Reading Reference Sheet: Bless Me, Ultima

Transcription

1 Thomas O Young, Danielle Baca, Justin Yan, Samantha Hernandez Lyons English 4 AP 04/15/16 Reading Reference Sheet: Bless Me, Ultima Title : Bless Me, Ultima Publication Date : 1972 Author : Rudolfo Anaya Nationality : American Author s Birth/Death Dates : 1937 Present Distinguishing Traits of the Author Rudolfo Anaya was born in the small village of Pastura, New Mexico and was raised in nearby Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Bless Me, Ultima is his first novel and draws inspiration from many aspects of his own childhood. His father was from a family of vaqueros and his mother was from a family of farmers from Puerto De Luna, referenced within the story through Antonio s character. While Bless Me, Ultima was written in 1969 during the Chicano Movement, it was rejected by many major publishers. It would not be until 1971 that a small press in Berkeley, Quinto Sol, would accept Anya s manuscript and award him the Premio Quinto Sol Literary Prize for the best Chicano Literature. Anaya stated that he began writing the story of Bless Me, Ultima on a simple typewriter and that the actual character for Ultima came to him as a thought and nothing more. His characters are not inspired by the people surrounding him; they simply come to mind and he writes them all to fulfill a specific purpose. In Ultima s case, she was written to explain the world of the unconscious to both Antonio and Anaya. All his characters address real world myths, stories, or problems. It is incredible to believe that Anaya did not come up with certain characters, but that they came to him asking for their stories to be written. When he finally finished Bless Me, Ultima and sent the manuscript to many publishers, Anaya was at first rejected many times but his strong will helped him to prevail in getting his story told to the world. His book was published during a time of debate over civil rights and Anaya became a part of the literary movement to better the lives of Mexican Americans. His journey is inspiring because of his many selfless deeds and contributions to humanity.

2 Setting (time and place) of Work Guadalupe : Guadalupe is described as a pleasant site, the wild beauty of our hills and the magic of the green river. (Ch. 1) This is the town Tony lives with his family who live a very traditional life. The town is where Tony sees all of the events that help him lose the innocence he once had. This is also the location where he struggles most with his future and whether he will chose the path of his mother s people or his father s people. Guadalupe is also the place where he meets Ultima and learns many things as they journey together. This town is very representative of Tony s mental and physical growth throughout the novel. It also contains the llano, which he fears in the beginning, because it contains some presence that causes much discomfort. With the guidance and knowledge given to him by Ultima he finds comfort in the llano and the ways of a curandera and the magic they have. He also attends school and church here which helps him realize something about himself is just different in comparison to all the other boys. All of his experiences bring Tony to the realization that he is both Luna and Marez and will be changed forever because of Ultima. Llano : The llano is the home of his father s people the Marez family that he always hears so much about. Tony says, the beauty of the llano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth. (Ch.1) It gives way to a wild life of vaqueros but Tony always seemed intimidated yet intrigued by the lifestyle. Ultima opened Tony s eyes to the endless beauty and gifts the llano provides it people with and he soon learned to love and appreciate the land. The llano represents an older way of life that his father once lived as well as endless freedom. Tony finds peace, happiness, and freedom in the llano at the end of the novel instead of the fear and suspicion he once had. El Puerto : El Puerto is where Antonio s mother s family, the Lunas, live and farm. Tony describes his experiences there by saying, we always enjoyed our stay at El Puerto. It was a world where people were happy, working, helping each other. (Ch. 5) These trips meant so much to his mother and because it pleased his mother so much it made Tony even more excited. Tony looks up to his uncles and sees them as very good men. His time in El Puerto provides Tony with times of joy and peace in the midst of the chaos he experiences throughout the novel. This is the place Tony truly sees Ultima s powers as she cures his uncle and the place his becomes much stronger mentally as he witnesses these events. This is also the first place his comes face to face with true evil which would be Tenorio. The biggest change in Tony occurs here as he is attacked by Tenorio on his horse and something inside Tony changes and nothing can stop him; he overcomes fear, fatigue, and pushes himself in an attempt to save Ultima. The setting of the novel takes place during the early 1940s in Guadalupe, New Mexico. Antonio describes the landscape as peaceful and serene where the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth (1). Centered around nature, the setting itself serves as a

