cos m ▁of ▁Island ▁life ▁with ▁its ▁intr ig ues , ▁its ▁g oss ip ▁groups , ▁and ▁even ▁its ▁own ▁spirit ist " ▁for ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁its ▁community . ▁Mar is ol ▁describes ▁the ▁new ▁role ▁she ▁takes ▁on ▁as ▁a ▁transl ator ▁for ▁her ▁mother ▁in ▁a ▁foreign ▁world . ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁by ▁then , ▁is ▁real ▁to ▁her ▁only ▁through ▁the ▁vis its ▁of ▁her ▁legend ary ▁Uncle ▁Gu zm án , ▁a ▁physical ▁and ▁emot ional ▁emb od iment ▁of ▁the ▁rich ▁culture , ▁pride , ▁and ▁beauty ▁her ▁family ▁has ▁left ▁behind ▁for ▁this ▁new ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ ▁Jud ith ▁Ort iz ▁Co fer ▁highlight s ▁the ▁economic ▁pover ty ▁that ▁has ▁existed ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁for ▁dec ades , ▁even ▁though ▁the ▁country ▁is ▁a est het ically , ▁histor ically , ▁and ▁cult ur ally ▁rich . ▁Mar is ol ' s ▁parents ▁are ▁models ▁for ▁the ▁many ▁parents ▁in ▁the ▁Latin x ▁community ▁who ▁seek ▁fortune ▁and ▁opportunity ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Gu zm án , ▁although ▁he ▁lov es ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁its ▁beauty , ▁joins ▁the ▁U . S . ▁army ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁advent ure ▁in ▁distant ▁places , ▁something ▁he ▁feels ▁the ▁island ▁cannot ▁offer ▁him . ▁Mar is ol , ▁through ▁these ▁experiences , ▁ultimately ▁disco vers ▁that ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁El ▁Norte , ▁only ▁ful fill s ▁part ▁of ▁its