QUESTIONS:
The film begins with Esperanza talking about the town as it used to be. What is the purpose of this
scene? How does the argument between Barton and Ramon reinforce this point? What is the significance that the
narrator is female? What is the nature of the conflict between Esperanza and Ramon early in the
film? What does the viewer learn from the scene at the Saints Day party? ‘s Esperanza and Ramon’s behavior
toward each other different in public and private? Why? The workers at the union meeting emphasize the
“solidarity of the working men.” Yet, the film begins by focusing on the women who are doing
the work. Why? Frank the union organizer and Ramon have a serious argument about the portrait of
Benito Juarez in Ramon’s house. What is the nature of this conflict? How is Frank portrayed in his subsequent
argument with Ruth his wife? How do the men react to their wives offer to picket in their places?
Who do the finally give their approval? When violence breaks out on the picket line how do
the women react? How do the men react? What is the result? What is the significance of the
conversation between Raman and Antonio as they are hanging out laundry? How have circumstances
changed Ramon’s opinions? Why is the attempted eviction of the Quintero family a turning point in
the film? How have both Esperanza and Ramon changed by the end of the film? Why did Esperanza buy
the radio? What does this reveal about the contours of their everyday lives? How do the working
conditions in the mine affect both the men and the women? What do the following Quotes from
the film illustrate; Ramon to Esperanza our children are watching. What strategies do the men use to keep the
women silent? What strategies do the women use to assert their demands for equality? How do the strategies of
control that the officials of the company use against the workers echo and differ from the strategies of husbands
controlling their wives?
The film begins with Esperanza talking about the town as it used to be. What is the purpose of this
scene? How does the argument between Barton and Ramon reinforce this point? What is the significance that the
narrator is female? What is the nature of the conflict between Esperanza and Ramon early in the
film? What does the viewer learn from the scene at the Saints Day party? ‘s Esperanza and Ramon’s behavior
toward each other different in public and private? Why? The workers at the union meeting emphasize the
“solidarity of the working men.” Yet, the film begins by focusing on the women who are doing
the work. Why? Frank the union organizer and Ramon have a serious argument about the portrait of
Benito Juarez in Ramon’s house. What is the nature of this conflict? How is Frank portrayed in his subsequent
argument with Ruth his wife? How do the men react to their wives offer to picket in their places?
Who do the finally give their approval? When violence breaks out on the picket line how do
the women react? How do the men react? What is the result? What is the significance of the
conversation between Raman and Antonio as they are hanging out laundry? How have circumstances
changed Ramon’s opinions? Why is the attempted eviction of the Quintero family a turning point in
the film? How have both Esperanza and Ramon changed by the end of the film? Why did Esperanza buy
the radio? What does this reveal about the contours of their everyday lives? How do the working
conditions in the mine affect both the men and the women? What do the following Quotes from
the film illustrate; Ramon to Esperanza our children are watching. What strategies do the men use to keep the
women silent? What strategies do the women use to assert their demands for equality? How do the strategies of
control that the officials of the company use against the workers echo and differ from the strategies of husbands
controlling their wives?
INSTRUCTIONS:
In single-space on the upper left corner, write you complete name, intended major, intended
college/university and city you call home.
In double space justified left, students will write assignments between 750 -1,000 words max, in
MLA format, use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman), font size 12 paragraph-
style. MLA recommends students use the “Tab” key as opposed to pushing the space bar five
times. Students will NOT restate, nor enumerate the questions.