3 source of contention between Antonio s parents, Maria and Gabriel. Maria wants to have Antonio become a priest, so he must become a man of learning by attending school in the city. Meanwhile, Gabriel wants to be as close to the Llano as possible for Antonio should learn to be free, so the two compromise by living on the hill near the town of Guadalupe. The town s religion also plays a major part in Antonio s childhood as the town is predominantly Catholic, forcing Antonio to believe in Catholicism. Also, Antonio s role as a non English speaking scholar within school causes others to discriminate against him. The presence of WWII takes Antonio s three older brothers from him, making him feel isolated on his path to discover his identity. Brief Plot Synopsis The story begins with a young boy named Antonio listening to his parents talk about having the curandera, Ultima, come live with them for the last few days of her life. She is often confused for a witch by many townspeople but the Marez y Luna families know her to be kind and helpful so they take her into their home. Within days of her moving in, tragedy occurs when the local sheriff is murdered by a man named Lupito who returned from the war without having the sickness taken out of him. This darkness ruined his mind and moved him to shoot the sheriff in the back of the head sending the men of the town on a manhunt. The men eventually found him by the river when young Antonio was hiding nearby watching the whole spectacle unfold. Another man named Narciso arrived and attempted to reason with Lupito but his attempts failed as Lupito drew fire to himself and the men shot him to death. Antonio is morally challenged on both the death of Lupito and his father s participation in the whole ordeal. His life continues with him growing and finding his own identity and faith to believe in. Ultima teaches him the ways of the earth and his parents enforce on him the wishes they have for his destiny. Eventually, Antonio becomes old enough to go to school and he leaves home and his mother for the first time. His first lesson is to learn to write his own name which puts him firmly on the road to learning. During this time, World War II ends and Antonio s three brothers are finally able to return home. The family rejoices as the plans for the sons are laid out before them but the three brothers do not wish to follow the dreams of their parents. The Marez blood inside all of them is strong and it pulls them to follow the wind to other lands and to be their own men. The oldest and the youngest, Eugene and Leon, leave and head for the other lands the world had to offer while the middle son, Andrew, stays behind to complete his education. All this happens as Antonio finishes his first year in school, where the principal has decided to move him straight from the first grade to the second. As he is heading home to tell his mother this, he comes across his friend Samuel, who introduces Antonio to the legends and myths of the golden carp. He tells Antonio that the god exists and that one day he will be ready to witness him in all of his glory.then, Antonio s mother s brother is stuck by an evil curse that only Ultima can cure. Antonio and Ultima travel to the land of the Lunas and go to cure Maria s brother Lucas. He had found the Trementina sisters dancing around a cauldron chanting an incantation which

4 indicated that they were witches. The brother then confronted them for their actions and they in turn placed a curse on him using pieces of his cut hair from their father s barber shop. Ultima entered the house where Lucas laid dying and spent three days curing him with the help of young Antonio. Once he was cured she burned the pieces of the cursed hair in the forest where the Trementina sisters had danced. Life almost then returned to normal as Antonio was visited at the river one day by little Cico to introduced him to the Golden Carp; God of the Waters and protector of The People. Antonio s life then continues with his mind filled with Ultima s magic, The Golden Carp, and whether or not he was to follow the path of God or not. The peace is once again disturbed as Tenorio s daughter mysteriously dies and he accuses Ultima of being the one who killed her with the powers of a witch. He brings men to the Marez home and tries to burn the witch with his drunken friends. However, Narciso appears and recommends the test for any person to take who has been accused of being a witch; passing through a door marked with the sign of the cross. They all watch as Ultima approaches the door when suddenly her owl arrives and scratches out the eye of Tenorio distracting the men who look again at Ultima who is on the other side of the door. The family once again returns to the land of the Lunas where Antonio confronts his uncle with his cowardice at attempting to warn the family and to watch Tenorio s family be fully accused of being witches. Life resumes as winter sets in and the boys are forced to perform a skit of the coming of Christ in the place of the girls who remain at home due to the storm. The play begins normally but ends in disaster and much humor for those who participated and for those who watched. Antonio then departs from school in the midst of the storm coming across Narciso and Tenorio fighting in a local pub with a threat then launched at Ultima once again. Narciso then leaves to find Andrew who is accompanying a woman at Rosie s place where Antonio learns the true nature of his brother for the first time. Narciso, who is refused by Andrew, travels to Ultima himself only to be killed by Tenorio underneath the Juniper tree so close to the Marez home. Antonio is stricken with pneumonia and remained in bed while Andrew dealt with the guilt of possibly being able to save Narciso. Out of the blue, Leon and Eugene return after their car is totaled on their way home. When they leave once again Andrew goes with them and Antonio believes he does this because he is dealing with the guilt of being responsible for Narciso s death. Peace returns as Antonio prepares to accept his First Communion when he comes across Tenorio at the spot where he murdered Narciso. Antonio confronts him stating that no harm will come to Ultima and Tenorio refutes back that not even the sheriff would touch him and that he would find a way to exact his revenge on Ultima for his daughter s death. After this encounter Antonio throws his efforts even more into his religion to seek answers of why God has treated his people this way. Florence, a young boy quite different from the children around him, aids him in his ponderings by asking why God would ruin the world of a three year old child and still expect him to have faith in the end. Antonio does not have the answers that Florence seeks but still does not lose faith in the church for it is all that he has known in his life. When the children corner him and force him to play the part of a priest; they

