In Rodolfo Anaya 's novel, Bless Me, Ultima the author uses different settings in order to develop Antonio 's sense of good and evil.
An example of this would be Rosie 's, the local whorehouse. To Antonio, Rosie 's tempted his brothers and was the cause of their sins. In one of Antonio 's dreams, three figures "silently beckoned" (pg. 65) Antonio into the "house of the sinful women" (pg. 156). Antonio saw his brothers entering and he told Andrew, the last of the three to go in, not to enter. Andrew told Tony that he would wait until Tony lost his innocence and only then would Andrew go into the bordelo. So , to Antonio, seeing Andrew in the "evil house" (pg. 156) was a confirmation of Tony 's lost innocence and Tony wanted
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To him, his home provided him with warmth and safety. This was due to the people who lived in the house. Antonio 's father creates a sense of protection in the home. When Tenorio and his men come to he house to take Ultima away, Tony 's father "would let no man invade his home" (pg 123). This gave Tony faith that as long as his father was around, he would be protected. Antonio 's mother made home a loving and caring place to be. She would always baby Antonio and give him the affection he needed whenever he needed it. The morning after Tony had seen Lupito killed, Ultima tells Tony 's mother not to be too hard on Antonio; he had a hard night last night. His mother puts her arms around Tony and holds him saying he "is only a boy, a baby yet" (Pg.28). The Virgin also makes the atmosphere of Antonio 's home peaceful and protected. Tony loves the Virgin Mary because "she always forgave" (Pg. 42). Tony thought she was "full of a quiet, peaceful love" (Pg.42) which she filled the home with. The most important person who contributed to the goodness of Antonio 's home was Ultima. She made Antonio feel as though her presence filled the home with safety, love, and a sense of security. When Tony saw Lupito get killed, it was Ultima who calmed him. Whenever he had a nightmare, Ultima was there to comfort Antonio and "[he] could sleep …show more content…
He knew Narciso 's garden was a place of good because it was the home of Narciso, a friend of the family, and a person who had tried to protect Ultima. He was also able to sense the goodness of the garden by it 's beauty -- "the fragrance of sun-dazzling flowers was deep, and soft, and beautiful" (Pg. 100) – and by it 's "fruit-laden trees and rows and rows of fruits and vegetables" (Pg.100). He thought that any place where things could grow in such abundance and with such beauty must be a place of good. Antonio knew that the pond of the golden carp was a place of good just because it was the home of the golden carp. Tony thought the golden carp was "miraculous thing" (Pg. 105) because he "accepts all magic that is good" (Pg. 228). Since Antonio thought the golden carp was good, he also thought that any place where the golden carp lived or spent his time must be a place of goodness.
The concrete wall with the spillway on the lake helped the development of Antonio 's sense of evil. It was prohibited for anyone to swim there because the water was "very thick, and full of weeds" (Pg.228) and the lifegaurd was on the other side. This, however, was not the reason it was a place of evil; it was a place of evil because it had killed Florence. It had taken away one of Tony 's good friends and added one more death to the already
Ultima displays the connection she has with Tony as soon as she arrives, by letting him call her Ultima instead of Grande because Ultima believes that Antonio and she have a connection since Antonio was the last child Ultima pulled out of Marias Antonio’s mother womb. After that moment, both Tony and Ultima grow closer and closer. She and Tony spend much time together either getting herbs for medicines or telling stories to each other. When Tony has dreams Ultima teaches him to read between the lines in his dreams and guides him as he tries to figure out his right place in his family, whether to be a Marez or Luna. Wanting to please both his mother and father at the same time. Ultima also teaches Tony the practices of how to dig up a plant correctly, they must tell the plant what they are doing before taking it away from its home. Teaching Tony to show compassion for the things you take for your own use. Ultima shows sympathy through the people she cured, displaying to Tony that her magic is not evil at all. "If my uncle would of come earlier, he would of saved Ultima, but it is better not to think that way. Ultima said to take life’s experiences and build strength from them and not weaknesses.(Anaya 245)” Tony explains everything that Ult...
