The Last Cuentista

“‘What if I ruin your stories?’ I ask. Lita cups my chin in her soft, brown hand. ‘You can’t ruin them. They’ve traveled hundreds of years, and through many people to find you. Now, go make them your own.’”

Lita is emphasizing the dynamic nature of storytelling. Each tale evolves to meet the circumstances in which it is retold. She is also encouraging Petra to put her personal stamp on being a cuentista.

“I saw Dad shaking his head. ‘Equality’s good. But equality and sameness are two different things. Sometimes those who say things without really contemplating what it truly means […] That dogma runs a thin line.’”

Petra’s father has just watched a news broadcast featuring early members of the Collective movement. They glorify eradicating differences in the name of equality. Their followers blindly repeat this adage until it becomes dogma. Hundreds of years later, Petra will see the damage that dogma can do.

“Maybe my parents are right, and I should just study plants and rocks like them. Maybe wanting to tell stories is ‘living in a fantasy world.’ […] What’s Lita’s secret? I will never be as good as her.”

Petra has just tried to calm Javier by telling him a story. She ends up stressing him out even more. She lacks confidence in her skill because she is still new to the art of storytelling. Lita has been a cuentista for her entire life, and this passage emphasizes the importance of practicing an art form in order to excel at it.