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Analysis Of Bless Me Ultima By Rudolfo Anaya

1768 Words8 Pages

Nicolle Davila
Professor Patricia Perea
Woman Studies 332
2 December 2014

Bless Me, Ultima
Bless Me, Ultima, is a coming-of-age story about a young boy name Antonio and his life in rural New Mexico during WWII. The story revolves around young Antonio and his relationship with Ultima, an elder medicine woman (curandera). Written by Rudolfo Anaya, a Mexican-American author from New Mexico, the story is a prime example of life within the Chicano culture of New Mexico and the important roles woman play in the culture.
About the Author

Rudolfo Anaya is a Mexican-American writer and educator who was born on October 30, 1937, in Pastura, New Mexico. Anaya taught high school and college courses while writing novels with groundbreaking Chicano themes. …show more content…

Presently, Chicano Catholics still celebrate days of obligations and observance, saint worship, and partake in rituals of baptism, marriage, and death as a matter of habit based on Catholic religion. Children are still sent to catechism to learn the ways of the Catholic Church and to prepare for first Holy Communion. Catechism is defined as a summary of instructions through a series of questions and answers, prepared in book form, containing instruction on the religious doctrine of the Catholic Church. The intent of these instructions is that they be used in a class environment or other means of formal instruction. The official teaching of the Catholic beliefs includes creeds, sacraments, commandments, and prayers ("What is the Catholic catechism?").
Another aspect in Bless Me, Ultima relating to modern day Chicano culture is the struggles of keeping the old traditions alive. Many young Chicano s have become modernized and are relating more to the American lifestyles. Their native language of Spanish has diminished over the years with the younger generation and Chicano pride, traditions, and their culture is slowly fading away. One thing stays constant though, the woman’s role in of keeping the family

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In Bless me Ultima, Antonio struggles to choose what path in life he wants to take. Antonio’s parents come from very different families and both think Antonio should follow the lifestyle of their family’s side. Antonio’s mother wants her son to follow in the footsteps of the Lunas and become a servant of God, a priest. On the other hand, his father dreams of him and his son venturing to California and starting a new life full of adventure. His parents’ constant disagreement about Antonio’s destiny causes an internal conflict that wreaks havoc on him throughout the book.

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