Style and Narrative Structure
In terms of style this novel is unique. Not exactly either poetry or prose, Esperanza’s story is organized in a series of vignettes. This allows the reader to gain a certain intimacy with Esperanza. We are told what she thinks and how she feels at the most important moments in her life for that year, but we know very little about her otherwise--we do not even know her exact age. Thus, there is an immediacy to what happens to her that would not exist if the reader followed her around every day, learning both minor and major details about her life. The style of the book thus has a significant effect on the way the reader experiences the story.