Esperanza Rising metaphors

What does this metaphor mean? "Now if the roses bloomed she could drink the memories of the roses that had known Papa."

Answer explanation

She could make the rosehip tea and think of her papa, who planted the roses as she drank it.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.4

What does this metaphor mean? "Marta held up the kitten and said 'This is what we are!'"

Answer explanation

They are like kittens because they are treated as though they are small and meek, and they are afraid to speak up for what they believe in.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.4

What does this metaphor mean? "Esperanza, in this way my love and good wishes will be in the blanket forever."

Answer explanation

Abuelita stitched her hair into the blanket, so a part of her will always be in the blanket.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.4A

CCSS.L.4.5A

What does this metaphor mean? "Abuelita told Esperanza as she was stitching the blanket 'Do not be afraid to start over.'"

Answer explanation

Abuelita is using starting over with crochet as a life lesson. She is talking not only about starting over with the blanket, but also about starting over in life.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.1

What does this metaphor mean? "Look at the zigzag of the blanket. Mountains and valleys. Right now you are in the bottom of the valley and your problems loom big around you. But soon, you will be at the top of a mountain again."

Answer explanation

At the moment, Esperanza has a lot of problems that may seem like mountains to climb, but at some point she will work through the problems, and climb the mountain, to be at the top with few worries and problems.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.4

What does this metaphor mean? "Esperanza tucked the blanket around her, hoping that the color from the blanket would slowly seep into Mama's cheeks."

Answer explanation

The blanket has hair, which means love and wishes, from both Abuelita and Esperanza stitched in. Mama is very pale, so Esperanza is hoping that the love and wishes from her and Abuelita will help Mama get better and bring color to her cheeks.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

What does this metaphor mean? “But now she was a young woman, she understood that Miguel was the housekeeper’s son and she was the ranch owner’s daughter and between them ran a deep river. Esperanza stood on one side and Miguel stood on the other and the river could never be crossed.”

Answer explanation

Esperanza and Miguel are not equal because he is the son of a peasant and she is the daughter of a wealthy landowner, and, as a result, their futures look very different, so there is a distance between them and they could never marry.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.4.4

What does this metaphor mean? “In Mexico we stand on different sides of the river.”

Answer explanation

Esperanza and Miguel are not equal because he is the son of a peasant and she is the daughter of a wealthy landowner, and, as a result, their futures look very different, so there is a distance between them and they could never marry.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.4A

CCSS.L.4.5A

What does this metaphor mean? “Are you standing on the other side of the river? No! You are still a peasant!”

Answer explanation

Miguel hoped things would be better for him in the United States, but things aren’t any better for him. He is still a peasant.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.1

What does this metaphor mean? “And there, in the middle of the wilderness, was a girl in a blue silk dress and a boy with his hair slicked down, eating mangoes on a stick, carved to look like exotic flowers, sitting on a grassy bank, on the same side of the river.”

Answer explanation

Esperanza is now equal to Miguel. She also works hard in the fields and does not have much money.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5A

CCSS.RL.4.1