Bless Me, Ultima
1. The novel starts off with Ultima arriving and the novel breaks down the characters of Antonio's Mexican American family (the main character) as a seven year old boy, Gabriel (Antonio's father), Antonios siblings, and his mother Maria. Antonio grows up between the wants and aspirations of his parents, his mother a dedicated catholic wants her son to grow up a religious man and his father wants him to grow up as a man of the land, a vaquero. Ultima teaches Antonio life lessons and about her profession as a spiritual healer, this experience gives Antonio an idol and she represents his future because she was his child care taker and says Antonio will have a future of learning. Antonio spends most of his life looking for spiritual influence after Lupito was shot and killed in the novel in different areas such as fish and the Virgin Mary. Since his brothers are in WW2 it puts a lot of anxiety on Antinio. Later in the novel conflict arises between Tenorio and Ultima because he says she is a witch that killed his daughter. After both his daughters die he shoots Ulyimas owl which is connected to Ultima which then makes her pass away. The novel gives the authors purpose of religious freedom and justice throughout the novel through the ideas of herbal healing, religious beliefs, and physical altrications.
2. The theme of the novel is spiritual freedom and cultural identity.
3. The authors tone matches the feelings of the main character Antonio because he is the narrator, therefore the tone is more simple and serious at the beginning and at the end it's still serious but also joyful.
- "life is filled with sadness when a boy grows to be a man. But as you grow into manhood you must not despair of of life, but gather strength to sustain you can you understand that." Page 259
- " I had cleansed myself completely and prepare to take God into my body. Since the confession I had talked only to Ultima and my mother. I had kept myself pure." Page 231
- " A dust trail followed the truck down the dusty street. It was deathly quiet in El Puerto. Not even the dogs barked at the truck." Page 95
4. Ten Literary Elements:
1. Metaphor- " Then the owl cried; it sang to the millions of stars that dotted the dark-blue sky, the Virgin's gown." Page 53
2. Irony- " I have come to spend the last days of my life here, Antonio," Ultima said to me. " You will never die, Ultima." I answered. Page 13
3. Symbolism- "I have killed the owl with a bullet molded by the Prince of death!" Page 273
4. Simile- " Her face was old and wrinkled, but her eyes were clear and sparkling, like eyes of a young child." Page 12
5. Allusion- " He casts them in the burning pit of hell where they burn for eternity." Page 143
6. Repetition- " "There is power here, power that can fill a man with satisfaction," my father said." Page 242
7. Imagery- " She took my hand, and the silent, magic powers she possessed made beauty from the raw, sun-baked llano, the green river valley, and blue bowl which was the white sun's home." Page 1
8. Antithesis- "There was a great deal of excitement when we arrived at El Puerto. Of course everyone in the village knew what had happened to Tenorio, and all were waiting for him to return to bury his daughter." Page 144
9. Colloquialism- "¡Cuidado! ¡Saludos a papá, y a todos! ¡Adiós!" Page 94
10. Personification- "I recognized the village of Las Pasturas and my heart grew happy." Page 5
CHARACTERIZATION
1. The author uses indirect and direct characterization in the novel Bless Me, Ultima through the thoughts and actions of the characters. You can see Antonio as niaeve through his questions "where does the golden carp go? Page 121 and "it will protect you from all evil" 129 as indirect characterization sand direct characterizations "...careful hands of the curandera." Page 2 and " His eyes open wide in their dark pits, and his thin, skeletal arms flailed the air before him." Page 107
My lasting impression is that I know who these people are and what they are capable of as characters through the authors syntax and diction.
2. The authors syntax of the characters is related to how the narrator perceived them. For example it is more simple at the beginning of the novel because the narrator is younger and as the novel progresses the syntax and diction at the end is more educated and complicated in thought. Also when Ultima speaks the diction is simple but wise. Therefore the author mostly depends on the character.
- "You know the rules that guide the interference with any man's destiny."
-Ultima Page 241
- "You will never die, Ultima" - Antonio Page 13
3. Is the protagonist is dynamic and round because he learns and evolves with what has happened to him. At the start of the novel he is nievee and young but as the novel progresses he finds his cultural identity and symbolic value in life.
4.After reading the book I felt I met Antonio and Ultima and u would have liked to meet them because I felt I was on the journey with them. I was nervous when Tenorio was going after Ultima and I wanted Ultima to live even though she was connected to the owl. They seemed like normal and genuine people with values similar to my own and I feel that's what drew me into their story.
-" I ran with new resolution. I ran to save Ultima and I ran to preserve those moments when beauty mingled with sadness and flowed through my soul like the stream of time." Page 272
