https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8423931-under-the-mesquite?from_search=true
McCall, Guadalupe Garcia. 2011. Under
the Mesquite. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc. ISBN 9781600604294
PLOT SUMMARY
During her freshman year of high school, Lupita, the eldest
of eight children, learns that her mother, Mami, has cancer. Shortly after her mother completes the first round of
treatments, her family soon discovers that Mami’s cancer has returned. Lupita finds solace in her writing while she attempts to juggle the demands of high school, growing up a Latina, and caring for her large family during her mother’s illness. When her mother goes to another town to begin the second round of
treatments in her desperate fight against cancer, Lupita’s father decides to find work near the hospital and moves away from the family to be with her. Alone, and left in charge of caring for her
seven siblings in her parent’s absence, Lupita learns the strength and depth of her character as she finds herself stretched thin, struggling to balance the demands of family, her friends, her schoolwork, and her
budding acting career.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Under the Mesquite is an engaging and emotionally charged novel in verse. The protagonist, Lupita, tells her story from a first-person point-of-view narrative using free-verse poetry. The choice to use a free-verse rhyming pattern for this novel allows the story to flow smoothly throughout the poems with the cadence of a natural speaking voice. Similarly, the instinctive transition into well-chosen Spanish words or phrases throughout the story enables Lupita to use the language of her ancestors to succinctly convey her thoughts and feelings. When Lupita allows herself to express her ideas in Spanish, her words lends a sense of intimacy and camaraderie with the reader. Although Lupita's story is arranged not by chapters like a traditional novel, but, instead, is arranged in a series of sequential poems, the natural pacing of the lyrics moves the plot of the story along smoothly.
The primary theme of death in this story is revealed when Lupita’s mother succumbs to her valiant and prolonged fight against cancer. Similarly, the most important symbol and imagery in the story is the mesquite tree that represents resilience and strength. When Mami bemoans a mesquite tree that begins to grow in her carefully tended rose garden, the appearance of the mesquite tree is a foreshadowing of both her battle with cancer and, ultimately, her death from this deadly disease. Lupita reveals:
"But lately Mami's changed.
A thorny mesquite has sprouted
in the middle of her rose garden.
Even after she has pulled it out
by its roots repeatedly,
pricking herself on its thorns each time,
it keeps growing back.
Today the resilient mesquite
causes her to cry with frustration." (p. 11)
At the very end of the story, after Mami's death, the family begins to try to adjust to their new life. Lupita observes that the mesquite tree is the only thing left growing in Mami's beloved garden, which symbolizes the role of motherhood. The mesquite tree also symbolizes refuge since Lupita finds comfort and peace writing in her notebook under the shade of the tree. Lupita acknowledges:
"Only I know that won't happen.
No matter how bad things get,
I can always be found here,
planted firmly in what's left
of Mami's rose garden,
with a pen in my hand,
leaning against this same sturdy trunk,
still writing poems
in the shade of the mesquite." (p. 179).
Although the primary setting of this story occurs at Lupita's home, she reveals the importance of various other locations to her personal history. Through sharing information about her birthplace in Mexico to her daily experiences in high school, Lupita shares her vulnerability as she begins to understand her identity and her purpose as she is growing up. When Lupita reveals her personal consideration of the meaning of Señorita and its importance in her life, she shows the theme of coming of age in the story. Lupita explains:
"But for me, señorita means
melancolia: settling into sadness.
It is the end of wild laughter.
The end of chewing bubble gum
and giggling over nothing
with my friends at the movies, our feet up
on the backs of the theater seats." (p. 76)
The theme of friendship is explored in the subplot involving Lupita, Mireya, and Sarita. Lupita expresses her beliefs regarding the challenges and importance of friendships stating:
"We've been best friends
for as long as I can remember.
I guess a little drama
is just what we needed
to remind us that while friends
are the familia we choose
for ourselves, we still have to work at staying close." (p. 95)
Finally, the theme of identity and cultural heritage is examined throughout the story. After having lived in the U. S. for several years, Lupita notes:
"And I doubted los girasoles
would understand me anymore,
because now I was speaking
a different language.
I swallowed consonants
and burdened vowels with a sound
so dense, the words fell straight
out of my mouth and hit the ground..." (p. 36)
At the back of the novel, there is a glossary with helpful Spanish/English translations which includes a pronunciation guide for each of the phrases utilized. Throughout the book, there are several instances of Spanish phrases used to add to the authenticity of the character’s voices, most specifically Lupita's. The result is a wonderfully realistic story in which Lupita allows herself to become vulnerable to the reader, especially when she shares not only the challenges her family faced during her mother's battle with cancer, but also during her trials and tribulations during her formative high school years.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 2012 Pura Belpré Medal
From School Library
Journal: “This book will appeal to many teens for different reasons,
whether they have dealt with the loss of a loved one, aspire to write and act,
are growing up Mexican American, or seeking their own identity amid a large
family. Bravo to McCall for a beautiful first effort.”
From Booklist: “The
close-knit family relationships, especially Mami and Lupita's, are vividly
portrayed, as is the healing comfort Lupita finds in words, whether written in
her notebooks or performed onstage.”
From Kirkus Reviews:
“With poignant imagery and well-placed Spanish, the author effectively captures
the complex lives of teenagers in many Latino and/or immigrant families.”
CONNECTIONS
Collect other Pura Belpré Medal and Honor books to read such
as:
- Diaz, Alexandra. The Only Road. ISBN 9781481457514
- Engle, Margarita. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir. ISBN 9781481435239
- Ryan, Pam Muñoz. The Dreamer. Ill. Peter Sis. 9780439269988
- All the Stars Denied. ISBN 9781620142813 coming May 15, 2018
- Shame the Stars. ISBN 9781620142783
- Summer of the Mariposas. ISBN 9781600609008
Use with a social skills lesson on dealing with a life-threatening disease or death.
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