At the start of the story, Casiopea Tun’s father has died. As a result, she and her mother live with Casiopea’s grandfather and other family members, who make Casiopea and her mother wait on them and do the housework. The one hope Casiopea has is that her grandfather will leave her some money upon his passing so she can move to the city of Mérida and pursue a better life. Until then, she keeps to her chores “like a soldier on a campaign” (4).

Casiopea’s days are all similar—running errands, doing chores, and waiting impatiently for the day she can leave her monotonous life behind. One night, Casiopea vents her frustration to her mother, who urges Casiopea to act like a well-bred young lady and continue practicing her lessons. Casiopea doesn’t understand the purpose if her studies will not lead to a better life: Her mother followed that path and was now little more than a slave in her father’s house. Feeling sad and furious, Casiopea reflects on the monotony of her life, lamenting that “the world was all gray, not a hint of color to it” (12).