Literature Analysis: Bless Me, Ultima

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

1. The respected old healer Ultima comes to stay with Antonio Marez's family in Guadalupe, New Mexico. Antonio's dad wants him to become a vaquero while his mother wants him to become a priest. Ultima teaches Antonio about herbs and plants. One night Antonio witnesses a man who just returned from war get shot and killed; it makes him question sin, death, and hell. After helping his uncles with harvest, Antonio starts school. Ultima tells his mother that he is going to be a man of learning. His brothers return from war and they're mentally messed up. Antonio has a lot of moral questions. Antonio's friend tells him about the golden carp that is a river god who looks out for mankind. His uncle is cursed by the Trementina sisters and the priest is unable to cure him, but Ultima is able to banish the curse. He realizes there isn't a way to explain Ultima's powers in the Catholic church. There's a rumor that if people cannot stop sinning, then the carp will flood the land and rid it of humanity's evil; it makes Antonio wish there was a god of forgiveness. He overhears a conversation between Narsico and the dad of the Trementina sisters saying that he blamed Ultima for the death of one of his daughters so he was going to kill her. Narsico tries to stop him but ends up getting killed. Antonio is sick with frightening dreams. He doesn't feel any different after communion. Ultima continues to teach Antonio moral lessons. Ultima drives away ghosts for the Trementina sisters' dad; another one of his daughters falls ill and he blames Ultima. Antonio's friend drowns so he goes to stay with his uncles. The Trementina sisters' dad goes after Antonio but he gets away. He shoots Ultima's owl, and when it dies, Ultima is doomed to die because the owl is her spiritual guardian. Antonio sits with her while she passes.

2. The main theme of Bless Me, Ultima is the importance of moral independence. Throughout the book, Antonio is struggling to find his moral independence. When he does, it marks the moment of maturity and him becoming his own person. He goes through highs and lows but is able to make his own decisions. Ultima is a guide to Antonio throughout this discovery.

3. The author's tone is serious and simple, yet philosophical. 

"Was Ultima at my birth?" "Why did God make you?" "You are growing, and growth is change. Accept the change, make it apart of your strength."

4. Point of view (narrator): The book is written from Antonio's point of view as an adult looking back on his childhood.

Symbolism: the golden carp, Ultima's owl

Foreshadowing: Antonio's frightful dreams

Simile: "...and now the people are scattered, driven like tumbleweeds by the winds of war."
Allusion: "The sky sparkled with a million stars and the Virgin's horned moon, the moon of my mother's people, the moon of the Lunas. My mother would be praying for the soul of Lupito."
Personification: "...that the powers of mother nature will turn upon him and destroy him."
Metaphor: "The sun was good. The men of the llano were men of the sun. The men of the farms along the river were men of the moon. But we were all children of the white sun."
Pathos: "Why must I be witness to so much violence? I cried in fear and protest. The germ of creation lies in violence, a voice answered."
Alliteration: "Mephistopheles! Machiavelli!"
Motif: "Take the llano and the river valley, and the moon and the sea, God and the golden carp-and make something new."
Characterization
1. Direct characterization- "Good is always stronger than evil. The smartest bit of good can stand against all powers of evil in the world."
"He will be a man of learning."
Indirect characterization- "I think most of the things we call evil are not evil at all; it is just that we don't understand those things, so we call them evil."
"Take them to their room," I said to my mother. it was the first time I had ever spoken to my mother as a man. She nodded and obeyed.
The author uses both approaches because some things the author wants the reader to specifically know while other things he wants the reader to figure out on their own and form their own opinion.
2. The authors syntax/diction changes depending on the character, especially when talking about Antonio's father, Gabriel. Sometimes the author will say things in Spanish rather than English like llano or vaquero.
3. Antonio is dynamic and round. The book started off with Antonio as a young boy with little knowledge about independence. After witnessing a murder and losing his innocence, he became a man.
4. After reading this book I felt like I had read about a character. I could see him being a real person in a different location or time, but I didn't get to know him enough to where I could relate or felt a connection.