Character Traits of Maria from The House of the Scorpion?

Maria is Matt's love during the House of the Scorpion. In the beginning of the story, she views him as a monster, then as a animal who does not know the difference between right and wrong, and then as a human. Not until the very end does she truly realize her love for him and this comes only with the information that he is indeed human and not "livestock". Although Maria fails to recognize Matt as a truly kind and intelligent person, she is a fairly appealing character, with her undeniable longing to do good and her ability to accept and forgive others. I highly recommend reading the book.