Throughout the book Antonio is introduced to many new ideas. The first is the experiences he has with Ultima. She is sometimes called a bruja or witch; this confuses Antonio because in his heart he knows Ultima represents good and not the evil she is sometimes blamed for. Antonio learns some of the ways of Ultima and begins to understand his surroundings. As the novel continues there is a stronger interpretation of Ultima's powers as she heals Antonio's Uncle Lucas. This is the beginning of good versus evil or god versus the devil, Lucas had seen Tenerio's daughters performing devil worship in the woods and in return the daughters placed a curse on his hair. When t

ony's wisdom is complete once he is aware that "understanding comes with life" (248) and that he is "seeing only parts...and not looking beyond into the great cycle that binds us all." (121) Antonio wants answers to the questions that have been nagging at him since he was introduced to religious ideology. He does not understand why Ultima, a close elderly friend and a curandera or healer, can save his dying uncle from the curses of evil while the priest from El Puerto with his holy water and the power of God cannot lift the curse from him. He wonders whether God really exists or if the Cico's story of the golden carp is true.

The next revelation for Antonio is the myth of the golden carp. Antonio learns about the golden carp from Cico, a friend of his. According to Cico, the golden carp was once a god who loved the people of Antonio's town, Guadalupe. The people were not allowed to fish for the brown carp that lived in the river that flowed around the town. These fish were sacred to the gods. However, because of a drought and no food, the people had to eat the carp to survive. This angered the gods. They wanted to punish all the people by death but "they relented from killing the people. Instead, they turned the people into carp and made them live forever in the waters of the river-" (80). The god who loved the people wished to become a carp like them to protect them from the dangers of the river. The gods agreed and "because he was a god they made him very big and colored him the color gold" (81). Antonio cannot believe there is a new god and seeks answers from Ultima. Ultima is pleased that he ha!

he curse was revoked by Ultima it went into effect against the daughters and as they began to die Tenerio went into an evil rage against the powers of Ultima. Antonio was then introduced to the Golden Carp and the story of the waters surrounding the town and its influence, which also allows Antonio to question the in!

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fluence of god within his life, and the new power behind the carp.

Bless Me Ultima, is a compelling story that deals with Antonio's family, beliefs, and dreams. Anaya's writing successfully integrates the confusion of a young boy who wants answers to topics over his head with a wonderful story. By weaving three subjects in a continuous pattern the stories tie into each other. The theme of Bless Me Ultima is one of finding what beliefs are right for the individual by experiencing each one characteristically. This is what makes Tony a postmodernist character. People follow many different religions, but many are not content w

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1775
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)