Maria had no authority over her restless family. The source of the conflict between Antonio and Maria originates from her oldest sons taking to going where they please and not caring about their parent’s wishes. The burden of pleasing their parents passes from the eldest sons to the youngest one. With the sole duty of pleasing his parents, Tony internally rebels against their wishes instead seeking to set to rest his churning mind by seeking his own beliefs. His brothers console themselves about abandoning their family by saying that “Tony will be her priest” (Anaya 36) and not knowing that the “dreams of their father and mother [haunt] them” (Anaya 36) also haunted Antonio. Having the responsibilities of his brothers and his family shape the way he grows and thinks. He isn’t just thinking about himself he also has the problems of redeeming his family on his head. Through the story and through Ultima Tony realizes that he is not bound by obligations and can instead shape his own
Tony goes on to categorize each setting by it’s nature and surroundings. A significant setting to Tony that takes part in Bless Me, Ultima, is Narciso’s garden. Tony’s first impression leave a bewildered smile, as everyone in town knew Narciso for being a town drunk, “I was bewildered by the garden. Everywhere I looked there were fruit-laden trees and rows and rows of vegetables. l knew the earth was fruitful because I had seen my uncles make it bear in abundance; but I never realized it could be like this! The ground was soft to walk on. The fragrance of sun-dazzling flowers was deep, and soft, and beautiful. "The garden of Narciso," I whispered” (108-109). Instantly, Tony realizes Narciso isn’t bad after all, because just like Ultima, both Narciso and La Grande own magnificent magical powers. Another setting Tony develops a good sense of good, is the pond where the golden carp lives. The golden carp owns a strong effect in Tony’s thoughts, as the carp represents a forgiving good, therefore the place where the carp lives has to be good, “It was a beautiful spot. The pond was dark and clear, and the water trickled and gurgled over the top of the dam. There was plenty of grass along the bank, and on all sides the tall brush and trees rose to shut off the world. Cico pointed. 'The golden carp will come through there." The cool waters of the creek came out of a dark, shadowy grotto of overhanging thicket, then flowed about thirty feet before they entered the large pond” (112). The beautiful pond owns its extra effect on Tony, as the water is clear and dark, opposite to the water of the river, muddy and
Rudolfo Anaya’s novel bless me, Ultima ignites theory to a community, comprised of goodness and necessary evil. These contrasting existences are described through ghosts of alienation and ostracization from immediate society, evident according to the solitary and lonesome physical appearance of Rosie's house.
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.
He questions whether he belongs to his mother’s family, the Lunas, who live as farmers, or his father’s family, the Márezes, who freely wander the land. His care for his family demonstrates his maturity in attempting to always do the best he can for everyone. Although his parents each want him to follow their families’ paths, they remain absent from Antonio’s true journey of understanding his own thoughts and beliefs, leaving him “frightened to be alone” (Anaya 7); the lack of parental support through his personal conflict leads him to have trouble knowing how to address his confusion, but it also causes Antonio to develop an independence that most people do not possess. He sees hope for finding answers from the moment he meets Ultima when he “knew she held the secret of [his] destiny” (Anaya 13). She chooses him and sends him to save as she helps lead him on his path.
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,
With the introduction of Ultima into his life, Antonio starts to question the existence of a god. He sees the curandera’s magic and mysterious healing methods and immediately becomes enthralled by her. He becomes her apprentice in an effort to learn her ways. This causes him to drift away from his belief of God, since Ultima’s magic causes him to think that there is nothing stronger than it. Upon witnessing the Golden Carp, a reference to a Pagan deity, Antonio states, “...the power of God failed where Ultima’s worked…” (114) Not only does him witnessing it causes him to believe in the existence of more than one god, but it also makes him believe that Ultima’s magic is superior to the power of God. Antonio has been exposed to so much of Ultima’s ways after becoming her apprentice that he now argues with himself over the existence of God, and if he is actually as powerful as believed. This goes against his existing culture, which is very
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...
Author’s Techniques: Rudolfo Anaya uses many Spanish terms in this book. The reason for this is to show the culture of the characters in the novel. Also he uses imagery to explain the beauty of the llano the Spanish America. By using both these techniques in his writing, Anaya bring s the true culture of
His mother, Maria, introduces him to Catholicism by sending him to catechism and church. Maria dreams that he will assume a role in her family and become a farmer and even a priest to lead her people. However, his father, Gabriel, expects him to become a vaquero and hopes this free spirited persona will travel with him to California. Ultima is Antonio’s most influential role model. She is a medicine woman who guides and teaches him tolerance and the importance of making his own decisions.
Good vs. Evil in Macbeth The good characters in Macbeth are less interesting than the evil ones. Everybody has an evil seed planted in them. Only the really evil person acts on them and commits something morally wrong. Like a Macbeth. When Macbeth first received the prophecies, he actually considered them.
William Shakespeare’s drama Othello is one concentrated contest between the forces of the morally good and the morally bad. Let us analyze this contest in detail in this essay.
Throughout life, bad people will have greater power which destroys the inherently good population. In Othello, by William Shakespeare, the inherently good people are destroyed by the evil people. For example, Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio are inherently good in this novel for many different reasons. Next, the bad people attempt to destroy all the naturally good people, by spreading rumors that destroy their reputations and ruin their relationships. Finally, Shakespeare shows that the bad people will always have more power than the good, causing them to become extinct in the world. Desdemona, Othello, and Cassio are all inherently good which will cause their downfall, proving that Shakespeare did not believe in those who are naturally good surviving and thriving in the world.
By embracing evil, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have committed unnatural actions that disturb them. Their guilt does not leave them in peace, and slowly degrades their health. Macbeth's guilt causes him to act strangely in front of his guests, and it disturbs him deeply. Macbeth's guilt is deeply mutilated, and it only affects him when he hallucinates "Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves / Shall never tremble" (III.iv.124-125), and as soon as his visions disappear he feels better "Why so, being gone, / I am a man again.- Pray you sit still" (iii.iV.130-131), not something normal considering the actions he has committed. His guilt paralyzes him when he does feel it, but most of the time he is guiltless, and that encourages him to commit more murder. Although his guilt does not ultimately destroy him, it is a factor that brings his own men against him, since through his guilt he reveals the actions he has committed.