Under the Mesquite

“‘Well,’ Mami says, looking at me now, ‘that’s different.’ She wraps the cord carefully in the tissue, puts it in its plastic bag, and hands it back to me. ‘This,’ she says, ‘is the story of us.’”

Here, Lupita and her mother share an intimate moment in which Mami reveals that Lupita, not Lupita’s father, is Mami’s first love. It is not that Mami does not love Lupita’s father, but rather that the firstborn child is a special kind of love for a mother. This moment in Chapter 1 symbolizes the importance of Lupita’s role in the family, as well as the close connection between her and her mother that will inform the rest of the novel.

“I was born at home, in our little blue house on Avenida López Mateos, in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. Even though there was no doctor there because I came so quickly and unexpectedly, I arrived perfectly healthy. Mami says I was so strong, I didn’t act like a newborn.” 

This quote identifies Lupita’s important origin story. Born in Mexico, her home country will continue to be crucial to the formation of her identity. Furthermore, the characterization of Lupita’s birth parallels the descriptions of the mesquite tree, foreshadowing Lupita’s strong connection with the symbol. 

“It’s been more than eight years since my parents transplanted us, and our family has grown.” 

In this quote, the motif of planting and growing is established. The use of the words “transplant” and “grow” as descriptors of the family’s migration and welcoming new children echoes the vocabulary of gardening, one of Lupita’s parents’ hobbies. Lupita’s parents figuratively and literally grow and plant, highlighting the importance and beauty of family, as well as the loving commitment Lupita’s parents have to fostering their family environment.