5 force Florence to confess his sins but the child says nothing truly believing that he has never sinned in his life but it is that God has sinned against him by taking his family. Days after this insanity occurred, Antonio received the body of the Lord and peered into his soul for the voice that was to guide him on his path but heard nothing but silence. After the silence, another incident occurs with a family being plagued by the work of witches as a friend of Gabriel s has had stone raining on his house for three nights straight. Ultima comes to investigate and reveals the work of witches who have placed the curse not on the family, but on three spirits of dead Indians who were killed there and not properly sent off into the next life. Ultima, Gabriel and Antonio work together to lay the spirits to rest and return home weary and tired. Afterwards, Antonio thinks back to how Florence has nothing to believe in and asks Samuel if they can show Florence the Golden Carp and he agrees. They race to find Florence by the river only to see that he went into the water and hasn t come up for several minutes. He is revealed to have died as something at the bottom tied around his foot to keep him from coming up. After suffering the nightmares caused by his friend s death, it is decided that Antonio will go to stay on the land of the Lunas; to see life grow and to cleanse his soul. He spends his entire summer there right up into the time before he is meant to return to school when trouble strikes once again. The second daughter of Tenorio has died and he has taken her body into town and spread it across the doors of his saloon like a madman once again swearing vengeance against Ultima. As Antonio rushed to the house to pack his things for the trip home, Tenorio rides down the path attempting to finish off Antonio where he stands. He dodges and rolls to safety as Tenorio calls after him the secret of how to kill Ultima, her owl. Antonio runs the ten miles home in order to warn her while in his mind the pieces of the past come together in just what exactly Ultima means to him and to the world. Arriving at his home to find Tenorio taking aim, Antonio shouts to distract him and Ultima s owl dives to defend him when Tenorio s bullet finds its mark in the chest of the owl. As he attempts to finish off Antonio as well, Pedro steps in and ends the life of Tenorio instead. Picking up the owl, Antonio rushes to Ultima s side begging her not to die. She in turn comforts him saying that with hers and Tenorio s deaths will the balance of the world return again. Her final wish was for Antonio to bury her spirit in the plains of the llano so that she would finally find peace. He does this and during the burial of her body only he knows the day that she was truly laid to rest. Brief Description of Characters Antonio Marez y Luna The protagonist of the story, Antonio is a round character that matures spiritually and mentally through several experiences. He is a young boy who is very curious about everything around him and never hesitates to ask questions.his story begins when Ultima arrives at his house, addressing her by Ultima, rather than La Grande. This first encounter solidifies a distinct relationship between Ultima and Antonio, for she allows him to address her by her real name. Through their journey together and apart, Antonio goes through unexpected

6 transformation and matures much quicker than other youths, absorbing knowledge that is beyond his age and witnessing occurrences that a child should not need to learn yet. He has a hungry for knowledge and wisdom especially when it comes to religion, life, and his own personal future. Antonio struggles with his identity and the person he is going to become. In his search for self identity, there are many obstacles and perspectives that alter his perspectives constantly. The wishes and differing cultures of his parents are one example of something Antonio struggles with, unsure of whether to follow his mother s request in becoming a priest, or traveling lands like his father suggests. Pertaining to belief and religion, characters such as Ultima, Florence, Cico, Samuel and his mother all provide him with different examples of their beliefs. Hatred, death, revenge, and forgiveness are all topics that Antonio digests on, looking for answers in different sources, but only being able to find a few solutions. It is not until the conclusion of the novel when Ultima and her owl passes away, that he realizes that his life will continue to be full of questions and choices to be made. He recognizes that sometime in the future [he will] have to build [his] own dream out of the things that were so much a part of [his] childhood, proving the realization in the way his path must be made; with knowledge, experience, and personal choices(261). Antonio s loss of innocence at a young age portrays his growth in maturity that reveals to be much quicker than others. His upbringing, life experiences, and beliefs are shaped by all that he has gone through and Antonio grows both physically, mentally, and emotionally in the novel. There is comprehension in that he must create his own story and continue with life. Ultima A curandera and wise woman who helps Antonio see the beauty in the simplicity of the llano and nature. She was there to help Maria, Antonio s mother, give birth to all of her children and Antonio was the last one she pulled from Maria s womb. She believes that since Antonio was the last to be born, she will have a special connection with him unlike the other children and she does. She teaches Antonio about the balance of good and evil in the world but most importantly when he comes to her with questions of what he should believe in; she tells him that she cannot decide that for him but it is up to him to find his own beliefs in life. Her main goal is to help him grow into the strong and caring man that she knows he can be which is why she never influences him but only guides him along with his free will. She is considered by Antonio to be personified goodness for she was the only person [he] had ever seen defeat evil where all else had failed (270). She was not an opposing religion to the ways of the church nor was she another god that Antonio wished to believe in, he perceived her as something far greater than all of that. He saw her as the light that fights against the darkness, the speck of light that is born and grows in the darkest corners of life. Besides teaching Antonio, she inspires him to be a man worthy of learning her ways to understand life and obtain the power to use nature to fight evil. She is the saving grace that Antonio never knew he needed. Finally, when she dies, she remembers that he still a child underneath all his piercing questions and, being a woman who believed we all return from whence we came, gives him one final blessing. She blesses him for

