A Summary Of Ultima

The move to Guadalupe was difficult for Tony 's father because he had to leave his beloved job as a vaquero in order to settle down and care for his family. The traveling and herding of cattle within the open planes seemed to have been a freeing aspect of his father 's life, he enjoys reminiscing of those days yet the realization that it 's over brings on bad feelings.

Tony 's reaction when he first met Ultima was one of enlightenment, he seemed to have realized the truth and "the beauty of the llano" when he shook Ultima 's hand. He learned through Ultima, who seems to be connected to the earth through magic, “all that had been and all that was to come”. She is the one that knows the destiny Tony will have, she has the truth.

The owl also had shown religious or magical connotations through its aide towards La Virgen and the babies of Limbo as witnessed by Tony in a dream.

The family takes on the responsibility of taking care of the older generation very seriously, especially Tony 's mother who feels that her family must pay their respect to Ultima how helped delivery Tony and his sisters. It’s also disclosed that Ultima helped Tony’s mother through the difficult years of living in the llano. So, this family seems to owe their lives to Ultima which is very similar to Mexican culture which pays heavy respect to their family elders.

In Tony 's dream he is a witness to his own birth. He sees Ultima aiding his mother during birth while his parent 's family and friends flood in and begin to argue on what should be done to the afterbirth in order to insure the child 's future destiny. His mother’s brothers what the afterbirth to be buried so it can fertilize the soil and connect Tony to their ways. His father’s fellow vaqueros want the afterbirth to be cremated and let the wind free him along the land. Yet, in the end of the dream Ultima declares she will be the only one to decide Tony 's destiny in