In this chapter when they had to cross the border into the USA.
Evelyn thought it must have been very scary to see all the people getting on the train to go back to Mexico. Esperanza just came a very long way and she would not have wanted to go back again, especially alone.
Madelaine: Marta seems mean, like a bully. I agree with Evelyn: the thought of having to go back to Mexico on the train to live with the uncle would have been scary.
Melissa: I was worried that Esperanza and her mother's papers wouldn't be in order and that they would not be allowed into the United States. I liked the way Esperanza's mother stood tall and proud in front of the immigration worker. Marta thinks she knows Esperanza, her family and how she thinks. She is jumping to conclusions about Esperanza. I was surprised to learn that they didn't let people from different countries live in the same camps. Marta said that they did this so that they wouldn't talk to each other and try to band together and strike.
The idea of unions is a bit confusing to kids. Hopefully the story makes it a bit clearer.
Traveling today is a luxury compared to what Esperanza, her mother and friends had to go through. Through letters, Marta learned about the kind of life Esperanza led and she wants to bring her down a peg or two. I also got the feeling that Esperanza is starting to feel jealous of Marta with respect to Miguel. What do you think? Madelaine, I went to an all-girls elementary and high school and believe me, there were girl bullies who could be pretty mean. I did like to read about the melons in the field. I just love the aroma of a perfectly ripe melon. When we lived in South Africa, the mine workers were housed in large dormitories based on the tribes they belonged to. The owners did so to prevent fights because some tribes did not like others.
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