Bless Me Ultima is a chicano critically acclaimed novel. Written by the american author Rudolfo Anaya who is considered to be a founder of the canon of contemporary Chicano written works. This coming of age novel explains the life of 6 year old, Antonio Marez. It takes place in a paltry town in eastern New Mexico. The family takes in an elderly woman named Ultima so she doesn’t live her last days all on her own. Although many believe Ultima was a doer of things evil, it’s important to see the good in the way she teaches Antonio to go through life, protecting others in the form of the owl, and through her work as a curandera.
To begin with, seen very early in this novel is the relationship formed between Antonio and Ultima. This bond plays …show more content…
Even though it is not directly said Ultima is the owl it is perceptible that the owl symbolizes Ultima’s soul. The owl is seen multiple times throughout the book soothing, protecting, or keeping watch over other characters in the novel. It has that sense of a positive connotation. Antonio explains how the owl alleviates his fears when he says “I realized that the owl had been with me throughout the night...Suddenly the terrible fear that had possessed me was gone,”(Anaya 23) and also when he mentions “ But not Ultima’s owl. Its soft hooting was like a song, and as it grew rhythmic it calmed the moonlit hills and lulled us to sleep. Its song seemed to say that it had come to watch over us,”(Anaya 13). He also explains “Her sharp claws found flesh because the evil laughter of the coyotes changed to cries of pain,’’(Anaya 99) and “But the owl sought only one man, and it found him. It hurled itself on Tenario, and the sharp talons gouged out one eye from the face of the evil man,”(Anaya 134). On her deathbed Ultima continues her good ways using the owl by telling Antonio “ “Love life, and if despair enters your heart, look for me in the evenings when the wind I and the owls sing in the hills. I shall be with you-,” ’’(Anaya 261). Assuredly it’s distinct that Ultima is everything but evil. Even in another form she will protect those good from those evil no matter what she has to do. Her …show more content…
At times what Ultima does to heal and lift curses is misinterpreted for being those two things. Ultima is even considered a witch at times. At one point multiple of the town's men went to the house of Antonio to retrieve Ultima because they believed her curse was responsible for killing Tenorio's daughter. Even children like Antonio’s sisters and fellow classmates have their suspicions about her. This point of view makes sense because evil is known as “profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force,” (“Evil.” Dictionary.com, Dictionarycom, 20 Nov. 2017) and Ultima at times seems to use magical ways of healing. The times she does use chants or special doings they are for the good of others. For example when she helped the family of Tellez who believe they are haunted by evil Ultima says “ “all evil can be stopped’’,”(Anaya 227). She uses her odd ways to lift the curse which was to “ “Place the bundles on the platform and set fire to it”,”(Anaya 232) and before that she says “ “Have Antonio cut them, he understands the power in the tree-” ”,(Anaya 231). This work of supernatural force can be confused to be to evil or witchcraft. However after her work on the Tellez’s land in the end she did a favorable act. Not a heinous act like many witches are known to do. Therefore, you can see her saying that all evil can be stopped she isn’t
To begin with, seen very early in this novel is the relationship formed between Antonio and Ultima. This bond plays …show more content…
Even though it is not directly said Ultima is the owl it is perceptible that the owl symbolizes Ultima’s soul. The owl is seen multiple times throughout the book soothing, protecting, or keeping watch over other characters in the novel. It has that sense of a positive connotation. Antonio explains how the owl alleviates his fears when he says “I realized that the owl had been with me throughout the night...Suddenly the terrible fear that had possessed me was gone,”(Anaya 23) and also when he mentions “ But not Ultima’s owl. Its soft hooting was like a song, and as it grew rhythmic it calmed the moonlit hills and lulled us to sleep. Its song seemed to say that it had come to watch over us,”(Anaya 13). He also explains “Her sharp claws found flesh because the evil laughter of the coyotes changed to cries of pain,’’(Anaya 99) and “But the owl sought only one man, and it found him. It hurled itself on Tenario, and the sharp talons gouged out one eye from the face of the evil man,”(Anaya 134). On her deathbed Ultima continues her good ways using the owl by telling Antonio “ “Love life, and if despair enters your heart, look for me in the evenings when the wind I and the owls sing in the hills. I shall be with you-,” ’’(Anaya 261). Assuredly it’s distinct that Ultima is everything but evil. Even in another form she will protect those good from those evil no matter what she has to do. Her …show more content…
At times what Ultima does to heal and lift curses is misinterpreted for being those two things. Ultima is even considered a witch at times. At one point multiple of the town's men went to the house of Antonio to retrieve Ultima because they believed her curse was responsible for killing Tenorio's daughter. Even children like Antonio’s sisters and fellow classmates have their suspicions about her. This point of view makes sense because evil is known as “profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force,” (“Evil.” Dictionary.com, Dictionarycom, 20 Nov. 2017) and Ultima at times seems to use magical ways of healing. The times she does use chants or special doings they are for the good of others. For example when she helped the family of Tellez who believe they are haunted by evil Ultima says “ “all evil can be stopped’’,”(Anaya 227). She uses her odd ways to lift the curse which was to “ “Place the bundles on the platform and set fire to it”,”(Anaya 232) and before that she says “ “Have Antonio cut them, he understands the power in the tree-” ”,(Anaya 231). This work of supernatural force can be confused to be to evil or witchcraft. However after her work on the Tellez’s land in the end she did a favorable act. Not a heinous act like many witches are known to do. Therefore, you can see her saying that all evil can be stopped she isn’t