By Guadalupe Garcia McCall Under the Mesquite By Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Author Introduction Guadalupe Garcia McCall was born in Mexico and moved to Texas as a young girl, keeping close ties with family on both sides of the border. Trained in theater arts and English, she now teaches English Language Arts at junior high school. Her poems for adults have appeared in more than twenty literary journals. Under the Mesquite, her first book, is a contemporary novel inspired by the difficult experiences her own family went through during her teen years.

So, what exactly is a mesquite? “A sturdy tree or shrub with sweet, beanlike pods, sharp thorns, and extraordinarily long roots, native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. To survive harsh climates, the mesquite can adapt to almost any soil, can endure droughts by reaching deeper than other trees to find water, and can grow back from even a small piece of root left in the ground.”

Guidelines and Expectations… Essential Question: How does the setting, the actions and events of the plot, and the characters impact the central idea and theme of the text? For each part, you will need to keep a written log of your QUESTIONS and your individual RESPONSES (on following slide), focusing on each element entailed within the essential questions. You will also need to write a SUMMARIZING SENTENCE for each part as well. (*Consider the section title and headings.)

Guiding Questions For each part, respond to at least THREE: When a character acts out of the ordinary, why would the character do that? What do these details show about the character or the relationship between characters? How does this detail/event reveal the internal/external conflict? Why does this idea/detail keep appearing in the text? How will this detail/event propel the action of the plot? How does this detail/dialogue reveal a lesson?

“Part 1: The Weight of Words” Setting Character Log *THREE Guiding Questions Summarizing Sentence *If you find any particular line or detail that seems important, feel free to offer your individual insight in the form of a statement to use in place of a question.

Modeled Example: When a character acts out of the ordinary, why would the character do that? The fact that Mami saves Lupita’s umbilical cord is somewhat strange. However, as evident through her own explanation, this unusual act was a reminder of “the tie that binds [them] together.” Clearly, there is a strong, loving relationship between them.

“Part 2: Remembering” Setting Character Log THREE Guiding Questions (Use textual evidence to support responses.) Why does the author choose to title this section “Remembering”? How does Papi show his love for Lupita? The family? What is the significance of Mami not letting Lupita hang out with her friends? How does Lupita feel about moving to the United States? How does this compare/contrast to Mami’s feelings? With what is Lupita conflicted at this point? Summarizing Sentence

“Part 3: Crossing Borders” Setting Character Log FOUR Guiding Questions (Use textual evidence to support responses.) How has the relationship between Lupita and Mami changed? Describe Lupita’s self-image. How does this impact her? Aside from her mother’s illness, with what other conflict(s) is Lupita struggling? How does the advice from Lupita’s drama teacher, Mr. Cortés, impact her? What is the significance of the word señorita to Lupita? Describe Lupita when she is in Mexico versus Texas. How does this compare/contrast? What impact does the “notebook” incident have on Lupita and Mireya? In what ways does Lupita want to make her family proud? How does Lupita compare friendship and family? (Relate to Mireya.) Summarizing Sentence

“Part 4: Give Us This Day” Setting Character Log FOUR Guiding Questions (Use textual evidence to support responses.) What does Lupita mean when she says, “Cancer has more than invaded our home”? Why is Mami’s philosophy about roses so unusual? Why is Mami so moved by Lupita’s dramatic performance, even though she can’t really understand English? What purpose has drama class truly served in Lupita’s life? How has Papi changed over the course of the plot? When Mami and Papi go to Galveston, what impact does this have on Lupita and her siblings? Provide at least TWO examples. Describe the relationship between Lupita and the mesquite. Summarizing Sentence

“Part 5: Cut Like a Diamond” Setting Character Log THREE Guiding Questions (Use textual evidence to support responses.) How has Mami changed due to the cancer? How does this compare / contrast to the mesquite? What does Lupita realize about life in the U.S. compared to that in Mexico? What is the significance of Mami’s dream? How does the advice from Mr. Cortés affect Lupita? How does Lupita describe her mother? What does this show? Summarizing Sentence

“Part 6: Words on the Wind” Setting Character Log THREE Guiding Questions (Use textual evidence to support responses.) After the incident with the sheets, Abuelita Hortencia tells Lupita, “Sometimes it’s best to take things down and start over again. It’s the way of the world, Lupita. No use fighting it.” What lesson is she trying to teach Lupita? Why doesn’t Papi want Lupita to go away to college? What does the mesquite come to symbolize? Explain. (*Not an optional question.) Summarizing Sentence

Homework: Quick Write How do you relate to Lupita, the story, and/or the struggle(s) she faced over the course of Under the Mesquite? Make sure to include a thorough, thoughtful response, using proper language conventions. ONE paragraph minimum.