Summary Of Bless Me, Ultima By Rudolfo Anaya

Rudolfo Anaya wrote Bless Me, Ultima as his first novel in the 1960s. As said in the introduction, Anaya wrote this story in the first person because he “identifies very closely with Antonio.” Antonio was born in Las Pasturas, in the llano (plains) of New Mexico during World War II as Anaya was. Shortly after their births, they moved to larger towns where they were raised. Like Antonio’s parents, Anaya’s mom was the daughter of a farmer and his father was a vaquero (cowboy). Antonio is shown transitioning from a naive to a mature boy at a young age. He experiences unusual dreams, and struggles to understand things, but is guided by Ultima, a curandera (healer) who is usually claimed to be a bruja (witch). He finds his way through conflicts

He is intrigued by the story but doesn’t know how to reconcile this thought with his Catholic beliefs. Again his faith is tested when his uncle grows very ill by the evil powers of the Termientina sisters and the priest is unable to heal him, though Ultima can with his help. Antonio witnesses a quarrel between Narciso, the town drunk, and Tenorio, the father of the three sisters who have cursed his uncle. Tenorio was out to kill Ultima as revenge for cursing one of his daughters and leaving her to die. Narciso was trying to stop him but was sadly shot by him. Once again, Antonio rethinks his Catholic beliefs after he takes his first Communion but doesn’t feel any different as he did before. He begins to question why there is evil in the world and how forgiveness is possible in a world filled with sin. Tenorio grows more hatred to Ultima when his second daughter falls ill. Antonio witnesses one of his friends, Florence’s death as he drowns in the river. He is sent to stay with the Lunas side of the family to recover from trauma. He has a great summer farming like his mother dreamed of him to do if he doesn’t becomes a priest. On his journey there with his father, they discuss his his destiny and how Gabriel will respect whatever he chooses to be. Gabriel promises to end the long dispute between the Márezes and the

Even though he is only six then seven years old, he already shows that he is an eager and curious boy seeking to understand the purpose of life. He begins to question everything from his purpose in the world, to the meaning of God. He is much more serious and mature compared to the other children at his school, even the older ones in second and third grade. At times, Antonio gets many important dreams considering the past or a message that is trying to get across to him. He is caught in between his mother’s and his father’s dreams. His mother wants him to follow her family’s footstep and be a farmer or a priest. On the other hand, his father wants him to be a vaquero as he and his family was. This feud between the two families considering his destiny has been going on since his