The conflict between Catholicism and natural religion is evident within the main character, Antonio, who has been raised Catholic but is drawn to the natural elements. Antonio meets Ultima, the woman who delivered him, at age seven and finds that he identifies very strongly with her and with the natural religion she believes; “she took my hand and I felt the power of a whirlwind sweep around me. Her eyes swept the surrounding hills and through them I saw for the first time the wild beauty of of our hills and the magic of the green river.” (Page 12) The story,’ Bless Me Ultima’ begins with Antonio’s dream of his birth, where the Luna’s, Vaqueros, and Ultima are all present. Immediately the Lunas and Vaqueros argue over the location where Antonio’s afterbirth will be buried. The Lunas desire it to be buried on holy ground so that Antonio will become a farmer or a priest. Whereas the Vaqueros plan to bury it in the Llano leading Antonio to take his father’s path and become a Vaquero. This is not only a religious conflict but a cultural conflict and somehow Ultima is the one to make the final decision neither giving into the Lunas or Vaqueros desires.
Ultima’s fluid entrance into the Marez household is a dance that tells the …show more content…
The parents of Antonio argue that growing into a man is a sin (the mother) and growing to be a man is a fact of life (the father) and it is there own upbringingsor cultures that produce this conflict. (Page 31) Whereas Ultima believes that growing old is a necessity and matures one. ‘"Ay! My man of learning!" my mother smiled when I entered the kitchen. She swept me in her arms and before I knew it she was crying on my shoulder. "My baby will be gone today," she sobbed. "He will be all right," Ultima said. "The sons must leave the sides of their mothers," she said almost sternly and pulled my mother gently.’ (Page
Ultima’s fluid entrance into the Marez household is a dance that tells the …show more content…
The parents of Antonio argue that growing into a man is a sin (the mother) and growing to be a man is a fact of life (the father) and it is there own upbringingsor cultures that produce this conflict. (Page 31) Whereas Ultima believes that growing old is a necessity and matures one. ‘"Ay! My man of learning!" my mother smiled when I entered the kitchen. She swept me in her arms and before I knew it she was crying on my shoulder. "My baby will be gone today," she sobbed. "He will be all right," Ultima said. "The sons must leave the sides of their mothers," she said almost sternly and pulled my mother gently.’ (Page