Her sisters' reactions betray their difficulty relating
to their home country's culture. Though they fully understand the
consequences of manipulating the system of chaperones to expose
Sofia's indiscretion and sexual activity, they refuse to accept
Sofia's submission to Dominican sexual double standards. The sisters
are also troubled by the possibility of Sofia's subordination to
a male sexual partner through an unintended pregnancy. They betray
Sofia's trust only in order to force upon her a more American cynicism
toward romance and a more pragmatic attitude toward sex.
Their mother's reaction to Sofia's scandal reflects the
difficulty all the sisters face in negotiating the space between
the two cultures. While attending American boarding schools they
experiment with American vices like marijuana, yet in the Dominican
Republic they learn about illicit and unprotected sexual scandals.
They disappoint their mother in both places because they do not
behave as good Dominican girls ought to. This confirms her fear
that they have lost their connection to the culture, and that she
has failed in her effort to instill in them the values she grew
up with.
