Bless Me Ultima By Rudolfo Anaya

Can you remember sayings or certain people who stand out and make changes in your life? As Kenzo Tange said, “There is a powerful need for symbolism, and that means the architecture must have something that appeals to the human heart”. Symbolism occurs in places around us, changing the way we think about our lives, staying with us in our hearts. Antonio witnesses his own symbols that transform his way of thinking into a new reality. Bless Me Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, tells a coming of age story about main character Antonio. Ultima joins the Marez household and guides Antonio to his own destiny. Harsh's experiences alter his perspective on his question, what he should do with his life. Ultima’s owl, the Golden Carp and the river are symbols that help
Frozen with fear, Antonio is horrified until he sees Ultima’s owl and Antonio begins to realize, “...the owl had been with me throughout the night. I had watched over all that happened on the bridge. Suddenly the terrible, dark fear that had possessed me was gone” (Anaya 23). The fear that possessed Antonio disappeared once he recognized Ultima’s owl. Antinio remembers Ultima’s owl as a symbol of safety, that Ultima herself is watching over him. The Golden Carp is a god that rules over all the other carp in the river. Samuel and Cico teach him that the Golden Carp is mystical and powerful. After Antonio’s communion, he became disappointed because he did not witness God with his own eyes. Cico brought Antonio to the river and the Golden Carp revealed himself to the two boys, “..and then a sudden illumination of beauty and understanding flashed through my mind” (Anaya 114). The Golden Carp stood out to Antonio and made him comprehend ideas unbeknownst to him before. The Golden Carp stands out in Antonio's life and will stick with him forever as a symbol of new understanding. Cico and Ultima introduced Antonio to the deep part of the river where nobody