Laura comes from a very wealthy, privileged and influential family in the Dominican Republic. As a daughter of the de la Torre clan and a doctor's wife, she considers herself entitled to a degree of social respect and material privilege that is unrealistic to expect as a recent immigrant. Her frustration with the challenges of immigration is reflected in her snobbery, yet she attempts to make a new identity for herself as an American wife, mother, and inventor of household gadgets. She defends her daughters' individuality and creativity and supports them through their mental breakdowns. She is intensely proud of her family name, her children and her grandchildren.