In addition to depicting the experience of immigrants, Tobar also focuses on the homeless. Just as he opens our eyes about the violence in Latin America, he also reveals the strange lives of the homeless in Los Angeles, who dwell in makeshift camps. Some could argue that he downplays the negatives homeless life, but his inclusion of characters like Frank, José Juan, the Mayor, and even Antonio shows that anyone can end up homeless and that the homeless population is not comprised of indolent washouts with no work ethic but a variety of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, temperaments, and traits. by a d no matter their background.

In addition to homelessness, Tobar focuses on poverty in Los Angeles and San Cristóbal. He depicts a nuanced impoverished world through characters who are authentic and sympathetic, to put a human face to the issue and show a variety of experiences with improvement. Longoria’s character proves that anyone can climb above the poverty line, just as Lopez’s decline shows how quickly vulnerable people can collapse into poverty. The text also suggests that this massive impoverished underworld will naturally cause outbursts like the LA riots.