Antonio Dream In Bless Me Ultima
Dreams can often predict what will happen in the future. In Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, the protagonist, Antonio, lives in a small town in New Mexico. Written from the point of view of Antonio, the story begins when Ultima, a curandera or traditional healer, comes to live with Antonio’s family. As Ultima constantly teaches Antonio life lessons to satisfy Antonio’s curiosity, their relationship greatly strengthens along with Antonio’s understanding of the world. Antonio also witnesses the deaths of many people throughout the novel, causing Antonio to continuously seek answers relating to morality, which is reflected in his dreams. These dreams are often about events that happened in the past or events that occur when Antonio is older. His dreams also display the inner thoughts and feelings of Antonio. Throughout Bless Me, Ultima, Antonio’s dreams foreshadow events and reveal the changes of Antonio as he matures into an adult in order for the reader to develop a better understanding of his character.
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In one of his dreams, his mother states that he is “innocent when [he does] not know,” but “already [he knows] too much” (Anaya 71). Here, Antonio identifies the act of losing innocence as a sin. He realizes that knowing is the same as losing innocence, and thus is a sin. His dream allows Antonio to realize that innocence only lasts until one grows into an adult, and that he has already lost innocence. Since growing to become an adult is an inevitable change, loss of innocence is also inevitable. His dream is able to portray Antonio’s fear of losing innocence and lets the reader better understand and connect with Antonio. As Antonio wonders what has happened to his innocence, Ultima states that “where the lonely wind of the llano sang to the lovers’ feat of [his] birth, there in those hills is [his] innocence” (Anaya 71). She disappears shortly after, leaving Antonio without an explanation and forcing him to find the answer himself. When Ultima says that Antonio’s innocence is the “hills,” she refers to the place of Antonio’s birth. Ultima implies that Antonio is only innocent at birth, when he does not know or understand anything. Shortly after
In one of his dreams, his mother states that he is “innocent when [he does] not know,” but “already [he knows] too much” (Anaya 71). Here, Antonio identifies the act of losing innocence as a sin. He realizes that knowing is the same as losing innocence, and thus is a sin. His dream allows Antonio to realize that innocence only lasts until one grows into an adult, and that he has already lost innocence. Since growing to become an adult is an inevitable change, loss of innocence is also inevitable. His dream is able to portray Antonio’s fear of losing innocence and lets the reader better understand and connect with Antonio. As Antonio wonders what has happened to his innocence, Ultima states that “where the lonely wind of the llano sang to the lovers’ feat of [his] birth, there in those hills is [his] innocence” (Anaya 71). She disappears shortly after, leaving Antonio without an explanation and forcing him to find the answer himself. When Ultima says that Antonio’s innocence is the “hills,” she refers to the place of Antonio’s birth. Ultima implies that Antonio is only innocent at birth, when he does not know or understand anything. Shortly after