Chapter 38: “Always Keep Going” — Summary, Themes, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
You can return to the book hub or the previous chapter anytime.
Otherwise, read on for a full breakdown of what happens and why it matters.
When you're ready, continue to Chapter 39.
This page is designed to help you track the story, characters, and themes as you study the novel.
All analysis is original and based on the chapter's events.
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Summary
The chapter opens with Prieto aboard a flight to San Juan the Friday after Hurricane Maria. As the plane descends, he is shocked by the island's transformation—once lush and green, it now appears as a brown, stripped landscape. He recalls his first trip to Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s, when he attended a fraternity convention and visited La Perla, hoping to find traces of his father, Juan Acevedo. There he met Magdalena, a woman who fed him and introduced him to local Acevedos, though none recognized his father.
Now, on a military escort, Prieto insists on stopping at La Perla. He finds Magdalena's home destroyed—roof torn off, windows blown in, half the second floor collapsed. A bodeguero sweeping debris tells him that Magdalena's sons took her to the mountains, to a place called Los Pañuelos Negros. Prieto doesn't understand the reference but leaves a message for her and exchanges the phrase “Pa'lante” with the man, a call to keep going.
The narrative then flashes back two days earlier. Olga has arranged an HIV test for Prieto with her gynecologist, Dr. Marilyn Gallagher. The appointment is tense: Olga hasn't fully explained the situation, and the doctor is surprised to see Prieto. After some awkward negotiation, Dr. Gallagher agrees to draw blood in exchange for Prieto giving a keynote speech at a charter school gala. The blood draw takes three attempts, and the doctor tells Prieto that results will come in a few days. Prieto is overwhelmed with anxiety, haunted by the possibility of leaving his daughter Lourdes without a father.
Back in the present, Prieto joins the governor's envoy distributing water and supplies in Maunabo, a Superfund site. He witnesses the desperation of residents and the federal government's inadequate response. He encounters armed men in black bandanas distributing water from a pickup truck—members of Los Pañuelos Negros. Prieto feels their rifles aimed at him as he walks away.
Rather than return to New York, Prieto embeds with a U.S. news crew for two days. He helps with rescue efforts in Toa Baja, wading through flooded streets to assist the sick and elderly. He meets a Vietnam veteran who is out of cash and water, and gives him $60. That night, huddled with journalists, he learns more about Los Pañuelos Negros—rumored descendants of the Macheteros, living in the mountains, possibly planning a Zapatista-style rebellion. They also hear of a juvenile detention breakout attributed to the group. Prieto immediately suspects his mother's involvement, given what he saw in her FBI file.
Prieto considers staying longer but decides to return to New York for Lourdes's middle school talent show, reflecting on his commitment to being a present father, unlike his own mother. On the flight home, he feels a renewed sense of purpose from his time in Puerto Rico, as if he's rediscovered a part of himself. On Monday, September 25, 2017, his car pulls up to his house, and he sees Olga sitting on the stoop with a worried face. He knows instantly that he has tested positive for HIV.
Key Events
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Prieto flies to San Juan after Hurricane Maria and witnesses the island's devastation.
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He recalls his first trip to Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s and his meeting with Magdalena in La Perla.
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He finds Magdalena's home destroyed and learns from a bodeguero that her sons took her to the mountains, to Los Pañuelos Negros.
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Flashback: Olga arranges an HIV test for Prieto with Dr. Gallagher, who agrees in exchange for a keynote speech.
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Dr. Gallagher draws blood after three attempts; Prieto is anxious about the results.
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Prieto joins the governor's envoy in Maunabo, distributing water and supplies.
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He encounters armed men in black bandanas distributing water—members of Los Pañuelos Negros.
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Prieto embeds with a news crew for two days, helping with rescue efforts in Toa Baja.
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He learns about Los Pañuelos Negros and hears of a juvenile detention breakout attributed to them.
