Introduction Paragraph For Bless Me Ultima

Influences on Development
Introduction Paragraph 1
Lead In: It is common knowledge that we all as humans have to mature our way from childhood into adulthood. We are born, we age, and eventually we all end up as adults. The adults we become are based off the influences we have in our youth. It can be religious influences, cultural influences, or simply the environment we grow up in. The point is, we grow up.
II. Introduction Paragraph 2
Overview and Background The book Bless Me, Ultima is a coming of age story. The protagonist, Antonio, is merely a boy, but cultural influences and experiences rob him of his innocence and Antonio must become a man. Antonio lives in fear of growing up because he knows his family has very high expectations

Antonio can become his “father’s son or his mother’s priest.” Antonio is in fear because he is growing older and knows he will have to make the decision soon. Coming from Hispanic background, Antonio does not wish to upset his father and destroy his dreams like his brothers did. Antonio’s father already has certain expectations for his son and doesn’t expect any less. However, Antonio’s mother and her family have other expectations for Antonio. She wishes for her son to become a priest and bring pride to the family. This side of Antonio’s family wants him to put his faith in God. They have his entire life planned out for him and even say “he must learn our ways -- before he is lost like the others--.”
Antonio’s parents’ expectations for their son are particular to him. Antonio’s mother has this vision of her son becoming a priest, something that only applies to the culture of which he is growing up in. Coming from a religious background, what more would a family want than one of their own devoting their life to the church, and tying in the Hispanic aspect, bringing the family a good name. All this adds to Antonio’s development and maturity. He lives in fear because he knows he is growing up, and that with these expectations he is going to have mature at a faster rate than other children to meet

We’ll feel as if someone is watching us and judging our every move.
In Hispanic Catholic culture, this feeling is sometimes ever present. This is because followers have the ideal that God is the being who is always watching and judging them.
Antonio begins to question the authenticity of religion and wonders, if God is always watching, “Why does he allow evil to go unpunished? Why does he allow evil to exist?” Regardless, he defends God when asked, “You mean I can go out and sin, do bad things… do a million bad things and then when I’m about to die I just have to go to confession and make communion, and I go to Heaven?” Antonio sees the flaws in this, and deems it unfair, but he still defends God and the Catholic Church and its beliefs.
Anything he does, Antonio knows is being watched by God. But when Antonio begins to question God, this impacts his development by being able to see what he believes to be true. Antonio may now be able to decide whether or not he wishes to devote his life to God and mature a different way.
Overall, it’s been established that Antonio is a normal child just like everyone else, but his Hispanic Catholic roots give his path of development something to differ from others.
VI. Body Section