The main characters' opposing personalities form the focal points of the film's narrative, which becomes a sort of psychological travelogue. During the opening sequence, we learn that Laura's life has entered into a mysterious psychological crisis, exacerbated by her daughter's extreme behavior. In an opening monologue, she tells us that she has lost the ability to dream anything different from what she experiences in her daily life. This monologue, and ostensibly the rest of Laura's ongoing voice-over narration, occurs in the context of a consultation with an unseen doctor. From then on, the plot focuses around Laura's internal conflicts and her relationship with her daughter. In an early scene, Laurita informs her mother that she has grown tired of school and will be taking a break from her studies in order to travel to Madagascar. In response, Laura becomes furious and criticizes Laurita for indulging in such frivolous fantasies. Increasingly disaffected, Laurita proceeds to undergo a series of personality transformations. This disturbs Laura, who is frustrated with the stagnant conditions of her own life, but cannot make such sudden changes.