Pedro Machuca visits Gonzalo's home and is impressed at Gonzalo having a separate room with toys and a closet full of clothing, but also witnesses the tensions and cruelty latent in Gonzalo's family. When Gonzalo visits the shantytown dwelling of Pedro, he is appalled at the conditions. The friendship of the two mirrors the friendship between the Lone Ranger and the Indian Tonto in Gonzalo's favorite comic-book series.