Coming of Age in Bless Me, Ultima

Coming Of Age in Bless Me, Ultima

As time passes and we get older, we discover more things about our lives and our understanding of the world increases. In Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, coming of age is a common theme that often recurs throughout the novel. When the novel begins, Antonio is just six years old, small, and very innocent. As the novel continues, it follows Antonio as he matures throughout his childhood and his transition to adulthood. There is a proverb from the Dominican Republic that says “time is the discoverer of all things”, which is a prominent theme that relates to this novel. This proverb means that as you get older you will discover more things and become more knowledgeable because you have more experience.

Antonio experiences many events throughout the novel that help him understand his destiny in life, his family and religion. He is very curious, and as his father says in the novel, “Understanding comes with life” (Anaya 248). Antonio’s father is telling him that you have to live your life to know who you are and he is still very young to know his true identity. This means that as Antonio gets older he will discover who he is and what he will do in life. Antonio discovers that as he transitions to an adult, he will also lose the innocence he had as a boy. He starts to mature when Ultima agrees to help cure his Uncle Lucas. Many people cannot cure him or won’t help him, so Ultima decides to cure him and she sets an example for Antonio. Antonio has to step up and help Ultima which shows that he is maturing.

Another example of this proverb is how Antonio witnesses many deaths throughout the course of the novel. Antonio witnesses many people die such as Narciso, Lupito, Florence, and Ultima. Antonio is very close with some of these people so he takes their deaths very hard. Every time Antonio sees someone murdered, he loses some of his innocence. Antonio was very innocent at the beginning of the novel, but after he saw Lupito murdered he grew up a little bit. By the time Ultima dies, Tony is no longer innocent. Antonio grows up very fast and one of the reasons for his quick loss of innocence and maturing is because of the amount of murder he has witnessed. Antonio is having a nightmare and Ultima says to him, “You have seen too much death. It is time for you to rest, to see growing life.” (244). He realizes that the world can be an evil place. Antonio also prays the Act of Contrition over all he has seen die. This shows his maturity because he assumes the role of a priest to comfort dying people.

Tony also has to make choices about his religion. His mother wants him to become