Bless Me, Ultima (Ch. 8-14)

While reading chapters 8 through 14, I decided I actually like this book quite a bit. The story has come to evolve around several main themes through which Antonio tells the story of himself growing up and his beginning of understanding life.

One theme that has come up repeatedly in different forms is religion. There are several different gods and saints mentioned in the story. One aspect of the book revolves around Antonio trying to figure out his views on religion. Being raised Catholic, he obviously believes in one all-powerul God. However, at several points throughout the story he mentions how he isn't sure he likes this unforgiving God because of his eagerness to punish sinners, and how he likes the forgiving Virgin much better. He also encounters the Golden Carp, the pagen God of a boy named Cico. This is the first encounter that makes Antonio question his God's power. Ultima's power against the evil curse of the Trementina sisters is another such case. After fighting his uncle's sickness for three days with her, Antonio wonders were his God was during this time and the times before when the priest had tried to help.

Another theme I noticed, which is backed up by Antonio himself, is the book's interest in exploring the hidden lives and magic of the people Antonio knows. When he feels he knows someone, like Ultima or Narciso, other aspects of their lives come out and show him surprising things about them. While visiting Narciso's garden, he thinks "It seemed that the more I know about the people the more I know about the strange magic hidden in their hearts." This seems to extend also to his town and the myths surrounding it as well. The Hidden Lakes become much more ominous and mysterious when he learns about the supposed mermaid living there, and the death of the shepard who claimed to have seen her.

I've begun to really enjoy reading this book. It's overflowing with the childhood magic that everyone can remember from when they were children on Christmas morning. I love that about it, and the characters have really begun to take shape and interest me. While there is somewhat of a plot slowly forming, that is, the Tenorio v. Ultima situation, the story is more based around the short anecdotes that sprout off of this conflict, and the revellations they cause for Antonio. One last thing I would like to point out is the story's center around the number three. I've noticed that most noteable events and people in this story are in threes. There are three Trementina brujas, Antonio has three brothers, it took three days to cure his uncle Lucas, and he was moved into the third grade! I'm sure there are more occurances that I'm not thinking of, but you get the idea. Might be nothing, but it seemed worth-while enough to point out.