Bless Me Ultima Character Growth Essays - Ultima, Bless Me, Ultima

Bless Me Ultima Character Growth A Religious Struggle Only a few books dare to discuss the confusion surrounded by a religious awakening. In Bless Me Ultima, Richard A. Anaya, Premio Quinto Sol national Chicano literary award recipient, challenges standard religion and brings in different ideas through the perspective of a young and confused boy. Due to the new ideas that he is introduced to, the events that occurs especially deaths, and his eagerness for knowledge all leads Antonio to question his religious beliefs. At the end of his struggle to understand, the boy reaches the peace of mind he was seeking. 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 her techniques from an old wise man on the llano or prairie. She is sometimes called a bruja or witch. This confuses Antonio because in his heart he knows Ultima represents good and not the evil she is sometimes blamed for. Antonio learns some of the ways of Ultima and begins to understand his surroundings. He knows the name of almost every plant and what medicinal use each has. As the novel continues there is a stronger interpretation of Ultimas powers as she heals Antonios Uncle Lucas. This is the beginning of good versus evil or god versus the devil, Lucas had seen Tenerios daughters performing devil worship in the woods and in return the daughters placed a curse on his hair. When the curse was revoked by Ultima it went into effect against the daughters and as they began to die Tenerio went into an evil rage against the powers of Ultima. Anto nio was then introduced to the Golden Carp and the story of the waters surrounding the town and its influence, which also allows Antonio to question the influence of god within his life, and the new power behind the carp. The next revelation for Antonio is the myth of the golden carp. Antonio learns about the golden carp from Cico, a friend of his. According to Cico, the golden carp was once a god who loved the people of Antonio's town, Guadalupe. The people were not allowed to fish for the brown carp that lived in the river that flowed around the town. These fish were sacred to the gods. However, because of a drought and no food, the people had to eat the carp to survive. This angered the gods. They wanted to punish all the people by death but they relented from killing the people. Instead, they turned the people into carp and made them live forever in the waters of the river- (80). The god who loved the people wished to become a carp like them to protect them from the dangers of the river. The gods agreed and because he was a god they made him very big and colored him the color gold (81). Antonio cannot believe there is a new god and seeks answers from Ultima. Ultima is pleased that he has learned s o much, but says she cannot tell him what to believe for he must decide for himself. The Golden Carp represents all the questions Tony has about religion and morality. Tonys confusion is due to conflicting forces in both these aspects of life. When Cico first introduces the Carp to Tony, he is forced to make a tough decision, Do you believe the Golden Carp is a god? which he skillfully evades until he has the information he wants to make his decision (106). After the emergence of the Carp, Tony begins to question his Catholic upbringing, and he wonders why God punishes people. This is when Tony begins to set his idealism aside and truly looses his spiritual innocence. In the early part of the novel Antonio already starts to begin questioning his relationship with God. The events that occurs throughout the novel especially deaths has a huge impact on the struggles he has with his religious beliefs. In chapter one Antonio takes his first steps toward his loss of innocence, The brown water would be stained with blood, forever and ever and ever. Lupitos death is the first time that he is faced with