una ▁and ▁the ▁v ibr ant ▁river ▁valley ▁surrounding ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁Rosa , ▁the ▁ad oles cent ▁Gu zm án ' s ▁young ▁love ▁interest . ▁The ▁novel ' s ▁setting ▁is ▁convey ed ▁through ▁the ▁primary ▁sens ory ▁org ans ▁of ▁the ▁body , ▁the ▁ears , ▁eyes , ▁and ▁nose , ▁as ▁Gu zm án ▁continues ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁world ▁around ▁him ▁and ▁begins ▁to ▁year n ▁for ▁greater ▁advent ure ▁beyond ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁Rosa ' s ▁house , ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Sal ud , ▁and ▁Gu zm án ' s ▁child hood ▁home ▁represent ▁all ▁that ▁is ▁wonderful ▁about ▁the ▁l ush ▁Puerto ▁R ican ▁landscape . ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁novel , ▁the ▁family ▁has ▁moved ▁to ▁Pat erson , ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁The ▁family ▁members ▁each ▁begin ▁to ▁realize ▁that ▁the ▁" prom ised ▁land " ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁does ▁not ▁ful fill ▁its ▁promise ▁of ▁wealth , ▁prosper ity , ▁and ▁opportunity ▁for ▁all . ▁Gu zm án ' s ▁young ▁nie ce , ▁Mar is ol , ▁assumes ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁narr ator , ▁con ve ying ▁her ▁family ' s ▁struggle ▁to ▁assim il ate ▁into ▁American ▁culture ▁through ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁experiences ▁of ▁inequality , ▁disc rim ination , ▁and ▁misunder standing . ▁Mar is ol ▁obser ves ▁that ▁El ▁Building , ▁their ▁ten ement ▁in ▁inner - city ▁Pat erson , ▁although ▁dil ap id ated ▁and ▁cr amp ed , ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁" m icro