Bless Me, Ultima: Themes of Cultural Identity, Family Bonds and Justice
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya is a novel that explores themes of cultural identity, family bonds, and justice. This overview examines how the protagonist, Antonio, navigates his Mexican-American heritage and the expectations of his family and community. It discusses the influence of Ultima, a curandera, on Antonio’s understanding of the world and his place in it. The piece also explores the novel’s portrayal of the conflict between traditional beliefs and modernity, and how this shapes Antonio’s journey towards self-discovery and moral understanding. On PapersOwl, there’s also a selection of free essay templates associated with Fiction.
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Contents
Bless Me Ultima: Introducing the Marez Family
In the novel Bless Me Ultima, the author Rudolfo Anaya introduces the main characters. Gabriel Marez is the father of Antonio and his siblings Theresa, Deborah, Andrew, Leon, and Eugene. Antonio's brothers went off to war, and their father has been unstable ever since. Maria Marez, the mother of the family, forced her husband out of the town of Llano to Guadalupe, where their children had a chance to education. Maria wants her son Antonio to become a priest, but he has been getting visions from when he was little and hasn't told her yet.
Jason, Antonio's best friend, has a dad named Chavez, who came over to their house and told them that his brother was murdered by a man named Lupita. Chavez wanted Lupito dead.
Themes and Symbolism in Anaya's Exposition
The novel begins by explaining the mother's and father's ways of life, which will lead to how Antonio grows up. I think the exposition of the book will help bring light to Antonio's life story. After researching the family name, the name Marez reminds me of the ocean because mar means ocean in Spanish. The ocean waves move up and down in a repeating pattern. This reminds me of how the Marez family went through hard times at the beginning of the book. I believe that the visions Antonio is receiving will give him a clue about what his future might be. I predict that Ultima, the lady who helped deliver the Marez family's children, will be the one who tells Antonio what the future holds for him based on the vision he has.
The Role of Justice and Vengeance in the Plot
Lupito was chased down and shot dead because he killed Chavez's brother. I believe Lupito did not deserve to be killed. Instead, his punishment should have been jail time.
Relating Bless Me Ultima to Personal Memories
The quote is significant to me because it helped me realize that the world is an amazing place that is filled with peace, life, and opportunities. It reminds me of how my family and I used to take a vacation to Murphys in the summertime. My family and I would take a trip down to the river, and my siblings, cousins, and I would play in the water while our parents stayed dry, talking to each other. It also reminds me of the time when I went to horse camp, and we took a trail ride up into the mountains. This vacation experience is peaceful and is our family's happy time during the summer days and nights, just like Ultima described to Antonio.
Bless Me, Ultima: Themes of Cultural Identity, Family Bonds and Justice. (2023, Aug 09). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/bless-me-ultima-themes-of-cultural-identity-family-bonds-and-justice/
