Bless me, Ultima

            
             Bless Me Ultima, a novel by Rudolpho Anaya, portrays the development of Antonio Marez through a series of powerful dreams. Tony, as he is referred to often, experiences mythical foreshadowing dreams that explain much about Tony's life as well as his future. The significance of these dreams requires adept interpretation by both the reader and Tony himself. When reflected upon, these dreams may very well reveal the fate of Tony's future through symbolic representations. .
             The ten dreams that Tony experiences are significant for many reasons. When looked at as a series, the dreams deal with Tony's development through the nurturing care of Ultima, whose curandera ways influence him in many aspects of the llano. In the first dream, Tony relives his birth. At the birth Ultima is there to deliver him, she works her magic and claims that she alone knows the destiny for young Antonio, " I pulled this baby into the light of life, so I will bury the afterbirth and the cord that once linked him to eternity. Only I alone will know his destiny" (p. 6) This will be a pivotal reference when it comes to deciding Tony's future. In Tony's next dream he visualizes his loving Marez brothers, Andrew, Leon and Eugene. They are criticizing Tony's actions, mocking the possibility that Tony will become a Luna priest. It is evident through the narration of Tony that he will have to battle both his fathers wild Marez blood and his mothers humble Luna traditions. Often times Tony is confronted by his two sided family about whether he will become a man of the church, or become a vaquero like his father and brothers. .
             The next step in Tony's dreams leaves a sardonic feeling with the reader. Tony falls asleep to the protective chant of Ultimas owl and visualizes his most revered religious figure, the Virgen de Guadalupe. Tony has a strange yet interesting relationship with the virgin. In this dream Tony hears the voice of his mother.