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Loss of Innocence
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In court, it is said that one is “innocent until proven guilty.” However, one’s innocence can be taken away without a trial. In the novel Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, a six year old boy named Antonio Márez is about to begin school when Ultima, an old healer, comes to stay with him and his family. Antonio’s father is a former Vaquero and his mother is very Catholic. When Antonio’s uncle, Lucas, is cursed by the Trementina sisters, he becomes very sick and near to death. Ultima, Lucas’s last hope of survival is able to cure him. However, the sisters’ father, Tenorio, believes that it is Ultima’s magic that is now slowly killing his daughters. Tenorio sets out to kill Ultima which results in multiple tragic deaths. Throughout the story, Antonio learns a great deal about himself, his beliefs, and the people around him. Bless Me, Ultima uses Antonio’s obstacles to illustrate that as one grows older, his or her innocence is destroyed; however, it is replaced with knowledge, understanding, and maturity.
Witnessing the death of Lupito demonstrates that Antonio’s impeccability is tarnished, but he is filled with new knowledge. On a dark night when Antonio secretly follows his father to the bridge, he describes the scene; “He looked up at me and his face was bathed in water and flowing, hot blood … The men were already running to the end of the bridge to come down and claim the man whose dead hands dug into the soft, wet sand in front of me” (Anaya 22). Witnessing a death at such a young age is very hard to take in, and Antonio is traumatized by what he has seen. Antonio realizes that he is no longer exempt from the punishments he could receive for sinning. He tries to understand the world through religion; however he is unsuccess...
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...h a new understanding of the world.
Bless Me, Ultima uses the struggles Antonio must face and the deaths he encounters to show that innocence is destroyed as one grows older, but is replaced with experience that brings maturity and wisdom. The loss of Antonio’s innocence has been shown through the deaths of Lupito, Narciso, Florence, and most importantly, Ultima. As Antonio has matured, he has discovered new understanding and knowledge that will guide him through the rest of his life. Antonio has discovered that he can make his own decisions, and he is no longer a child. Therefore, one must be aware that losing one’s innocence is an important part of life. When one’s innocence is lost, it triggers newfound maturity. It is essential to understand that one doesn’t need a trial to lose their innocence, but with this loss comes responsibility, wisdom, and understanding.
Lupito’s death marks the first scene in the novel in which Tony’s grief is a direct consequence of his knowledge. Tony’s naiveté causes him to take people at their face value, not realizing that they may not be as they seem. Narciso is the town drunk, yet he is the only man on the bridge that maintains his common sense. “’I...
...ce. In the very last dream, he witnesses three deaths that occur in front of him. This shows that he is losing his innocence because the people that die in the dream were not evil but good. This makes Antonio realize that the world is unfair and unjust. In his dream, “the Golden Carp appeared and Cico struck with his spear and the water ran blood red” (176). The Golden Carp dies which signify his loss of innocence, because only the innocent who have not sin can see the Golden Carp.
When Antonio first became homeless, an older man tried to steal one of his belongings, which was a simple hot plate. His first instinct was to attack the man and take back his property. While doing so, Antonio thought, “We have almost nothing, and this man wants to take it from us” (43). In addition, he mentions how, “It felt good to hit this man… For a moment, he felt strong and free; fury was a much better drug than self-pity.” (43). When Antonio discusses about the old man and his crimes, he may be alluding to Longoria and what he did to Antonio’s family. The man who tried to take away part of Antonio’s possessions is referring to Longoria and how he took away Antonio’s family. The act of beating the old man refers Antonio’s eventual act of revenge against Longoria and the satisfaction he experiences afterwards. Both acts demonstrate Antonio’s willingness to sacrifice and harm other in certain scenarios where it is necessary. The significant difference between Longoria and Antonio is the intention behind their actions. Longoria killed hundreds in cold blood for his own selfish desires and beliefs, while Antonio only harmed a total of two people to get revenge and to enforce justice in the only way he could. As mentioned before, Longoria’s actions are evil because he commits them for selfish reasons and without remorse. In contrast, Antonio’s actions are seen as necessary evils. A necessary evil is defined as an act of evil (as perceived by society) that is committed in a certain scenario where it follows a utilitarian approach; an approach in which the action does more good than harm. When Antonio beat up the old man, he was merely protecting his belongings and enforcing the law. More importantly, when Antonio killed Longoria, it was for his wife, his son, and the hundreds of other innocent lives that Longoria had claimed; Antonio did an act of
In Bless Me Ultima, Tony embarks on a rocky journey to discover who he is and what he believes. Tony must make the transition from a naïve six year old boy to a mature man. His experiences continually call his basic beliefs into question, and chip away at his innocence. For example, when he witnesses the brutal death of Lupito, he starts to question many ideas; sin, good and evil, punishment, and his faith. He begins to see the world of man as violent and sometimes ruthless, not the friendly, loving world where he had previously resided. He even becomes concerned about his own father's salvation because of Gabrielle's involvement in Lupito's death and begins to see his father as less than perfect. Death continues to haunt him when Narciso, a good man, is killed defending Ultima, while Tenorio, an apparently evil man, is spared. These outcomes are not what he believes should have occurred and yet again, a piece of his innocence is stripped away as he sees life is not always fair. He is beginning to realize that he must define his own beliefs.
Lupito- A man turned mad by the happenings of the war who kills the sherriff of the town in cold blood. It is his blood that first defiles the river. The memory of his death stays with Tony throughout the novel and causes him to think about the difference between good and evil and forgiveness.
