Bless Me Ultima Water Analysis

Many religions use water to purify and cleanse. In the Catholic religion, priests use water to baptize. In the Hindu religion, people use it to cleanse themselves before prayer. Water is often viewed as holy and sacred by these and many other religions, and is commonly associated with life and purity. However, Rudolfo Anaya in his book, Bless Me, Ultima, takes a completely different turn on this commonly used symbol. Here, water is used to illustrate characters and expose their true intentions. Water is used to heal and also is turned into a form of punishment and a physical representation of sin. When “Ultima prepared her first remedy. She mixed kerosene and water and carefully warmed the bowl on the stove. She took many herbs and roots from

Anaya uses water to represent them and further the readers’ understanding of their personalities. One of the first instances that uses water to describe a character is when we are first introduced to Tony’s father. Gabriel tells Tony, “And it is the blood of the Marez to be wild, like the ocean from which they take their name, and the spaces of the llano that have become their home” (41). Gabriel uses his water-related last name to describe himself. He is invested in the fact that he is wild and free like the ocean. Often, the reader sees him act like the ocean. He wants to be free on the llano and to not be held back by the town. Another character that water is used to represent is Cico. When he is telling Tony about the mysterious Hidden Lakes, he is also telling about himself. “There’s something strange about those lakes, like they are haunted. There’s a strange power, it seems to watch you--” (115). Cico is not like the other boys in the group, he is quiet and gentle and seems more mature than the others. He spends his time fishing alone along the river bank, and believing in the Golden Carp. Water acts as a reflection of each character’s personality whether it be dirty, clean, calm or