Ramona By Helen Hunt Jackson

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RamonaBy Helen Hunt Jackson

• Created By
• Stephanie Salas
• Paige Stearmer
• Valeria Castillo

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(No Transcript)
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Summary

• In the book Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson,
  Ramona is a half indian n orphan that was raised
  by Senora Gonzaga Moreno after Romonas foster
  mothers death. During that time period, the
  white European men came to the Americas and were
  trying to take over the Moreno Ranch. Senora
  Moreno tried to raise Ramona as if she was part
  of the family.
• During the time Ramona was at the Moreno
  Ranch, Senora Moreno had Indians from Temecula
  work at her ranch for sheep shearing since her
  only son Felipe was ill. While the Indians were
  at the ranch one Indian in particular catches
  Ramonas eye and falls in love with him , his
  name is Alessandro. When Senora Moreno found out
  about Ramona and Alessandros relationship. After
  that Ramona and Alessandro felt that they had to
  leave the ranch so they could live happily
  together.

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Summary

• They decide to go to Alessandros village in
  Temecula. But when they arrive they see that
  white European men had taken over the village so
  they leave and search for a village where they
  can settle down. Their journey from village to
  village eventually led to Alessandros insanity
  along with the death of their baby. Ramona was
  left traumatized by the unfortunate events that
  she temporary loses her memory and becomes
  apathetic towards everything. Soon after
  Alessandro rides off on a stolen horse and is
  followed by the owner of the horse. The owner
  shot Alessandro. Meanwhile, Senora Moreno dies.
  In the end, Felipe, Senora Morenos only son,
  finds Ramona and marries her. Felipe then takes
  Ramona and their child to live a pleasant life in
  Mexico.

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Main Characters

• Ramona A half Indian, half American orphan
  girl.
• Senora Moreno Ramonas dead foster mothers
  sister.
• Felipe Moreno- Senora Morenos only son, and
  Ramonas husband.
• Alessandro- Son of the Chief of the tribe, and
  Ramonas main love interest.
• Father Salvierderra- The priest.
• Pablo Assis- Alessandros father and chief of
  tribe.
• Juan Canito Head Shepard

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Vocabulary

• Vexed- Irritated , annoyed. (Page 4)
• Wholly- The whole amount, all, or extent. (Page
  11)
• Pious- To characterize by hypocritical concern
  with virtue or religious devotion. (Page 72)
• Louts- To bend, bow, or curtsy in respect. (Page
  17)
• Vespers- The evening star (page 5)
• Veranda- A large open porch, that extends
  normally across the front or sides of a house.
  (Page 6)

A southern veranda
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About the Author

• Helen Hunt Jackson was born in 1830, in
  Amherst, Massachusetts. As a child, Jackson was
  known for her strong will. After her parents died
  when she was a teenager, an aunt raised Jackson
  and her sister. Jackson was educated at the
  Ipswich Female Academy and then continued her
  instruction at a school run by John and Jacob
  Abbott in New York City. She became acquainted
  with the poet Emily Dickinson during her early
  years in Amherst and the two remained friends and
  admirers of each other's work for the rest of
  their lives. In 1852 Jackson married Lieutenant
  Edward Bisell Hunt and together they had two
  sons, one of whom died in infancy. Lt. Hunt died
  in 1863 following an accident while conducting a
  scientific experiment, and shortly thereafter
  Jackson also lost her second son. She was
  grief-stricken at her loss and eventually moved
  to Newport, Rhode Island. It was here that she
  began her lifelong association with the literary
  world. She began attending meetings of local and
  visiting writers organized by Thomas Wentworth
  Higginson.

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About the Author cont

• Her contact with these writers and
  intellectuals rekindled an interest in life and
  she began writing to support herself financially.
  In 1870 Jackson issued her first collection of
  poetry, titled Verses. After several years in
  Newport, Jackson traveled to the West in the
  early 1870s. In 1873, following an illness, she
  went to Colorado to recover. There she met and
  married William Sharpless Jackson in 1875. The
  two had no children, but Jackson was soon
  consumed with what became her life's crusade.
  Following a lecture on the suffering and
  dispossession of Native Americans, Jackson
  developed an intense interest in their cause and
  began writing letters and articles on the
  subject. She devoted the remainder of her life to
  improving the conditions of Native Americans and
  exposing the injustices heaped upon this
  marginalized group. Despite her popularity and
  acclaim as a poet and children's author, Jackson
  herself considered A Century of Dishonor and
  Ramona, two works that reflected her concern with
  the Native American cause, her own best legacy.
  Finally after suffering for several years from an
  unknown illness, Jackson succumbed to stomach
  cancer in 1885.

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Cultural Impact

• The popularity of the novel inspired people to
  name schools, streets, freeways and even towns
  after the novel's heroine. The romantic settings
  included in the book had many people wanting to
  see the these spots that appeared in the story.
  This coincided with the opening of Southern
  Pacific Railroad's Southern California rail lines
  and created a tourism boom. One location that is
  the most popular tourist attraction related to
  Ramona is Rancho Camulos. Rancho Camulos is
  considered the Home of Ramona because it was
  roughly in the same location of Moreno Ranch.

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Cultural Impact

• The Estudillo House in Old Town San Diego, is
  considered to be "Ramona's Marriage Place" due
  to short descriptions of Ramona having been
  married in San Diego. This location too became a
  popular tourist spot and remained that way long
  after the novel's publication.
• The novel gave Southern California its own
  distinctive cultural identity. The missions had
  recently gained national exposure and local
  restoration projects were just about to start.
  Southern California was beginning to open its
  rail road lines and combined with the emotions
  built up by the novel. The novel helped the
  region greatly in becoming popular and improving
  in many ways.