7 the last time 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 (276). Gabriel and Maria Marez Parents of Antonio, Gabriel and Maria Marez struggle in cultural differences. Gabriel is a Marez of Las Pasturas, a vaquero at heart, and wishes to travel to California with his family. Even though he is much older, he believes that the Marez blood is restless, thus spurring his desire to travel. He also believes that this wild blood resides in Antonio, and wishes him to become similar to a cowboy. As for Maria, she is a Luna from El Puerto, where her brothers and relatives work as farmers. Her desire is for Antonio to become a high and respected priest. Their differences within the novel contribute to the questions and confusion that Antonio holds as a young child, finding difficulty to choose between the paths that are seemingly laid out for him. Fortunately, the couple does not only provide problems for Antonio. Maria loves the family and looks out for everyone with a profound amount of care, and Gabriel makes several sacrifices for the family as well. When Antonio is sent to live with his uncles in El Puerto, his father tells him that Understanding comes with life, a statement that was yet to be revealed in the endless questions that Antonio held about his life(248). It turns out that the both of them set perfect examples of caring parents, but are just unable to explain differences at times and lacking realization that Antonio is growing much quicker than they think. Narciso Narciso plays the town drunk, who is sympathetic and caring in nature, but cannot seem to show it due to his reputation. He constantly stands up for others and can see the good nature in people, shown when he stands up for Lupito despite having committed the sinful act of killing the sheriff. His respect for Ultima, despite having lost his wife when Ultima could not save her, demonstrates that Narciso was a man more than the local town drunk. Contrary to his outward and drunk appearance, he is also loving and compassionate, willing to sacrifice things for others without asking for anything in return. Throughout the novel, he is fully willing to sacrifice himself for the Marez family, defending them from Tenorio s initial pursuit of Ultima, and also treading through heavy snow to warn Andrew. However, it is when he is killed by Tenorio and that Tenorio was unable to be prosecuted for the town said he died during one of his drunks that Narciso serves his purpose within the story (177). Narciso also holds a garden that is full of liveliness and bears amazing fruit, which symbolizes a separate nature of peace and well being compared to being known as the town drunk. His death occurs while he is trying to help an old friend, Ultima, and he asks Antonio to bless him before he passes (177). Narciso s character is significant in Antonio s growth, being another example of a good heart that dies while maintaining devotion and love to the Marez family.

8 Tenorio Villain of the novel, Tenorio s actions are provoked by evil and hatred, but most importantly, revenge. When Ultima disgraces him in front of the men at his bar, his hatred for her grows significantly. The death of his daughter spurs the actions he takes against her, bringing along other townsmen and influencing them with liquor to achieve his goals. He accuses Ultima for being a witch and has one of his eyes clawed out by Ultima s owl, an unfortunate occurrence that further encourages his hatred for her work. His belief about Ultima causing his daughters sicknesses is strong in mind, and goes great lengths to destroy Ultima. His goal succeeds when he kills Ultima s owl with a bullet molded by the Prince of Death (258). This saying is referenced to Satan, merely a prince because God is acknowledged to be the only King. He is the one to end Ultima s life at the cost of his own, but rests with the knowledge that in his perspective, he has avenged his daughter s death. Andrew, Eugene, and Leon Marez Coming back from World War II, the three brothers have suffer from a post traumatic stress, causing them to question their motives and to eventually move on and live their independent lives. The three brothers symbolize the effect of the Marez blood. After returning home from the war, the brothers are no longer content with living with their family. Gabriel s dreams of moving to California are crushed after he believes that the cause for their choice to leave to Las Vegas is the restlessness of his blood that resides in them(72). Following their blood, the brothers desire freedom and Leon and Eugene set out on a journey to Las Vegas, Santa Fe, maybe even Albuquerque to become independent (67). Although Eugene and Leon leave and venture off, Andrew stays and assists the family for a while. While Andrew s thoughtful and considerate nature is emphasized by his consideration for his family, he too ultimately succumbs to the independent and restless nature of the Marez. Antonio has various dreams about his brothers, mostly pertaining to them entering the brothel or pleading for forgiveness. These dreams and the wandering blood of the brothers after the war prove that the innocence of childhood has already been lost, and that they have become sinful men with greater knowledge. The three brothers represent those that have already fallen to the nature of man, performing sin and becoming restless in the process. Antonio s friends A wild group of kids, Antonio s friends are all trying to find their way in life, some basing their change off of others and some choosing to follow their own paths. Their appearance and purpose within the novel has to do with the representation of experience and change over time. Their experiences shape their identity, and although most of them do not mature spiritually and morally similar to Antonio s spurt of growth, some such as Vitamin Kid mature through relationship and communication. Vitamin Kid s growth is evident when Antonio speculates that he is walking side by side with Ida across the bridge (223). Notoriously known for his habit

