Bless me Ultima
by Rudolfo Anaya:
Summary:
In the book, Bless me Ultima, Antonio Marez is a young boy who grows up with
an older woman, Ultima, in the town of Guadalupe, New Mexico. Ultima was brought
into the family because of her hearing powers and basically witchcraft. On the
other hand of the witchcraft the family is based on Catholicism, especially the
mother. The father, Gabriel, is a vaquero, or a cowboy; he wondered the llano in
the plains of New Mexico. Antonio spends a life of innocence until he witnesses
the death of Lupito, a soldier from World War II. He then begins thinking about
death, sin, and hell in which the next day he goes with Ultima to church; she
helps explain the moral choices of a human. In the fall Antonio begins school
and the father is overjoyed because his brothers are coming back from the war;
the father then wants the family to move to California. The brothers however are
affected by the war and go independently their separate ways. Antonio visits the
garden of the town drunk, Narciso, and then goes with his friend Cico to see the
golden carp. The golden carp was told to be a river god who watches over
mankind. Tenorio, father of the wicked sisters, and Narciso begin to have
conflict. This affected Antonio because Tenorio shot Narciso right in the head
in front of him. After his communion that he has prepared a good while for he
still seems to be the same and not to long after his friend Florence dies. After
coming back from the field Tenorio tries to kill Antonio but hits Ultima’s owl
instead; apparently the owl is her spiritual guardian and so Ultima dies.
Character Analysis:
Antonio Marez is a young boy, almost the age of seven. Antonio would be the
protagonist in this novel because he really is the main character. From the book
it seems that Antonio could be a hard worker. He studies enough with Ultima and
also helps his uncle out at the farmlands. You would say this character has
plenty to do especially for a young boy and you would also say he has plenty of
thoughts in his mind. He studies at school and is predicted to be a person of
learning. I would say that his young life is also traumatized by seeing the
deaths of Lupito and Narciso. He begins to think of sin, death, and hell as his
communion is about to come up. As Antonio begins to grow older he also becomes
more mature and responsible for his individuality. Ultima is able to help him
throughout his life until she dies.
Ultima is an older woman who lives with the family during the time of
Antonio’s young life. Ultima acts as Antonio’s mentor and also apparent
spiritual being. Antonio is to learn from Ultima the ways of life. Ultima is
really into both the traditions of Catholicism and indigenous. Her mystical
powers though are not really recognized by the Catholic Church but she still
respects the church. She actually appreciates different religions. In this
Antonio gives great respect towards Ultima and that is what she trained him to
do, respect others and be an obedient child. Ultima really pulls Antonio to make
out his own decisions in life. Towards the end of the novel Ultima’s owl gets
shot and is dead. Since that was Ultimas spiritual being she then begins to die.
On her last request Ultima then passes on her spiritually being to Antonio in
which it would guide him throughout his life.
Setting:
Throughout the novel Antonio, Ultima, and his family live in the city of
Guadalupe, New Mexico. New Mexico is the main state that is described in the
novel. Once owned by Mexico in the past, The Mexican War of 1855 gave plenty of
territories in the southwest including New Mexico to the United States of
America. Although now owned by the United States there are still traces of
Mexican culture throughout all the parts of New Mexico. Other than the Mexicans
that lived in New Mexico there was also another culture, this culture is the
Indian tribe known as the Comanche’s. I believe that this is an important part
of the novel in which we describe Ultima as both an indigenous and catholic
person. This would combine the traditions of a Mexican and a Comanche. New
Mexico at the time had different people living in the area; from the vaqueros of
the llano to the priests and farmers of the land in New Mexico. Near Guadalupe
were two villages that really impacted the characters in the novel: these
villages were Las Pasturas, New Mexico and El Puerto de los Lunas, New Mexico.
In Las Pasturas, New Mexico, this land was mainly run by the vaqueros and
llaneros; we know these people as cowboys. In this land the cowboys will run
their livestock around. In the other part of New Mexico, El Puerto de los Lunas
was a village that was run by the Lunas, Antonio’s Uncle, in which had a great
farmland. The time period used in the novel was during and after World War II
during the 1940s.
