Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

Structuring her narrative to revisit the very threat that began Petra’s arc—this time literally within sight of the family’s ultimate destination—allows Dobbs to demonstrate Petra’s growth as a character, and the self-belief she’s built along the way. As Petra and her family prepare to face the threat of the Federales one last time, an elderly man in the border camp picks up his fiddle and plays it for the crowd , marking an important tonal shift in the narrative. In the novel thus far, both Petra and the plot have been steadily pushing forward, moving closer to safety and resolution respectively, but this scene brings everything to a halt, providing a moment of quiet reprieve, a collective mourning for lives and innocence lost in the conflict, and for the perpetual courage it requires to hold fast to hope in the face of constant uncertainty and danger. When Abuelita cries during the fiddler’s song—for the first time ever in the narrative—a physical representation of that collective grief. Petra comforts her grandmother, assuring her that everything will be alright, emphasizing a theme that has been quietly running through the entire text—a hopeful younger generation eager for change giving strength to an older generation that has lived through so much suffering, reminding them of the Importance of Dreaming Big.

Following this pause, Dobbs immediately resumes the action with the guards at the American border unexpectedly opening the gates, propelling the readers toward a final moment of suspense when Petra and her siblings are separated from Abuelita crossing the border leaving readers to wonder along with Petra whether or not the family will make it to their new life together. Abuelita’s eventual appearance on the US side of the border makes for a satisfying climax, particularly given the anxious tone of Petra’s narration as she and her siblings search for their grandmother in the chaos.

The conclusion of the novel reintroduces Petra’s black rock, establishing the object as an important symbol of Petra’s growth as a character. Rather than viewing it solely as an important memento of her past, Petra discovers that the black rock bears similarities to her present—the marks and scars she bears from her journey—that have ultimately made her a stronger person heading into her new future.