9 to race others across the bridge, Vitamin Kid shows growth in a different kind of maturity in comparison to Antonio. Other kids such as Florence, Sam, and Cico mature in a religious or atheist aspect, developing their own beliefs. Antonio s friends provide a lifestyle that he can relate to in the mass of all the horrific and life changing events, symbolizing that in heart, Antonio is still a child. Symbols The Golden Carp The golden carp is introduced to Antonio through a story told by Samuel. He proceeds to explain that the golden carp was once a god, one that had sinful people transformed into carp, but also became one to protect these people. Through Cico, he is able to witness the carp, an unnaturally large golden fish that represents a pagan god. After the sighting, Antonio is saddened by what [he learns]. He had seen beauty, but the beauty [burdens him] with responsibility (119). This sadness is introduced because Antonio realizes that he is left with only more questions; he does not know what to believe in. Preceding this encounter, Antonio is influenced heavily by the Catholic religion in his community, but does not receive living proof of God s presence and power. He holds multiple questions about faith, sin, religion and man, but cannot comprehend the complexity of religion. The golden carp symbolizes a separate religion in Antonio s mind, a tangible, simplistic and living substitute of something to seek answers from. He struggles greatly after this experience because he realizes that maturing and losing innocence will require him to make his own decisions and to choose what he decides to confide his faith within. Ultima s Owl Accompanying Ultima s arrival, the owl represents various aspects; Ultima and her connection to nature, her spirit and her guardian all simultaneously. When Ultima is the verge of death, she recites that the owl [is] her spirit, [her] bond to the time of harmony of the universe, further explaining the close relationship she holds with nature and the herbs she uses as a curandera(260). Other than her bond with nature, the owl also serves as Ultima s guardian angel, or the more aggressive and intimidating side to her passive and helpful outward appearance. The creature rips out Tenorio s eye to protect Ultima, preventing him from continuing his pursuit in the moment of uproar with the townsmen. After being shot, Ultima passes away soon thereafter, confirming the realization that the owl is indeed, the living spirit and guardian of the curandera. The Bridge The bridge that Antonio has to cross in order to enter town from where he lives is a symbol for the change that he wishes never to come as he does not want things to change. Every day, when crossing the bridge, Antonio has to race to Vitamin Kid across and as it is, no one has ever been able to beat the Kid. It is not a game to them, it s more of a ritual to remind them that this is

10 what their life is and should always be; fun. However as the novel comes to the end, one of the most shocking changes is that the Vitamin Kid suddenly stops racing people across; he walks now with the girls from his class. Antonio realizes this as for the first time he beat the Kid but there was no sweetness to the victory, instead [he] felt that something good had ended (236). The change that Antonio had once feared to come had came and there was nothing he could do about it. The Owl Ultima s owl symbolizes and represents everything Ultima is as a curandera. The owl, as explained by Tenorio, was the protective spirit of Ultima, the spirit of the night and the moon, the spirit of llano! The owl was her soul! (255). Consequently, Ultima s animalistic connection to the owl is her downfall, as when Tenorio kills the owl, Ultima dies as well. The owl also had the properties Ultima was known for as it had been given to her by her teacher. During times of distress, Antonio could hear the owl singing outside, and [he] heard its whirling wings (100). Like a curandera s healing, the owl s song had a calming effect and could bring serenity and comfort. In this sense, the owl was a bond between Ultima and her teacher as it too understood power of magic to heal. The owl also symbolized protection and strength in the face of evil. Similarly to how Ultima looked when she stood up to the evil Tenorio, the bird retaliated by using its sharp talons [to gouge] out one eye from the face of the evil man (134). Holistically, while owls are normally associated with witches, Antonio sees Ultima s owl as an owl that cares and protects others throughout the novel. The owl acts with the same intentions Ultima does as a curandera and is therefore an extension of her soul, associated with the good nature of the curandera to protect and cure. La Virgen De Guadalupe La Virgen de Guadalupe is described to Antonio as the one that was kind, compassionate and loving under all circumstances. In Antonio s perspective, unlike God, the Virgin always [forgives], thus representing a figure that he is always able to turn to, in times of distress and confusion(44). Although Maria and Gabriel often argue and have discrepancies about their different cultures and visions for Antonio, the Virgin allows the family to be reunited and serves as a figure for all to look up to. In essence, the Virgin represents a connection between cultures and serves as the bond between differences in the Marez family. Even Ultima, not blood related to the Marez, devotes some of her time to respect the Virgin. As a curandera, or one that does not necessarily follow the beliefs of Catholicism, the respect given proves the ability of the Virgin to connect cultures and separate differences.

