Contrasted to Ruthie (and the other trapped women), Earl represents the sexual double standard of the neighborhood. He can do whatever he wants with as many women as he wants without being judged. Esperanza rather naively assumes the different-looking women entering his apartment are all actually his wife, but in fact they are probably different prostitutes. Esperanza’s description of the dogs is surprisingly poetic, and shows she is getting stronger at making poetic connections and finding beauty among the ugly or mundane.