Conflicts:
I would say the conflict is mainly man v society, his family and friends
really tell him what they want him to be but he really wants to choose the other
lifestyle.
Themes:
Loss of Innocence- Throughout the story it is shown that loss of innocence
is a theme to show how Antonio actually lost his innocence. His innocence was
lost when he witnessed two deaths of people close to him; Lupito and Narciso.
Good vs. Evil- Another theme in this story is the never ending battle of good
vs. evil. Between Ultima and Tenorio you can really see the evil in Tenorio
between the goodness in Ultima.
Family Expectations- The family of Antonio is different from other families.
In the novel it tells of his brothers coming back from the war and being
completely different people. They also expect him to be just like them or like
their father.
Symbols:
The Golden Carp- the golden carp is used to describe a river god that
protects the village. The carp is a type of comfort towards Antonio.
Ultima’s Owl- the owl represents Ultima’s spirit. It is also a guardian for
both Antonio and Ultima.
The Virgin of Guadalupe- this is a statue that is used in some Mexican houses
across the country. It really represents forgiveness.
Citations:
"Bless Me, Ultima Themes." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web.
01 Apr. 2013. <
http://www.gradesaver.com/bless-me-ultima/study-guide/major-themes/>.
"Bless Me, Ultima." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/ultima/characters.html>.
"Bless Me, Ultima." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/ultima/canalysis.html>.
"Bless Me, Ultima: SETTING / CHARACTER LIST / CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS by
Rudolfo Anaya." Bless Me, Ultima: SETTING / CHARACTER LIST / CHARACTER
DESCRIPTIONS by Rudolfo Anaya. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Bless_Me_Ultima_Anaya/Bless_Me_Ultima_Study_Guide02.html
"Bless Me, Ultima Official Trailer (2013) - Benito Martinez Movie HD."
YouTube. YouTube, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yg9kkqCul0>.
by Rudolfo Anaya:
Summary:
In the book, Bless me Ultima, Antonio Marez is a young boy who grows up with
an older woman, Ultima, in the town of Guadalupe, New Mexico. Ultima was brought
into the family because of her hearing powers and basically witchcraft. On the
other hand of the witchcraft the family is based on Catholicism, especially the
mother. The father, Gabriel, is a vaquero, or a cowboy; he wondered the llano in
the plains of New Mexico. Antonio spends a life of innocence until he witnesses
the death of Lupito, a soldier from World War II. He then begins thinking about
death, sin, and hell in which the next day he goes with Ultima to church; she
helps explain the moral choices of a human. In the fall Antonio begins school
and the father is overjoyed because his brothers are coming back from the war;
the father then wants the family to move to California. The brothers however are
affected by the war and go independently their separate ways. Antonio visits the
garden of the town drunk, Narciso, and then goes with his friend Cico to see the
golden carp. The golden carp was told to be a river god who watches over
mankind. Tenorio, father of the wicked sisters, and Narciso begin to have
conflict. This affected Antonio because Tenorio shot Narciso right in the head
in front of him. After his communion that he has prepared a good while for he
still seems to be the same and not to long after his friend Florence dies. After
coming back from the field Tenorio tries to kill Antonio but hits Ultima’s owl
instead; apparently the owl is her spiritual guardian and so Ultima dies.
Character Analysis:
Antonio Marez is a young boy, almost the age of seven. Antonio would be the
protagonist in this novel because he really is the main character. From the book
it seems that Antonio could be a hard worker. He studies enough with Ultima and
also helps his uncle out at the farmlands. You would say this character has
plenty to do especially for a young boy and you would also say he has plenty of
thoughts in his mind. He studies at school and is predicted to be a person of
learning. I would say that his young life is also traumatized by seeing the
deaths of Lupito and Narciso. He begins to think of sin, death, and hell as his
communion is about to come up. As Antonio begins to grow older he also becomes
more mature and responsible for his individuality. Ultima is able to help him
throughout his life until she dies.
