Rita arrives on the island with what she believes to be a realistic outlook. Her sarcastic, know-it-all demeanor is characteristically adolescent and shaped by her American background. This is evident when she remarks, "My friends from Central High would have died laughing if they had seen the women with their fans going back and forth across their shiny faces fighting over ... who was going to sit next to whom." She mocks her grandparents' spiritual practices by referring to them as Ghostbusting and suggests that her grandfather might be losing his mind because he comforts his distressed rooster.

However, as Rita becomes involved in the situation between Angela, her mother, and her mother's boyfriend, she is influenced by her grandparents' insight and wisdom in identifying the root of the family's discord. Papá eventually imparts some of his perceptive skills to Rita, leading her to identify herself as a medium. By the conclusion of the story, Rita has integrated the seemingly mystical aspects of her grandparents' culture into her own understanding of reality.

Mala influencia initially refers to the malevolent spirit that Papá expels from Angela's home. However, the phrase also describes various aspects of Rita's summer. Rita's parents sent her to stay with her grandparents, hoping they would positively influence her, as they feared she was about to get into trouble with boys. Both Rita and Angela are positive influences on each other; throughout their summer together, Angela moves toward recovery, and Rita seamlessly adjusts to island life. They humorously discuss Rita's boyfriend, Johnny Ruiz, whom her parents believed was a negative influence. They agree that he comes across as a troubled young man and joke that he might be under a mala influencia himself.

Rita arrives in Puerto Rico from New Jersey with an individualistic mindset, viewing herself as distinct and alone. She attempts to distance herself from her family, feeling overwhelmed by her grandparents' constant presence in her room and life. Their frequent touch makes her feel smothered by the close contact. She shares a story about trying to make a phone call while neighbors listen in and interpret her conversation; her mother explains that Puerto Ricans have different concepts of privacy compared to Americans, and Rita's need for more personal space is a distinctly American trait. Over time, Rita adjusts to the island lifestyle. Although she and Angela are initially able to retreat and express their identities in this way, she eventually becomes more open to engaging with the community.

When Rita arrives on the island, she finds her grandmother, Mamá Ana, engrossed in telenovelas. Rita rolls her eyes at her grandmother's passionate attachment to what is essentially the Puerto Rican version of soap operas. She takes a critical stance towards the exaggerated, typically Latino reactions, such as Mamá Ana's dramatic shrieks and wails in response to Rita's pretend asthma attacks. As Rita narrates the conversations around her, the inherent drama of Latin American culture becomes evident through the rapid speech and frequent exclamations that fill the text. Ironically, Rita's teenage cynicism is just as exaggerated; for instance, she humorously describes her grandmother, who is busy catching crabs, as a murderess. In this way, she remains deeply connected to a culture that seems foreign to her.