Only a few books dare to discuss the confusion surrounded by a religious awakening. In Bless Me Ultima, Richard A. Anaya, Premio Quinto Sol national Chicano literary award recipient, challenges standard religion and brings in different ideas through the perspective of a young and confused boy. Due to the new ideas that he is introduced to, the events that occurs especially deaths, and his eagerness for knowledge all leads Antonio to question his religious beliefs. At the end of his struggle to understand, the boy reaches the peace of mind he was seeking. Throughout the book Antonio is introduced to many new ideas. The first is the experiences he has with Ultima. Ultima is a healer who learned her techniques from an old wise man on the llano or prairie. She is sometimes called a bruja or witch. This confuses Antonio because in his heart he knows Ultima represents good and not the evil she is sometimes blamed for. Antonio learns some of the ways of Ultima and begins to understand his surroundings. He knows the name of almost every plant and what medicinal use each has. As the novel continues there is a stronger interpretation of Ultimas powers as she heals Antonios Uncle Lucas. This is the beginning of good versus evil or god versus the devil, Lucas had seen Tenerios daughters performing devil worship in the woods and in return the daughters placed a curse on his hair. When the curse was revoked by Ultima it went into effect against the daughters and as they began to die Tenerio went into an evil rage against the powers of Ultima. Antonio was then introduced to the Golden Carp and the story of the waters surrounding the town and its influence, which also allows Antonio to question the influence of god within his life, and the new power behind the carp. The next revelation for Antonio is the myth of the golden carp. Antonio learns about the golden carp from Cico, a friend of his. According to Cico, the golden carp was onc...
