The chapter starts: “Esperanza almost never left Mama’s side,” and it ends with Esperanza saying:“Don't worry. I will take care of everything. I will be la patrona for the family now.” How has Esperanza changed in this chapter?

Esperanza continues to become more responsible, showing the true strong character she has inherited from her parents. She takes on more responsibility as she realizes it is her only hope to help Mama, and we begin to get a more intimate vision of the workings of the women inside the camp as they accept her more. The possibility of a strike in the spring keeps a gloomy cloud over Esperanza and many others, and we get a sense of possible violence looming in the future in the form of a possible clash between groups within the various camps.