Studies have shown that what children see and hear can have an impact on their lives. If a child is exposed to kindness and compassion, they start to take on those characteristics, yet if a child is exposed to abuse and hatred, they will take on the negative characteristics. In the novel, Lives of the Saints by Nino Ricci, the protagonist Vittorio Innocente's childhood is ripped away from him through his great suffering. Vittorio's innocence is tainted through the negative impact of his experiences with friends and his encounters with violence and death, thus leading him to mature at an earlier age.
In the novel, Bless Me, Ultima, Antonio learns about his relationship with his universe. Through the teachings of Ultima, he learns to see with his heart and to appreciate all the magic that nature beholds. The river of life is never ending like the river that binds the llano to Guadalupe. All that Antonio has experienced is symbolized in the river and the life that surrounds it. Ultimately, it is his teacher and friend, Ultima, which teaches Antonio that life is a cycle and that understanding oneself brings peace and harmony. The river also serves to bind the past, present, and future. Antonio learns that his future is tied to his past and that his destiny will be guided by an understanding of his heritage and “the magical strength that resides in the human heart”.
In the story, the death of Narciso and Lupito cause Antonio to doubt his religion because he cannot understand why God let them happen. Lupito’s death is significant because it is the first death that Antonio witnesses. The murder of Lupito causes Antonio to wonder about religion, sins, and death. After Lupito dies, Antonio says that “a priest could have saved Lupito” (Anaya 23). Antonio questions his religion and the power of a priest because the priest could not save Lupito. Antonio doubts if he is capable of being a priest and he is unsure of his destiny of becoming a one. When Antonio sees Lupito at the river, he believes that he should have been able to save Lupito’s soul, since he might become a priest. Because Antonio could not save Lupito, he feels regret. Antonio shows that he is feeling guilty when he asks himself, “How would I ever wash away the stain of blood?” (23). Antonio’s guilt implies that his future of being a priest might not be suitable for him because he should not feel guilt in something he is destined to do. In addition, Narciso’s death causes Antonio to lose faith in Cath...
Loss of Innocence in Killing a Mockingbird Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather, the streets turned red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. " (Lee 9). This environment, as Scout Finch accurately describes, is not conducive to young children, loud noises, and games. But, the Finch children and Dill must occupy themselves in order to avoid boredom.
...oke about is the consequence of a man gone insane. He truly wanted to kill Fortunato but in a way that wouldn’t leave blood on his hands, so he cemented him into a small corner of the wine cellar. It was an evil act that displayed the ugly face of revenge.
“Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud, It was the first clumsy physical action I had ever seen him make. With unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every trace of my fear forgotten.” (Knowles 59-60). Gene Forrester, one of the main characters in John Knowles' novel A Separate Peace, describes his best friend Phineas' fall from a “tremendous tree, an irate steely black steeple beside a river,”(Knowles 6) at their all boys boarding school, Devon. Gene is an introverted young boy who is very academically gifted. Finny, however, is an extremely extroverted childish young boy who is very athleticaly gifted. Finny's fall eventually leads to terrible things, such as death and guilt. Throughout the novel Knowles uses Phineas' fall from the tree to symbolize his loss of innocence, to show Gene's guilt, and to develop Phinea's death.
Over the course of the novel, Anaya places important people, symbols, and moments that define Antonio’s personal religion and show how the novel represents his spiritual growth. At the beginning of Antonio’s life, Ultima has him “choose” the objects that will define his future and he chooses “the pen and paper” (Anaya 54). Since the old Luna priest was a scholar, this key moment represents the beginning of Antonio’s spiritual journey because it shows his initial position: aspiring priest. Antonio assumes the mindset that his family puts on him and believes that he will “hear the confessions” of the people in his town (Anaya 9). These
Innocence is usually associated with youth and ignorance. The loss of one’s innocence is associated with the evils of the world. However, the term “innocence” can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Similarly, the loss of one’s innocence can be interpreted in more than one way, and, depending on the interpretation, it may happen numerous times. The loss of innocence is culture specific and involves something that society holds sacrosanct. It is also bounded by different religious beliefs. Still, no matter which culture or religion is at hand, there is always more than one way to lose one’s innocence, and every member of that particular culture or religion experiences a loss of innocence at least once in their lives. In addition, the individual’s loss of innocence will impair him or her emotionally and/or physically.
Power is portrayed through Ultima and her religion of healing. Ultima is a wise old woman who knows how to use herbs and tonics to heal those who are brave enough to use her services. Because of her knowledge, most people highly respect Ultima and her powers. Ultima is a gentle woman in her ways, but full of power to do any deed she may find it necessary to accomplish. One example of Ultima’s power of healing is when Antonio’s uncle Lucas becomes deathly ill. Ultima knows where the source of the evil done to Lucas is coming from, and goes directly to confront Tenorio, the responsible man. In the confrontation with Tenorio and his cohorts, Ultima tells Tenorio, “I do not fear your threats Tenorio, you well know, my powers were given to me by el hombre volador.” In this quote from the book, Ultima refers to her power, and uses it to her advantage. Much to her liking, Tenorio is shocked as well as scared of what Ultima might do to his three daughters with her power. Ultima also teaches her religion to Antonio. When gathering plants with Ultima, Antonio learns that the plants each have a spirit. Before pulling them up, Antonio must explain why he is going to use each herb or root so it will understand and not be angry. Through her knowledge of cures, Ultima uses the power she possess to help others.
...rchant he once was when his ships returned from sea laden with goods. However, the only sadness for Antonio is that he has been deprived of the chance to sacrifice himself as a gesture of his true nobility.