Ultima's Magic

             Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya is a story about the maturation of a young Mexican-American boy, Antonio M'arez, who is struggling with many questions about his destiny, life and death, and good and evil. Ultima who comes to live with Antonio becomes his caretaker and his teacher. Antonio learns there are powers in the world that differ from his beliefs in the Catholic faith through Ultima's wisdom.
             Ultima explains to Antonio "that the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart" (Anaya 237). Ultima shows Antonio how to experience the magic of life with his heart and not with his eyes. For the first time, he sees the river not as something to be feared but as a source of life. This new outlook of the river is evident in the quote, "I had been afraid of the awful presence of the river, which was the soul of the river, but through her I learned that my spirit shared in the spirit of all things" (15). The river is both creative and destructive in nature. It is this new magical way of seeing the river that will help Antonio understand many of the events that occur in the novel. As Antonio deepens his understanding of the river and the forces of nature that surround it, he begins to understand the human journey and his destiny. In his new enlightenment, Antonio learns to appreciate nature and this helps him develop a spiritual relationship with the plants of the llano.
             It is this growing harmony with the earth that will later help Antonio connect with his heritage and the ancient ways of his ancestors. Ultima shows him the magic of nature, Antonio emphasizes this by stating, "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 its home in the earth" (39). Antonio gains knowledge of which plants are good for healing but more importantly he learns of U
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Ultima's Magic. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 07:30, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/71060.html