16 pages • 32 minutes read
Pat MoraElena
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1984A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
“Curandera” (1984) by Pat Mora
In this poem published in the same collection as “Elena,” Mora describes a curandera, which is Spanish for a female folk healer who mixes medicinal plants and uses spiritualism to treat illnesses. It is a good example of Mora’s interest in people who remain strongly connected with indigenous traditions and beliefs.
“Ode to Teachers” (2010) by Pat Mora
The speaker in this poem recalls the encouragement and support they received from a teacher who helped them gain confidence in themselves and their writing. The poem reflects Mora’s belief that children’s creativity should be encouraged.
“My Rock” (2021) by Pat Mora
This poem is about the connection between human beings and the natural world, an important indigenous belief and a frequent theme in Mora’s poetry.
Further Literary Resources
This well-developed and colorful website contains a great deal of information about the poet and her multifaceted work. It also includes a bibliography of articles and scholarly studies for more in-depth study of Mora’s writing.
In this video interview for ¡Colorín Colorado! Pat Mora talks about how important it is for readers, especially children, to see in literary works people who look like them and names similar to theirs. She recalls that her Mexican heritage was completely absent from her early education in Texas, a situation that should not be the experience of children with Mexican heritage today.
“The Influence of Pat Mora: How—and Why—Literacy Becomes Political” (2007) by Kathleen Dudden Rowlands
While it focuses on Mora’s advocacy of literacy and reading, this article also addresses Mora’s literary work and includes revealing statements by the poet about her experience as a Chicana writer and her interest in bilingual and bicultural ways of living in the United States.
“Celebrating Author and Poet Pat Mora!” (2022) by Lisa Fink
In honor of Pat Mora’s 80th birthday, the National Council of Teachers of English published this celebratory page on their website. While this article is short, it contains several links to valuable resources related to Mora’s life and work.
Listen to Poem
“Elena”
This reading of the poem is clear and easy to follow. Note that the format of the text on the screen does not correspond to the original format of the poem.
Related Titles
By Pat Mora
