"As you grow into manhood you must find your own truths," Ultima tells Antonio, Rudolfo Anaya's protagonist in his seminal work, Bless Me, Ultima. Throughout the novel, Antonio struggles with his identity as a Marez and a Luna, a pagan and a Catholic. For years, he has learned of the omnipotence and goodness of the Christian God, but when Ultima comes to live with the family, Antonio begins to challenge his fundamental beliefs regarding religion. Anaya exposes Antonio's internal conflicts through his narrative technique of mixing a youthful first-person point of view with both English and Spanish expressions. Literary critic Daniel Testa analyzes Anaya's use of dreams to delve into Antonio's conscience and his battles with social expectations.
…show more content…
As Testa explains, the dreams often correspond with a "direct relationship to the events that have happened in Antonio's recent life" (Testa 1). After Florence drowns, Antonio dreams of the three men he has seen die: Lupito, Narciso, and Florence. Again, Antonio narrates the ominous encroachment of the three mangled characters with his questions (Anaya 258). His questions confront his confusion over God's benevolence and justice. The unrealistic depiction of the three men parallels Testa's statement that the dreams "lose the context it had in life and become fused, distorted, and transformed" (Testa …show more content…
In terms of religion, Antonio's upbringing teaches him the power of the Catholic Church and his destiny as a priest. But when Ultima arrives and subsequent events reveal the magic of nature and the faults of the Catholic Church, Antonio's qualms arise. Anaya brings Antonio's thoughts to the forefront by making Antonio the narrator. The blend of Antonio's native tongue along with simple language and dreams add another nuance to the story that, as Testa explains, help Antonio understand his reality. For both Anaya's Antonio and Twain's Huck Finn, reality brings with it contradictory ideologies, but through their respective adventures they conquer their inner struggles. From the church in the town, to his home on the llano, Antonio finds his faith in the river, the dividing line between the two. Huck defies the color line, befriends a black man, and denounces slavery. In the end, they both learn the invaluable lesson of letting their moral compass guide them through their rite of
As Testa explains, the dreams often correspond with a "direct relationship to the events that have happened in Antonio's recent life" (Testa 1). After Florence drowns, Antonio dreams of the three men he has seen die: Lupito, Narciso, and Florence. Again, Antonio narrates the ominous encroachment of the three mangled characters with his questions (Anaya 258). His questions confront his confusion over God's benevolence and justice. The unrealistic depiction of the three men parallels Testa's statement that the dreams "lose the context it had in life and become fused, distorted, and transformed" (Testa …show more content…
In terms of religion, Antonio's upbringing teaches him the power of the Catholic Church and his destiny as a priest. But when Ultima arrives and subsequent events reveal the magic of nature and the faults of the Catholic Church, Antonio's qualms arise. Anaya brings Antonio's thoughts to the forefront by making Antonio the narrator. The blend of Antonio's native tongue along with simple language and dreams add another nuance to the story that, as Testa explains, help Antonio understand his reality. For both Anaya's Antonio and Twain's Huck Finn, reality brings with it contradictory ideologies, but through their respective adventures they conquer their inner struggles. From the church in the town, to his home on the llano, Antonio finds his faith in the river, the dividing line between the two. Huck defies the color line, befriends a black man, and denounces slavery. In the end, they both learn the invaluable lesson of letting their moral compass guide them through their rite of