Bless Me Ultima Rudulfo Anaya

In the novel bless me Ultima Rudulfo Anaya tells the story of a boy named Antonio who goes through more than any one of us have gone through during our child hood, and it tears him apart. Anaya basically explains a young boy’s childhood as he grows up through the eyes of Antonio and his struggle to figure out who he really is and he shows it through his parents, his religion, and he also uses Antonio’s character himself Anaya uses symbolism to portray how his mother and father kind of shape his identity, or what he is. For example Antonio dreams of his parents who are on opposing sides arguing over who he is.”Oh tell me which is the water that runs through the veins, I moaned “(120). This quote shows how badly he wants to know who he really is Marez, or Luna. “Oh please tell me which the water that washes my burning eyes” (120). Antonio’s parents both being different, his mother being a Luna, and his father being a

Marez. It really leads him to want to know who he is and very desperately. Antonio always thought of himself more for his mother’s side hence how he wanted to please everybody, and everybody wanted him to be a priest for his mother and how she wanted him to be like a Luna.” Yes, my Antonio, she smiled we who were baptized in the water of the moon which was made holy by our Mother of the Church are saved” (120). In the beginning he sees his own identity as being a Luna. The dispute between his parents about his baptism makes him question things about himself and also his religion as well.
Another way Anaya uses symbolism to show the struggle of Antonio looking for himself is through Antonio’s faith. An example would be when he is taken to see the golden carp, and is torn between Catholicism and Paganism.” You have to choose between the god of the Church or the beauty that is here and now” (41-43). This gets him questioning who he really wants to be a Catholic, or Pagan. Also actually seeing this pagan god makes him question his own Catholic beliefs and shakes that foundation. In a dream that Antonio had the magic Carp appears and saves the day instead of God like he expected to.” And his golden body burned with such beautiful brilliance… A new sun to shine its good light upon a new earth” (176). This of course makes Antonio doubt his religion trying to figure out if his catholic belief defines him in a good way, or at all. Cico may have introduced a new god to Antonio, but Antonio himself is his own obstacle in his search for his own identity.
Antonio’s own personality sort of blocks him from figuring out his true self.

He is often unsure and very confused and often needs the help of others such as Ultima, or the other family members to clear everything up for him so that he may get closer to understanding life. Antonio’s father although he may not be such a guy to talk he does give insightful advice.”Understanding comes with life” (248). His father tell him that as he gets older he will not longer struggle in finding himself and that it will get more and more easier . Antonio also questions things and never finds answers, and even when he does get answers they never really help him figure out whom he really is just what others want him to be.” The answers he get are only a part of the whole according to Ultima.” You have only been seeing parts… into the great circle that binds us all”(121). Antonio’s undeceive, unsure, characteristics cause him to get in the way of himself and not looking beyond what is already shown to him. His own personality however can lead him to great

things.
In the end it all comes down to Antonio and him finally being at peace and happy where he feels as if he has truly discovered himself. Tired of hearing what others had to tell him he took his own life into his own hands. He went through a lot as a kid, experienced so much for just a child growing up. All of those events however helped him find himself in the end when he took a step closer to manhood. In the real world finding yourself can only be done by you with some help of external influences, but you will know when you realize who you are.