Across The Desert

While Jo’s conflict regarding saving Addie is resolved once the injured girl is whisked away in the ambulance, Jo still has significant conflicts to battle in the last section of the novel. After taking the initiative to find Addie, making complex decisions in the rescue, and stepping into a leadership role when Marty becomes hesitant, Jo is physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausted. Her character needs a helpful boost to contend with the conflicts caused by her mother’s condition, especially since Jo’s age logically precludes many courses of action an adult would take.

This boost comes in the form of Marty’s parents, who place in front of Jo a new potential route to healing for her mother: Lucy’s Hope. Jo now has a real possibility to help her mother; in terms of theme and lessons for the reader, the author communicates the hidden dangers of oxycodone use through Lucy’s story. The possibility of the foundation’s financial assistance gives Jo the hope she lacked before and prompts her to confront her mother about her use of the drug. Mrs. Peterson’s entry into the story provides Jo with the support to speak out that she lacked before; this intervention leads to her mother’s treatment. The climax to Jo’s conflict regarding her mother’s addiction occurs when she asks her mother to flush the pills on the spot; with those new supports in place, the transition to falling action events (e.g., Jo’s mother’s treatment) is logical and realistic.

As the story nears its conclusion, the author employs the use of verisimilitude. Bowling does this through an extended falling action that includes Jo’s mother’s treatment. For example, imagery regarding Jo’s mother’s weight loss and the dark circles under her eyes suggest how the detoxification process is physically difficult, and the therapy session Jo attends includes a man’s history of overdosing. These realistic details help to convey to readers the gravity of the addiction struggle.

The development of the story’s themes concludes with these chapters. The development of Personal Growth Through Adversity is most significant, evident in Jo’s increased confidence and courage after successfully saving Addie. While the theme of Believing in Oneself Despite Others’ Doubts is most evident with Jo’s character up to Addie’s rescue, this theme also can be seen with Marty in the last section. Marty confidently believes intervening with Jo’s mother’s addiction is the right action to take although no other adult in Jo’s life (e.g., Aunt Mallory) has done so. The theme of The Impact of Technology on Modern Quests is expanded upon in several scenes as the novel concludes; the use of the cell phone to call for an ambulance, medical treatment for Addie, and the flight gifted to Jo by her mother and the Chapmans are plot points involving technology that mark Jo’s quest as a modern adventure and contribute to conflict resolution. The completion of each theme’s development provides closure and reader fulfillment.

Finally, this section of the novel concludes Jo’s character arc. Her compassion and concern for others never waver throughout the narrative, but other traits such as conviction, courage, and hope grow during her rescue of Addie, providing her with the necessary tools to help her mother and herself. Surviving the harsh desert environment promotes hope in Jo that her mother can leave behind the “desert” of addiction; growth in her convictions and courage allow Jo to finally reveal to the Petersons her mother’s addiction and its impacts. Seeing her mother in treatment, while difficult, spurs a noticeable change in Jo from pessimist to optimist; she is more confident about starting school, maintaining friendships, and her potential plans. Jo’s flight with Joanie in the last scene symbolizes Jo’s new mindset: “We lift up into the clear blue desert sky, my friends, my mom, and the whole city of Phoenix with the vast desert surrounding it far below. And endless possibilities above” (305).