Fate In Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima

Most kids do not have to deal with the thought of what they will become until the end of high school, but for Antonio, he has been pressured to determine his fate since they day he was brought into the world. In the classic Chicano novel, Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, young Antonio “Tony” Márez is struggling to discover his fate. Tony must decide between becoming a farmer-priest, which his mother wants, or becoming a vaquero, which his father prefers. Rudolfo Anaya believes that a person will not know their fate until they are ready for it, and that numerous things can influence a person’s fate. Anaya expresses this through series of vivid dreams that Tony experiences as he searches for answers. Anaya does this by showing how only Ultima

Instead of choosing not to grant his brothers rest because he cannot use God’s power, he decides to use the golden carp. It shows that little things are able to persuade Tony into leaning towards the golden carp and the river, and away from God. His belief in God is not as strong as it used to be, and that could influence what he will do in the

In his dream after the death of Lupito, he is met by his three brothers. Tony tells his brothers that they have to be with their father, because he is planning on moving westward. Tony’s brothers say that he is to be a farmer-priest, because he is a Luna, so he cannot go with their father. Tony says that he must bless the river where his father will be moving to, and when he says that, he hears Lupito’s soul crying for help. Then, the novel states, “I swung the dark robe of the priest over my shoulders then lifted my hands in the air. The mist swirled around me and sparks flew when I spoke. It is the presence of the river!” (28). One of the possible fates for Tony is to become a priest, and he is leaning towards God for help in this lifelike situation. Though the presence of the river is guiding him, if he takes the position of a priest, he is choosing God over other things, such as the golden carp. Tony also does this in another dream. In this dream, Tony’s brothers try to convince him to enter Rosie’s house, which is a sinful place. As his brothers try to persuade him to enter, Tony says, “No!... I cannot enter, I cannot think those thoughts. I am to be a priest” (73). Even after his objections, Tony’s brothers still try to get him to enter, saying that he is a Márez and that he will eventually enter, so why not do it now. In this case,