Esperanza Rising Chapter 1 Summary

1924

• Esperanza and her father are walking through the vineyards on their ranch in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Pretty nice way to start a story.
• Esperanza's father explains to his daughter that their land is alive. If you lie down on the ground, you can feel it breathe and hear its heart beating.
• Adorable little six-year-old Esperanza doesn't think this is weird. In fact, she tells Papa she wants to hear the land's heartbeat, and she snuggles up next to him on the ground, like a little caterpillar.
• But she can't hear the earth's heartbeat. She's getting impatient.
• "Wait a little while, and the fruit will fall into your hand," Papa tells Esperanza. In other words, be patient.
• Finally, Esperanza hears the gentle "shoomp, shoomp" (not to be confused with "Shmoop, Shmoop") of the land's heartbeat. Cool.
• Esperanza can even feel that her heart beats along with the earth's—and with Papa's. Three hearts beating together as one.
• Cue sappy music.