Analysis Of Bless Me Ultima

Ultima goes to stay with Antonio Marez, a young boy who lives in the llano with his parents, two sister, and three brothers. This is because

Antonio automatically has a connection with Ultima in the book as soon as they meet. He gives her respect from the dream he had before they even meet, he see’s Ultima pull him out of his mother's womb and knows she’s a special person. A quote from the book says “Ultima says a man’s destiny must unfold itself like a flower.” She told this to Antonio and it shows that she respects him and is giving him good advice and knowledge about becoming older. Ultima cares about Antonio’s destiny and is guiding him towards the right

At Antonio’s birth, the Luna and Marez fought over which heritage he would inherit, but Ultima resolves the conflict by saying, “I pulled this baby into the light of life… only I will know his destiny” (6). So, when Ultima dies at the conclusion of the novel, the knowledge of Antonio’s destiny dies with her. Antonio then has the freedom to create his own future free from the pressure of choosing to be either a Luna or a Marez. Ultima’s death, while resolving his identity conflict, also forces Antonio to grow up and become more self-reliant. Before her death, Antonio depended on her for advice because his parents are biased with his identity struggle. Without her guidance, Antonio is forced to be more independent. Ultima seems to recognize this as she blesses Antonio before she dies saying, “I bless you in the name of all that is good and strong and beautiful, Antonio. Always have the strength to live. Love life, and if despair enters your heart, look for me in the evenings when the wind is gentle and the owls sing in the hills. I shall be with you—” (261). Ultima reassures Antonio that she will be with him because, without her, he has no one else to depend on for guidance. When Ultima dies, it concludes Antonio’s faith and heritage conflict because it gives him the independence to seek out his destiny as both a

​ There was someone other than Tony who also was close to Ultima, Narciso a local town drunk. He was always looking out for Ultima and defending her from Tenorio who wanted to kill her. On the night of his death there was a snowstorm taking place and he was just trying to get to Ultima to warn her about Tenorio,who wanted to go out and kill her for the death of his daughters, Narciso didn 't know but Antonio was following him on his journey to get to Ultima. Narciso tried to get Andrew to go tell Ultima because he believed he could get to her faster but he wasn 't leaving Rosie’s house. “Confess me—” (Anaya 170) Narciso asking him to do this challenged Tony and God and the fact that he is being asked to do more than he is actually capable of is present once again. He as a kid and not a priest makes him not “allowed” to confess other people but he did so regardless, once again having him question God’s capabilities. “you’re only a kid—I’m just sorry.” (Anaya 178) The fact of a good person dying without justifiable reason is questioned by Tony, and why wasn 't justice brought for Tenorio’s actions; Andrew not listening to Narciso was also questioned by Antonio, due to the fact that

His parents have ideas which conflict each other when it relates to their precious last son’s fate. Like a hawk swooping down on its prey, Ultima, an elderly curandera comes to occupy a room in the Marez residence. To everyone else in the house Ultima staying with them is negligible, but the bond Antonio and Ultima soon begin to create is the first step into Antonio’s quest in finding his fate. “When she came the beauty of the llano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth. The magical time of childhood stood still, and the pulse of the living earth pressed its mystery into my living blood.”(Anaya 1) Ultima’s presence alone lifted Antonio’s spirits, even the little things such as the llano he lived on all his life that had become mundane to him, began to glisten with great importance.

Coming of age is defined as the transition from one’s youth to his or her adulthood. Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding all explore this concept. Romeo and Juliet is a story about two star-crossed lovers in the depths of forbidden love despite an ancient family feud. House on Mango Street is a series of vignettes about a young Latina girl’s life growing up in Chicago. Lastly, Lord of the Flies is about a group of abandoned children who work to survive on a deserted island. Each of these stories provides details as to what characteristics define a mature individual, and they also show the various processes to achieve this maturity.

The proverb “All roads lead to Rome” refers to the fact that many different routes can lead to the same result. Likewise, the path to one’s destiny depends on the person. For example, Tony’s journey to his destiny in Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima is different than Paikea’s in Witi Ihimaera’s Whale Rider. Their destinies are different, but their destinies are inevitable events, regardless of the path they take to achieve it. However different their journeys may be, there are always certain elements that are universal among all journeys to destiny.

Narciso and Antonio do not have many direct encounters in the novel, yet Narciso has a profound effect on Antonio’s religious maturation. Narciso, who is considered the town drunk, is present in many important conflicts as a mediator figure. He goes to great lengths to help his friends, which is shown when he attempts to convince the townsmen not to rashly kill Lupito after he had shot the sheriff. Once Lupito is killed Antonio worries about the fate of the men on the bridge who shot him, including his own father. Antonio wonders "Did God listen? Would he hear? Had he seen my father on the bridge? And where was Lupito 's soul winging to, or was it washing down the

Antonio’s conflicted nature isn’t resolved or even slightly relieved by his mother. In fact, she only seems to further increase his religious ambivalence due to her wish of him becoming a man of prayer even though the he will be devoting his life to a being that only seemed to have failed him during the times that he needed him most. Maria might have good intentions of deciding the path for her own child but she is on the other hand arguably a mother who thinks her every decision is the only true way which in turn not only affects Antonio but the whole family as well.

experiences, result in the loss of innocence. Even though it was tough going through all these events, Antonio receives strength that will assist him extremely throughout his life, with fights and revelations. His incidents have developed the brawny, grown man he will soon be. Transformations are always needed for us to be fully grown, even though it can be hard and

Another example of Antonio's sense of development in good and evil is his home. It is means a lot to Antonio, because the people living in it makes him feel protected and provide warmth to him. When Tenorio and his men came to his house to take Ultima away, Antonio’s father "You walk on my land! That is my business" (Anaya 130). This make Antonio feel that he would be protected by the presence of his father., Gabriel. However, Antonio's mother made home very fond and ardent for him. She had always been affectionate towards him and would show him care. Most importantly, Ultima was the one who contributed to the goodness of Antonio's home. She made Antonio feel as though her presence filled the home with love and safety. It was Ultima who calmed Antonio down after he had seen Lupito die. Whenever he had a nightmare, Ultima would always be right beside to comfort Antonio and " could sleep again" (Anaya 34). Ultima's fearlessness against Tenorio and his three daughters made Antonio feel that he would be safe wherever Ultima was. Overall, the

An important motif in “Bless Me, Ultima” are Antonio’s dreams. His dreams foreshadow major events and make him question his beliefs, especially revolving around

Throughout the book Antonio is introduced to many new ideas. The first is the experiences he has with Ultima. Ultima is a healer who learned

The child does not just grow up but they also understand that at a given period they are expected to abandon their childish

as it started to be filled with sin. Viewing Lupito’s death left a huge impact because he grew up