11 Motif The Bridge Various bridges throughout the novel serve literally as connections between land and culture, but figuratively represent transformation and the changing environment through growth, time and maturity. When Antonio initially meets Vitamin Kid he is challenged to a race across the bridge on the path to school. At the age of six to seven years old, such a simplistic competition is exhilarating and entertaining. Unfortunately, Antonio is never able to surpass the speed and stamina of the Vitamin Kid. Nearing the conclusion of the novel, Antonio finally surpasses Vitamin, but realizes that Vitamin has no interest in running anymore, and is walking with a girl instead. After this sudden victory, Antonio felt no sweetness in victory and that something good had ended (223). This something good that he feels has ended is the innocence that has been lost in those around him and within himself as well. Ultimately, this change in environment and habit strikes Antonio as a realization that things are constantly transforming, whether it s through appearance, belief, or maturity. Rivers/Water: Water Water is most prominently affiliated with cleansing and purity, and makes an appearance in various moments of the story. When Lupito is shot close to the bridge and in the reeds, he [claws] and [crawls] out of the holy water of the river onto the bank in front of [Antonio,] asking for a blessing before his passing(22). He experiences post traumatic delusions after the war when he kills the sheriff, but comes to realization and surrenders to the other men before he is shot unexpectedly. Although he is still shot, he is killed within the holy water of the river, and only shoots to draw their fire. The waters in the novel reflect a frequently used meaning in multiple works of literature; a purifying element of cleansing. Symbolically, it is the water that brings Lupito into realization of his sins and crime. Dreams Dreams are a motif within the novel that are used to represent Antonio s internal conflict with the ideas he is presented with and his journey to understanding and ultimately maturity. When Antonio questions his faith and validity of religion, he has a dream where his brothers are lost and require a savior to guide them to safety. Within his dream, the three brothers cry out you have the power of the church, you are the boy priest!...or choose from the power of the golden carp or the magic of your Ultima. Grant us rest! (235). Emphasizing Antonio s inner struggle with religion, Antonio is forced to choose between the three, the source of his internal conflict. The dream also indicates that Antonio has not yet decided on his path in life, for he is uncertain of whether to carry on his mother s wish and become a priest or follow his father and gain his freedom. Antonio s realization of his self worth, beliefs and place within the world are thoroughly explored within his dreams, but they also serve another purpose. Within Antonio s

12 dream he sees [his] dream fate [that] drew [him] to the coffin. [He] peered in and to [his] horror [he] saw Ultima (140). The foreshadowing of future events is often seen within Antonio s dreams, which highlights the magical realism of the novel. Due to Antonio s connection with Ultima, Antonio has a strong influence with the magic of the curandera. This connection is mostly likely demonstrated during Antonio s dreams, which are a window into his soul and mind. Thus, the influence of Ultima s magic accounts for the instances whereby Antonio sees the future. Antonio s progression within the dreams from being a passive observer to becoming an active participant also denotes his path to maturity and progression towards carrying on the legacy of Ultima. The Number Three One motif within the story is the many reoccurrences of the number three whether in the number of brothers Antonio has or the number of Trementino sisters. Since the story itself already has very strong ties to the Catholic faith it is no surprise that there are hidden examples of the number three throughout. When Antonio returns home after witnessing the murder of Lupito he falls asleep and in his sleep [his] dreams come. In [his] dream [he] saw [his] three brothers (27). This is the first example of three as the brothers return home from war classifying themselves as the heroes or the lights that have won out against the evil. The second example is when the Trementino sisters are introduced as three witches who were three old dirty women who deserved a Christian lashing (91). The balance of three from the light and three from the dark emphasizes more of Anaya s point of balance in the novel. In the Bible the number three is of great importance because it was one of the four numbers spiritually perfect numerals. Archetypes Mentor The relationship that gradually builds upon Ultima s arrival can be described as growth between mentor and mentee. Following Ultima s appearance in the Marez household, Antonio spends much of his time out collect herbs and learning about Ultima s work as a curandera. During times of hardship and pain, Ultima is also the one to soothe Antonio and to reassure him that things are okay. There are multiple instances in which Ultima enacts as the overseeing character to Antonio, calming him after various nightmares that he experiences. During the exorcism of Lucas, Antonio [feels] Ultima s gentle hands covering [him] and no dreams [come], portraying the calm nature that Ultima brings to Antonio(101). Their connection is apparent in the subtle and effortless notions that tell Antonio that things are well. The two are connected the entire the novel, and at the novel s end, Antonio is the one to see her passing. He accomplishes her last request; to burn her herbs and bury her owl.

