Chapter three of Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo begins with Antonio realizing that his innocence is fleeting, especially after having experienced the death of a man the night before. It’s Sunday which means the family will attend mass, but before heading out Antonio’s parents have a brief dispute about their son growing up. Antonio’s mother believes that it’s a sin “for a boy to grow into a man” because they will lose the pureness that was bestowed onto them from birth. Yet, Antonio’s father and Ultima disagree with that notion. That Sunday Antonio knew that town would be mourning the two deaths of Chavez’s brother and Lupito, along with the other sons and husbands that were directly caused by the war. On the way to church Antonio, who has been