1940's play follows a family of Puerto Rican "jíbaros" (rural peasants) that, in an effort to find better opportunities, end up moving to the United States.
The story is divided in three acts, each focusing on a specific location. The first act begins with the family preparing to move from the countryside to San Juan, capital of Puerto Rico, in search of a "better life". The second act takes place a year later in the La Perla slum of San Juan, where the family has moved. The final act takes place yet another year apart, in The Bronx, New York, where opportunity turns to tragedy.