Bless Me Ultima Snippet Jounal Essay Research

Bless Me Ultima Snippet Jounal Essay, Research Paper

Page 13 / Chapter 1 As Ultima walked past me I smelled for the first time a trace of the sweet fragrance of herbs that always lingered in her wake. Many years later, long after Ultima was gone and I had grown to be a man, I would awaken sometimes at night and think I caught a scent of her fragrance in the cool-night breeze. This passage is Important to the novel because It proves in the very beginning of the book what an impact this character, Ultima, has had on Anthony s life. It lets the reader become aware of her actions and presence, early on. It is also here that we get a first time sense of a magical, sensual setting. Page 15 / Chapter 2 I had been afraid of the awful presence of the river, which was the soul of the river, but through her I had learned that my spirit shared in the spirit of all things. But the innocence, which our isolation sheltered, could not last forever, and the affairs of the town began to reach across our bridge and enter my life. Ultima s owl gave the warning that the time of peace on our hill was drawing to an end. Through out the novel, water is sin associated. Here is where it is first presented to us, and it leaves the reader with a bad vibe about the river. This is even before Antonio even learned about the legend of the Golden Carp and the sins of the people sentenced to live in the river forever, thus later, this gives us a sense of supernatural power invested in Antonio. It also foreshadows the coming events in the novel, and gives us a beautiful metaphor, the town affairs of the town began to reach across our bridge and enter my life. It paints a picture for us that all had been well and peaceful at Antonio s home, but the town had been corrupt for a period of time now. And with Anthony attending school and seeing more of the town on a day to day basis, it allows an increasing amount of sin to be seen, heard and Commiting. This is also where we have the first glimpse of the supernatural power of Ultima s owl. Through the novel it attempts to protect Anthony s family against evil Page 33 / Chapter 3 She laughed. I am beginning to understand why your mother calls you the inquisitor, she said. But I want to know, there are so many things I want to know, I insisted. A curandera cannot give away her secrets, she said, but if a person really wants to know, then he will listen and see and be patient. Knowledge comes slowly- Here we are introduced to Anthony s inquisitive mind as he matures. This is a trait that Anthony portrays for the most part of the novel. This is also what gets him in trouble and causes his confusion with the three conflicting beliefs. He is eager to know EVERYTHING and asks many questions. Ultima s wisdom is also shown here. She has a way of talking to Anthony that makes him understand and listen more carefully. And due to this, Anthony grows a close bond to her. Page 39 / Chapter 4 For Ultima, even the plants had a spirit, and before I dug she made me speak to the plant and tell it why we pulled it from it s home in the earth. You that grow well here in the arroya nut the dampness of the river, we lift you to make good medicine, Ultima intoned softly and I found myself repeating after her. Anthony learns many things from Ultima, and most important is the respect for ALL living things. When Anthony goes to collect herbs with her, he is taught that he is taking a life, and that he must give thanks to the plant s soul. Page 50 / Chapter 5 Then the owl cried; it sang to the million starts that dotted the dark-blue sky, the Virgin s gown. All was watched over, all was cared for. I slept. Here the owl is given a reference to the Virgin s gown (the stars). Anthony associates this with heaven and therefore the owl is good if it is singing to God and heaven. His mind is then at peace knowing that Ultima s owl is then in turn Good . Page 55 / Chapter 6 Once I did not make the sign of the cross on purpose. I challenged the wind to strike me. The twister struck with such force that it knocked me off my feet and left me trembling on the ground. I had never felt such fear before, because as the whirlwind blew its debris around me the gushing wind seemed to call me name: Antoniooooooooooo Because of Anthony s inquisitive mind, he offers to challenge God. When is struck by the whirlwind, he is scared and trembling, because he knows that he had sinned by doubting God, and he had just been knocked on his butt to prove it. Page 61 / Chapter 7 Give us your hand sweet brother. Give us your saving hand. We are the giants who are dying We have seen the land of the golden carp Then there was a loud crashing of branches behind me and I turned and saw the three dark figures looming over me. This passage is italicized because it is one of Anthony s dreams. In this dream the land of the golden carp represents sin. They have seen it, so therefore they have sinned. They reach out to Antonio in their attempt to save themselves. They tell their brother that they are dying, and in that sense, they are talking about their childhood innocence within them. The loud crash in the background is most likely the world around them falling apart. Anthony can only hear it; he is unable to see it. Then he turns to see his brother s around him looming over him. His brothers maybe dependent and eager for his help. Page 67-68 / Chapter 8 I mean papa s dream about moving to California, and mama wanting us to settle along the v