The inspirational novel Esperanza Rising tells the narrative of a girl who discovers the value of resilience, tenacity, and devotion through her relationships with her family and friends. Poverty-stricken families, particularly those of immigrants and low-wage workers, are shown in this novel as facing unique cultural and personal challenges. Esperanza endures tremendous hardship throughout the book after the death of her father, house, riches, and social standing. The main literary theme addressed in the novel is starting over. The novel focuses on the life of Esperanza Ortega, who goes through various challenges in her life after the death of her father. The experiences of the main character prove that starting over is an essential process in a person’s life. Starting over can bring a positive experience since Esperance benefitted greatly from the loss of her social status by attaining independence, growth, fortitude, and work skills.
The process of starting over motivates an individual to learn acceptance and growth. In this novel, the main character is inspired to accept this process by Abuelita. Notably, Esperanza’s grandmother narrates that starting over was a crucial process that changed her life since it allowed her to adapt when her family’s circumstances changed. When Esperanza is pricked by a thorn, Abuelita motivates her to be prepared for any life difficulties since challenges can occur in different ways. This aspect is elaborated by the text, “Do not be afraid to start over. There were many hard times. But life was also exciting. And we had each other” (Ryan 32). Thus, Abuelita’s childhood experiences prove that acceptance of change contributes to growth. Moreover, such acceptance improves an individual’s preparedness in case a tragedy strike.
The difficulties that Esperanza faces after her father’s death proves that people should always be prepared for change. The main character portrays the life of a rich young girl. “She understood that Miguel was the housekeeper’s son and she was the ranch owner’s daughter and between them ran a deep river” (Ryan 41). This text elaborates on the early life of Esperanza as the daughter of a wealthy ranch owner. However, she soon had to make changes in her life after the death of her father and their migration to America. “Esperanza was amazed. She had never washed anything in her life and Isabel, who was only eight years old, made it look so easy” (Ryan 66). Additionally, these circumstances forced her to learn housekeeping skills from her friends and people who were close to her. For instance, she tells a friend, “I will even show you the beautiful doll my papa bought me, if you will teach me how to pin diapers, how to wash, and…” (Ryan 69). Generally, Esperanza adjusts and appreciates the process of starting over since it allows her to become self-dependent.
Starting over improves an individual’s responsibilities and makes them assume new roles. At the start of the Novel, Esperanza relies on her parents, which is shown when the writer says, “Esperanza preferred to think, though, that she and her someday-husband would live with Mama and Papa forever” (Ryan 10). However, after the death of her father, the family decides to immigrate to America, where she has to find a job and take care of the family. “She fixed their bottles of milk and let them play while she made the beds. Then she followed Hortensia’s instructions for starting dinner before turning to the laundry” (Ryan 81). Additionally, Esperanza learns that starting over can make one responsible as she starts saving money after relocating to America and even encourages Miguel to bring Abuelita from Mexico to California. “She wanted to explain to them about Abuelita and how she had to find a way to get some money to her so she could travel” (Ryan 110). These occurrences prove that by starting over, a person like Miguel can partake in the role of caring for Abuelita and other close relatives such as his mother.
In summation, starting over is a crucial process that provides numerous benefits. Firstly, the process inspires a person to accept change and growth, as is demonstrated by Esperanza learning works skills in America. Secondly, the process forces an individual to become responsible, especially due to the desire to meet other people’s needs. This aspect is portrayed by the main character’s take on jobs to provide for her mother and raise money for her grandmother’s travel. Lastly, starting over improves coping skills, guaranteeing an individual’s survival, especially when faced with different challenges. Esperanza has to learn to cope with her new reality of the loss of status and the death of her father and become committed to making things better. This literary analysis can benefit the reader in understanding the relevance of starting over when faced with challenges in life and striving to improve one’s circumstances through resilience.
Work Cited
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Esperanza Rising. Scholastic Inc., 2012.