Antonio comes to find a group of varying friends throughout Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima. Antonio’s friends are near his age, though communally rash, are remotely diverse. While watching a group of children, Antonio learns about the individuals, mentioning that he “knew Ernie like[s] to brag” and Bones is “crazier than Horse” (35). Horse himself is believed to be a fighter, that he would “rear up and paw and stomp” at Antonio after he is flipped onto his back, instead letting out a “wild, shocking cry,” proving his simulation of strength tends to be a facade (38). Red, though not seen a lot is introduced when Antonio first enters school and cannot find where he needs to go. Red “led [him] to one of the rooms” to see Miss Maestas, his teacher,
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Most of Antonio’s friends, with harsh comments and actions, cause him to learn resilience and to stand up for what he thinks he should. Ernie calls out, “she is a witch, ain’t she! They were going to burn her, huh!” (146). Ernie was referring to Ultima, and in earlier chapters Antonio is not brave enough to stand up for himself. Although he is scared, he retaliates, “She is not a witch; she is a good woman,” (146). This shows growth in Antonio because originally, Red stands up for him when he is unable to. Antonio learns about new beliefs from Samuel and Cico. After Antonio hears the story of the golden carp, it is the first time he learns of a god other than the one he knows of. “‘The golden carp,’ I said to myself, ‘a new god?’ I could not believe this strange story, and yet I could not disbelieve Samuel” (81). Antonio knows the story is out of reach yet, continues to believe since there is an opportunity to see the golden carp in the future. He has not been able to do this with God, who he is most familiar with, and the Virgin of Guadalupe, they aren’t physical like the golden carp is. This sparks the interest and questioning of the gods he knew and the god he knows now, and their differences. When Cico guides him to where the golden carp swims through, he is amazed with how he can see the golden carp. “I knew I had witnessed a miraculous thing...This is what I had
Most of Antonio’s friends, with harsh comments and actions, cause him to learn resilience and to stand up for what he thinks he should. Ernie calls out, “she is a witch, ain’t she! They were going to burn her, huh!” (146). Ernie was referring to Ultima, and in earlier chapters Antonio is not brave enough to stand up for himself. Although he is scared, he retaliates, “She is not a witch; she is a good woman,” (146). This shows growth in Antonio because originally, Red stands up for him when he is unable to. Antonio learns about new beliefs from Samuel and Cico. After Antonio hears the story of the golden carp, it is the first time he learns of a god other than the one he knows of. “‘The golden carp,’ I said to myself, ‘a new god?’ I could not believe this strange story, and yet I could not disbelieve Samuel” (81). Antonio knows the story is out of reach yet, continues to believe since there is an opportunity to see the golden carp in the future. He has not been able to do this with God, who he is most familiar with, and the Virgin of Guadalupe, they aren’t physical like the golden carp is. This sparks the interest and questioning of the gods he knew and the god he knows now, and their differences. When Cico guides him to where the golden carp swims through, he is amazed with how he can see the golden carp. “I knew I had witnessed a miraculous thing...This is what I had