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He suspects his mother's involvement in the group.
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He returns to New York for Lourdes's talent show, prioritizing fatherhood.
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On September 25, 2017, Olga meets him with a worried face, and he knows he tested positive.
Character Development
This chapter is a turning point for Prieto. His internal conflict between public duty and personal responsibility intensifies. He is haunted by the HIV test, yet he finds a strange sense of purpose in helping Puerto Ricans after the hurricane. His decision to stay with the news crew and physically assist in rescue efforts shows a desire to be directly useful, rather than just a political figure.
Prieto's relationship with his mother also deepens. He suspects her involvement with Los Pañuelos Negros, connecting her revolutionary past to the present. This suspicion weighs on him, but he doesn't confront it directly; instead, he reflects on how his mother's choices affected his childhood, reinforcing his determination to be a better father to Lourdes.
His encounter with the Vietnam veteran humanizes the suffering he witnesses, and his act of giving money is a small but meaningful gesture. Prieto's realization that he feels “better than he had in months” while helping others suggests that service is a path to self-discovery.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
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Federal neglect and colonial disenfranchisement: The chapter highlights the U.S. government's inadequate response to Hurricane Maria, with Prieto noting the failure to deploy the National Guard and the lack of representation for Puerto Ricans.
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Bearing witness: Prieto's decision to stay with the news crew is driven by a need to witness and document the suffering, so that no one can deny it. This theme is reinforced by the journalists' role.
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Community resilience: The bodeguero sweeping debris, the people waiting in lines, and the gratitude of those rescued all illustrate the islanders' determination to keep going, symbolized by the phrase “Pa'lante.”
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Pañuelos Negros: The rebel group represents a legacy of resistance, possibly tied to Prieto's mother. Their presence raises questions about revolution, justice, and the lengths people will go to when the state fails them.
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Fatherhood vs. duty: Prieto's choice to return for Lourdes's talent show underscores his commitment to being present, contrasting with his mother's abandonment.
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HIV anxiety: The test results loom over the chapter, symbolizing Prieto's vulnerability and the personal consequences of his actions.
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Documentation vs. intervention: Prieto's question to the journalists about whether they feel bad for only filming highlights the tension between observing and acting.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 38 is pivotal for several reasons. It delivers the long-anticipated HIV test result, which will have major implications for Prieto's character arc. It also introduces Los Pañuelos Negros as a significant plot element, connecting Prieto's mother to a larger revolutionary movement and setting up future conflicts. The chapter deepens the novel's critique of federal neglect and colonial exploitation, using Hurricane Maria as a backdrop to explore themes of resilience and bearing witness. Prieto's personal growth—his renewed sense of purpose and his commitment to fatherhood—adds emotional depth, making his eventual diagnosis all the more impactful.
Study Questions and Answers
- Why does Prieto decide to stay in Puerto Rico after the envoy's tour ends?
Prieto stays because he feels compelled to bear witness to the devastation and to help directly. He is struck by the lack of federal support and the suffering of the people, and he wants to ensure that the reality is not spun or denied. He also finds a sense of purpose in physically assisting with rescue efforts, which contrasts with his usual political role.
- How does Prieto's suspicion about his mother's involvement with Los Pañuelos Negros affect him?
Prieto connects the group's actions—distributing water, liberating a juvenile detention center—to what he saw in his mother's FBI file. This suspicion deepens his anxiety and complicates his feelings about her. It also reinforces his determination to be a different kind of parent, as he reflects on how his mother's revolutionary priorities overshadowed her children.
- What does the phrase “Pa'lante” symbolize in this chapter?
“Pa'lante” (meaning “forward” or “keep going”) is exchanged between Prieto and the bodeguero, and later echoed in the chapter's title. It symbolizes perseverance and resilience in the face of disaster and systemic neglect. It also connects Prieto to his Puerto Rican heritage and to the community's determination to survive and rebuild.
Navigation
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