Hijuelos also challenges another typical gender role found in society. In traditional Cuban culture, women are expected to obey men. However, the novel's female characters often display more emotional resilience and sensibility than the male characters. This is clearly demonstrated in the marriage of Delores and Nestor. As Nestor becomes increasingly withdrawn, trapped in his own despair, Delores takes evening classes at a high school, manages to feed the family, and maintains the cleanliness of their home, despite her own emotional pain. She develops a desire to attend classes at the nearby City College, which was known for its open enrollment policies at the time. However, Nestor forbids her from pursuing this, fearing it would undermine his role as the family's leader. He warns her, "You go, and that will be the end of normalcy for us!"