to be by herself. Miguel empathizes with Esperanza and tries to teach her to sweep, but he also bolsters her spirit and encourages her to stand up for herself. This act leads to Miguel's endearing reference to her as his "queen" once more. Subsequently, Esperanza initiates a pact with Isabel, wherein Esperanza agrees to share her past in exchange for lessons in domestic chores and childcare from Isabel.
Chapter 7, Las Almendras
Miguel guides Esperanza and her mother to a rustic shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe behind the cabin. The shrine is adorned with rosebushes cultivated from Esperanza’s ranch's charred earth. These rose bushe cuttings were meticulously nurtured by Miguel and Alfonso during the arduous journey from Mexico, and they now thrive in the camp. Esperanza’s rose bush is thoughtfully placed beside a trellis. Mama tenderly reminds Esperanza of Papa's enduring presence irrespective of their physical location. Esperanza is apprehensive about the upcoming Jamaica fiesta, particularly because she doesn’t want to have any run-ins with Marta again. Isabel tells Esperanza about Marta's American upbringing, which caused significant friction with Isabel's father due to her vocal advocacy for workers' rights.
During the fiesta, Marta passionately addresses a group, likening the laborers' plight to subdued animals, and she implores them to participate in a forthcoming strike to demand improvements for their lives. However, Marta and her peers are quickly thrown out after they begin talking about a strike. Josefina explains Marta’s precarious status as a migrant worker, which offers her very limited options for safety and financial progress. She also explains that very few laborers are interested in the idea of a strike because they feel like the landowners can replace them very quickly. Amidst this tumult, Mama commends Esperanza’s resilience, and her seemingly endless ability to learn. Esperanza resolves to offer prayers at church—for Papa, Miguel's job prospects, aid with the infants, and Abuelita's recovery. In turn, Mama pledges to pray for Esperanza's strength in the face of uncertainty.
Analysis
Esperanza’s difficult journey into the US makes her realize her privilege and the pervading discomfort without its protection. She is forced to find her place at the bottom of a social hierarchy after having grown accustomed to being at the top as the daughter of a rich landowner. The crowded wagon and train, filled with overwhelming sounds and smells, make her feel trapped and anxious. Carmen’s kindness shows how less privileged communities can help each other, teaching Esperanza the power of gratitude. When Esperanza tries to act superior, Mama’s stern reprimand reminds her of her new status and the work she needs to do to fit into her new community.
Marta, who mocks Esperanza’s background and enjoys her discomfort, emerges as a challenging and polarizing character in the rest of the novel. Marta sees the racism and oppression that Esperanza hasn’t noticed yet. Their contrasting backgrounds highlight the stark social and economic differences within groups that outsiders might see as similar. Despite both being teenage girls who lost their fathers, Marta’s resentment towards rich landowners like Esperanza’s father shows the deep divide between them.
The theme of family and community resurfaces as Esperanza and Mama join an extended family, learning to live with others while helping one another. Difficult conversations between Esperanza and Mama emphasize feminine strength, Mama’s humility, and patience. The fairytale motif continues with Esperanza being called “Cinderella” for her inability to do household chores, contrasting with Miguel’s affectionate moniker for her, “my queen.”