Ultima is an older woman who lives with the family during the time of
Antonio’s young life. Ultima acts as Antonio’s mentor and also apparent
spiritual being. Antonio is to learn from Ultima the ways of life. Ultima is
really into both the traditions of Catholicism and indigenous. Her mystical
powers though are not really recognized by the Catholic Church but she still
respects the church. She actually appreciates different religions. In this
Antonio gives great respect towards Ultima and that is what she trained him to
do, respect others and be an obedient child. Ultima really pulls Antonio to make
out his own decisions in life. Towards the end of the novel Ultima’s owl gets
shot and is dead. Since that was Ultimas spiritual being she then begins to die.
On her last request Ultima then passes on her spiritually being to Antonio in
which it would guide him throughout his life.
Setting:
Throughout the novel Antonio, Ultima, and his family live in the city of
Guadalupe, New Mexico. New Mexico is the main state that is described in the
novel. Once owned by Mexico in the past, The Mexican War of 1855 gave plenty of
territories in the southwest including New Mexico to the United States of
America. Although now owned by the United States there are still traces of
Mexican culture throughout all the parts of New Mexico. Other than the Mexicans
that lived in New Mexico there was also another culture, this culture is the
Indian tribe known as the Comanche’s. I believe that this is an important part
of the novel in which we describe Ultima as both an indigenous and catholic
person. This would combine the traditions of a Mexican and a Comanche. New
Mexico at the time had different people living in the area; from the vaqueros of
the llano to the priests and farmers of the land in New Mexico. Near Guadalupe
were two villages that really impacted the characters in the novel: these
villages were Las Pasturas, New Mexico and El Puerto de los Lunas, New Mexico.
In Las Pasturas, New Mexico, this land was mainly run by the vaqueros and
llaneros; we know these people as cowboys. In this land the cowboys will run
their livestock around. In the other part of New Mexico, El Puerto de los Lunas
was a village that was run by the Lunas, Antonio’s Uncle, in which had a great
farmland. The time period used in the novel was during and after World War II
during the 1940s.
Conflicts:
I would say the conflict is mainly man v society, his family and friends
really tell him what they want him to be but he really wants to choose the other
lifestyle.
Themes:
Loss of Innocence- Throughout the story it is shown that loss of innocence
is a theme to show how Antonio actually lost his innocence. His innocence was
lost when he witnessed two deaths of people close to him; Lupito and Narciso.
Good vs. Evil- Another theme in this story is the never ending battle of good
vs. evil. Between Ultima and Tenorio you can really see the evil in Tenorio
between the goodness in Ultima.
Family Expectations- The family of Antonio is different from other families.
In the novel it tells of his brothers coming back from the war and being
completely different people. They also expect him to be just like them or like
their father.
Symbols:
The Golden Carp- the golden carp is used to describe a river god that
protects the village. The carp is a type of comfort towards Antonio.
Ultima’s Owl- the owl represents Ultima’s spirit. It is also a guardian for
both Antonio and Ultima.
The Virgin of Guadalupe- this is a statue that is used in some Mexican houses
across the country. It really represents forgiveness.
Citations:
"Bless Me, Ultima Themes." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web.
01 Apr. 2013. <
http://www.gradesaver.com/bless-me-ultima/study-guide/major-themes/>.
"Bless Me, Ultima." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/ultima/characters.html>.
"Bless Me, Ultima." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/ultima/canalysis.html>.
"Bless Me, Ultima: SETTING / CHARACTER LIST / CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS by
Rudolfo Anaya." Bless Me, Ultima: SETTING / CHARACTER LIST / CHARACTER
DESCRIPTIONS by Rudolfo Anaya. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Bless_Me_Ultima_Anaya/Bless_Me_Ultima_Study_Guide02.html
"Bless Me, Ultima Official Trailer (2013) - Benito Martinez Movie HD."
YouTube. YouTube, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.
<
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yg9kkqCul0>.