At the very start of the novel, we meet Esperanza in Mexico as a little girl, with her father. How is Mexico different from California?

The novel opens introducing the characters of the family and describes their almost idyllic life on a vineyard in Mexico near the Sierra Madre Mountains called El Rancho de las Rosas. Esperanza's life is described in detail with servants and people, who care for her surrounding her. California is much harsher for Esperanza She is in a migrant camp where life is tough. She has to do chores and work hard. Mexicans are looked down upon.