13 Journey for Identity Antonio s archetypal journey for identity builds empathy through questioning moral beliefs and the meaning of maturity. Anya uses rationale and the exploration of moral dilemmas to construct Antonio s character, having him question The idea that there could be other gods besides the God of heaven (238). Torn between Catholicism and the pagan belief of the Golden Carp, Antonio is forced to question an ideal that has been instilled within him for all of his life. Within this Catholic community, Antonio never sees or questions the belief he and the members of the community follow. However, when Antonio is forced into exploring the reasoning as to how and why his God deals with Justice within the world, the differentiation between right and wrong, sin and forgiveness, Antonio starts to mature and wise up to inner workings of the world. Thus, Anya uses Antonio s archetypal journey for identity as a means to build empathy within the reader as Antonio faces a universal challenge: Growing up. Good versus Evil Ultima and Tenorio s fight represents the classic archetype of the battle between good and evil. On the side of evil their numbers are many as nobody has ever been able to convict them before of practicing the work of the devil. Ultima is the only one on her side to counter the sorcery of the witches partially because the church cannot do anything to help her and also because some people believe that she is a witch as well. However, despite all of their harsh words, Ultima still does whatever she can to save the life of another because her understanding of the world and the forces of nature are far greater than anyone actually realizes. In the end, the final battle between good and evil ends with casualties on both sides as the forces return into balance with each other. According to Ultima with the passing away of Tenorio and myself the meddling will be done with, harmony will be reconstituted. That is good (275). Allusion Garden of Eden Narciso s garden with fruit laden trees and rows and rows of vegetables is an allusion to the Garden of Eden (108). In the biblical story of the Garden of Eden, Eve is tempted by the devil to eat the garden s fruit, despite being forbidden to do so by God. Disobeying God, she takes a bite of a forbidden fruit and condemns herself to sin. The scene within the novel directly alludes to this story as Antonio eats a carrot from Narciso s garden and states although I did not feel good about it, I ate the golden carrot. I had never eaten anything sweeter or juicier in my life (109). This symbolizes that Antonio was gaining forbidden knowledge akin to Eve. Cico s role within the scene parallels the snakes as he is the one who persuades Antonio to take a sample from the Garden and to question his faith to Catholicism by introducing him to the Golden Carp.

14 Jesus Jesus is the son of God; the one who came down from heaven to teach people the ways of the Lord and to die for our sins. In this book Florence, the one person in the entire town who rejects the ways of the church, is an allusion to Jesus. He is unlike the other children as he has seen much pain in his youth that drove him away from the church. His questions remain at why God, if he was real, would bother taking away his entire family just to test a little boy to see if he would follow the faith. He only goes to church and to the classes to be with the other boys as he is all alone at home. From the moment Antonio met him, Florence has been described as an angel. One punishment given to Florence by the priest for being late to class was to stand in the aisle of the church with his arms spread wide like the savior on the cross. He stood very straight and quiet, almost smiling. The afternoon sun poured in through one of the stained glass windows making Florence look like an angel (209). During this moment the priest chose to punish Florence for being late and not Antonio even though they were both late together. Antonio remarks that I felt sorry for him, and I felt bad that he had been punished while I had been excused (209). This is in direct reference to the fact that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the people. And before the end of this novel, Florence dies as well being the third person that Antonio has witnessed die in his youth. Themes Choosing a path in life must come within oneself. When it comes to discovering what is morally right or wrong, Antonio is first confronted between the differing cultures of his family; remaining a Luna or a Marez. This conflict is first seen in the scene of his dreams, when he is able to visualize his own birth. During this scene, there already resides conflict between the Marez and the Luna, the Marez hoping that he will become a vaquero or cowboy, and the Luna wishing that he becomes a farmer or a priest for those of the land. The deciding factor in this conflict becomes even more intricate throughout Antonio s growth, for there are other factors that come into play, such as Ultimas arrival and the way of the curandera, or healer. He recognizes that his morality is found through choice, rather than sullen obedience to the culture around him. At the end of the novel, the reader is left with ambiguity as to what Antonio will truly become, and the theme of moral independence is brought up in Antonio s thoughts in various occasions throughout the story. Innocence and Sin The theme of innocence and sin is touched upon within this novel through Antonio witnessing several occasions of questionable actions and his ponderings of if those guilty can be saved. In two of the murders that he witnesses, the dying plead to Antonio to bless them and say a prayer for them as he is a child and therefore deemed innocent. He has not yet had to make the tough decisions in life that will change his morality so it is this concept that classifies all children as innocent in the eyes of adults. Even Antonio s own mother calls it a sin for a boy to grow and

