Jesse

Jesse is a young adult novel written by Gary Soto and published in 1994. The novel uses first-person perspective to bring readers on a journey through evolving faith and growing up in an uncertain world. Drawing on historical allusions, Soto utilizes tropes from both young adult fiction and the historical fiction genre. Soto is the author of several young adult novels and collections of poetry. He was the first Mexican American student to earn an MFA at the University of California, Irvine. Soto has won several awards and honoraria, including the Phoenix Award for Jesse.

Plot Summary

At 17 years old, Jesse moves out of his mother and stepfather’s house and drops out of high school. He moves into an apartment with his 21-year-old brother, Abel. Abel helps Jesse enroll in junior college to hopefully study art. Both Jesse and Abel attend junior college during the week and work as manual field laborers on the weekends (picking cotton and fruit). Jesse dreams of being an artist, traveling around the world, and providing a more secure life for his mother—in a time period fraught with tension. As a Mexican American field laborer, he is directly connected to César Chávez’s United Farm Workers Union and the emerging Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 70s. Moreover, as an American male on the cusp of his 18th birthday, Jesse faces the threat of being drafted into the Vietnam War. Jesse has already received flyers encouraging him to join the army upon turning 18, and his brother Abel has received his first draft notice. Should Abel receive a second draft notice, he’ll have to serve time in Vietnam or run away and live in secret.

Jesse manages to persevere through faith in God. He identifies as Catholic but has existential questions about his limitations and the possibilities of his faith. As connected as Jesse is to his faith, he is less connected to his priest. His faith informs his moral code, and the realities of his difficult life inspire him to avoid breaking rules: He doesn’t drink underage, is kind to everyone, and tries to live an honest, hardworking life.

Yet, Jesse is inspired by César Chávez, who advocates for migrant and farm labor rights using civil disobedience. Jesse’s Mexican American identity and work in the fields are directly impacted by Chávez. Though he is interested in Chávez’s message, Jesse struggles to relate to Raul, a Chicano activist at his school. Raul is passionate and willing to put himself in violent situations for Chávez’s movement—la causa. He is a natural leader, but his activism intimidates Jesse. While Jesse navigates life at school and work, his brother Abel finds a girlfriend and starts a new chapter of his life; this makes the younger feel left behind. Jesse struggles with loneliness, as he is happiest when he is with Abel and their mutual friends Leslie and Glenda.

Jesse reconnects with a friend from high school, Luis, whose partying ways intimidate him. He is uncomfortable when Luis convinces a stranger to buy beer for him. Luis is confident with girls, while Jesse is shy around them, so when Luis pushes his girlfriend’s friend onto Jesse, he feels out of place. Luis gets into a physical altercation with another boy from school who assaulted Jesse in the past. Jesse helps Luis fight, making him feel proud of himself for standing up to a bully.

Jesse manages to work through some social anxiety when Luis reaches out for help getting into college; Luis seeing Jesse as smart is a major moment of pride for him, a positive affirmation that he rarely experiences. However, Jesse’s life takes a turn when his brother Abel is drafted into the Vietnam War. Jesse moves out of their shared apartment and into a shed, the only place he can afford on his own. He continues to do fieldwork and go to school, while focusing on his passion for art. While there are many things Jesse can’t control in his life, his faith in God and himself help him persevere.