"Punch those arms in, baby" sounds better in Spanish.

The Cuban Swimmer by Milcha Sanchez-Scott details 19-year old Margarita Suarez as she swims the journey from San Pedro to Catalina Island, all the while her Cuban family hovers over her, urging on her unfailing continuation.

While Margarita swims, her father shouts direction and encouragement, coaching and coaxing her on. Margarita's limited dialogue between the family, save for her interjections of, "Papi, Papi!" and hallucination of fish whispering about her emphasizes her virtual lack of independence. In this way, Margarita's fight and self-control are pushed into the background as the audience is forced to focus on the other family members and their inner drama. Margarita leads her family on the boat on its course to the shore, becoming a beacon for her family.

Sanchez-Scott allows the audience a window into the Cuban culture and their religious devotion. Incorporation of Spanish dialect, most frequently seen in the character of the Abuela, as well as consistent religious themes and prayer, allow for further glimpses into the general culture, as well as allows for emotional ties between audience and character.

The climax of the play comes with the supposed disappearance of the family's one hope - their 19-year old daughter, granddaughter, sister, swimmer. Margo's break from her family allows for her own growth and establishment of self, away from her father's shouts, her brother's interjections fashioned to hide his jealousy, her mother's fears and worries, and her Abuela's "Ay Dios mio"s. Her submission to the pain and complete isolation allows her to tap into her own strength. Margo's repetition of her family's words of encouragement and her responses of defeat at the conclusion of Scene V allows for an inner glimpse into her personal trial. Sanchez-Scott's focus as such on each character throughout the play heightens the intensity of the situation and offers the audience a further understanding of the complex family, an understanding otherwise left unknown if incorporated into normal dialogue.