15 become a man. Antonio wonders throughout the novel many times about what this innocence is as he is too immature to understand it yet. When he is grown, however, he looks back and sees just exactly what innocence he had and when exactly he lost it. Revenge The cycle of revenge is cyclical and non ending. When Ultima claims that she will expel the curse set upon Uncle Lucas, she does so with a warning, when anybody, bruja or curandera, priest or sinner, tampers with the fate of a man that sometimes a chain of events is set into motion over which no one will have ultimate control (85). Maintaining balance within the world, Ultima is forced into cursing the Trementina daughters in order to cure Uncle Lucas. This sets off a cycle of revenge within Tenorio as he swears vengeance upon Ultima. After the death of the first Trementina sister, Tenorio arrives at the Marez household to hunt Ultima down. Failing, Tenorio ends up scarred as Ultima s owl ends up blinding Tenorio in one eye. As a result, Tenorio escalates his revenge by killing Narciso, who attempted to warn Ultima. Finally, Tenorio manages to kill Ultima by killing her spirit, the owl. This ends the cycle of revenge within the novel, which started with Ultima tampering fate, and ending with the death of Ultima. Ultimately, revenge affected not only those indicted, Ultima and Tenorio, but also those that were innocent, including Narciso and Antonio. The cycle of revenge onset by death is broken only by the death of another. Memorable Quotes A priest, I thought, that was her dream. I was to hold mass on Sundays like father Byrnes did in the church in town. I was to hear the confessions of the silent people of the valley, and I was to administer the holy Sacrament to them But then, I whispered, who will hear my confession? (10) I can go out and sin, do bad things, throw fingers, say bad words, look through the peep hole into the girls bathroom, do a million bad things and then when I m about to die I just go to confession and make communion, and I go to heaven? (192) You refuse to see the truth, or to accept me because I do not believe in your lies! I say God has sinned against me because he took my father and mother from me when I most needed them, and he made my sisters whores (213) I made the sign of the cross and said, Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned, and I made my first confession to him (216)

16 There are so many dreams to be fulfilled, but Ultima says a man's destiny must unfold itself like a flower, with only the sun and the earth and water making it blossom, and no one else meddling in it (223) There are many gods, Cico whispered, gods of beauty and magic, gods of the garden, gods in our own backyards but we go off to foreign countries to find new ones, we reach to the stars to find new ones (237) I think most of the things we call evil are not evil at all; it is just that we don t understand those things and so we call them evil. And we fear evil only because we do not understand it (248) And that is what Ultima tried to teach me, that the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart (249) 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) Around me the moonlight glittered on the pebbles of the llano, and in the night sky a million stars sparkled. Across the river I could see the twinkling lights of the town. In a week I would be returning to school, and as always I would be running up the goat path and crossing the bridge to go to church (261) Sometime in the future I would have to build my own dream out of those things that were so much a part of my childhood (261) That shot destroyed the quiet, moonlit peace of the hill, and it shattered my childhood into a thousand fragments that long ago stopped falling and are now dusty relics gathered in distant memories. (273) Distinctive Characteristics of the Work This book is a folktale that deals heavily with things that appear in threes, usually teach a moral lesson, and involves a character going through a difficult task. The moral lesson that is learned within the story pertains to following your own path and choosing your own lifestyle. Antonio is required to make many decisions on his own account when Ultima comes into the story, and it s these decisions that allow the plot to continue forth. There is the motif of threes, or tripartites that appears within folktales as well, and likewise, the book contains the element of threes; the three Trementina sisters, three days before Jesus resurrection in the Catholic religion,

17 three brothers of Antonio, three cultures to choose from, and much more. The difficult task that Antonio struggles to push through is the loss of innocence and maturity that occurs within himself and his environment. This loss of innocence presents another distinctive characteristic of the work, the novel being a Bildungsroman. The story is a Bildungsroman, or a novel dealing with one s formative years or spiritual education. In Antonio s case, he goes through both of the experiences listed. As a young child starting in the first grade, Antonio unexpectedly encounters various deaths that he cannot comprehend initially, but is forced to learn the meaning and cycle of life. Antonio s spiritual journey progresses as well, proven in the conflict that he experiences in choosing what to follow; the golden carp, Catholic belief, or continuing to live in the absence of a god. Lastly, the novel incorporates magical realism all throughout from beginning to end. This style deals with magical, supernatural and illogical elements that appear in writing as a naturalistic narrative. A few characteristics that portray the novel to incorporate this realism involve its authorial reticence and subtle appearance, essentially blending supernatural elements with naturalistic ones. Anaya does not explicitly differentiate the mysticism of a curandera s magic from the usual routine of life on the llano, molding its essence into one with the story. The depictions of nature and magic are also interwoven, giving relevance and credibility to its usage. Anaya wrote the novel to be written with the concept of magical realism to be woven deeply in the story without showing any change in tone when describing supernatural events. His culture is so closely in tune with the forces of good and evil that the best way to describe such events in a novel is to take them as simply another challenge in life to face. Another result of this work is that it gained fame for Anaya as it earned him the title as the Father of Chicano literature. The plot follows the format of a bildungsroman, where the realization of moral complexity defines Antonio s loss of innocence and coming of age. This means that the deaths and events Antonio witnesses shape his personality and mature him prematurely. Pueblo legends about culture characterize and add depth to Antonio s background. For example, the wailing woman of La Llorona accentuates the idea of Antonio being raised with knowledge of the Mexican folklore. Religion is viewed from a multitude of perspectives within the novel. From extremities, where Maria is a devout Catholic to characters like Florence who do not believe in god, the novel portrays religion from a variety of viewpoints. Even pagan beliefs such as the Golden Carp and animism appear in the story, represented by Antonio s connection to the presence of the river.