“Bless Me, Ultima”: The Role of Parents Essay

The novel â€Å"Bless Me, Ultima† by Rudolfo Anaya shows the complexity and changeability of human nature and destiny. The author reveals that in the process of maturation and development every person is being influenced by parents, friends and acquaintances. Anaya tells a story of a young boy Antonio who is troubled of uncertainty of his destiny and parents’ influence on his life. Gabriel and Maria Merez are Antonio’s parents, but they have conflicting views towards the future of his child. Therefore, it is very difficult for Antonio to accept either mother’s or father’s belief system. Antonio’s mother is very religious and she is devoted to Catholic Church. She teaches Antonio to follow God’s commandments, as well as to accept values and beliefs of the church. Moreover, she wants her son to become a priest following her Luna family traditions. Maria thinks that it is a sin to grow and she doesn’t want Antonio to choose his own destiny. But the heart prevails and â€Å"the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart†. (p.34) Antonio’s father is rather important for his spiritual growth. Despite the fact that he wants his son to become Llano vaquero, he wants Antonio to feel independence and freedom. From the first glance Gabriel seems a common drunkard, but with the novel progression we see the depth and dignity of his relations with Llano. Antonio inherited father’s inquisitive and questionable mind. When one of the villagers dies Antonio asks: â€Å"God! Why did Lupito die? Why do you allow the evil of the Trementinas? Why did you allow Narciso to be murdered when he was doing good? A thousand questions pushed through my mind, but the Voice within me did not answer†. (p.23) Maria forces Antonio to follow her family traditions, whereas Gabriel wants him to choose the life of vaquero only if he wants. He doesn’t want Antonio to be in a state of regret as he is. In such a way, Gabriel is the first person who teaches Antonio to make his own decisions about the future. Works Cited Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1994.