In Sandra Cisneros's short story "Woman Hollering Creek," Cleófilas loves telenovelas and follows them devotedly. These telenovelas provide her with an idealized depiction of romantic love, which she thinks should be a central part of her experience as a woman. Her place in the world is to be the glamorous and beautiful object of a dashing hero's grand passion. Her view of romance is inextricable from the wealthy lifestyles depicted on the screen.

As the story begins, Cleófilas's favorite telenovela is Tú o nadie (You or No One). She admires the heroine's steadfastness in love, but also the beauty of the actress who plays her and who stars in Bayer aspirin commercials. Cleófilas seems more concerned with the actress's perfect hair than with her character's ability to cope with heartache.

Another telenovela Cleófilas watches is The Rich Also Cry (Los ricos también lloran, though the program is given its English name in the story). Once again, Cleófilas is captivated by the physical details of wealth and glamor she sees on the screen. These crucially enhance the emotional content for her, providing her with an ideal of love which, though it may be heart-wrenching, is always accompanied by material wealth and physical beauty.