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Cause and Effect essay

In Rudolfo Anayas Bless me Ultima, Antonio is a young boy that witnesses death several times and with that his childhood innocence is taken away from him. Ultima is an old Curandera that comes to live with his family, she helps Antonio in his time of need as he questions religion and his path of life. These events cause Antonio to change from a young innocent child to a person who questions life and religion. Antonio was a boy with very strong feelings that were polluted by the experiences he has gone through. In this part of the book the townsmen are firing into the air to draw their fire, the mentally disturbed Lupito is gunned down in the river by the townsmen before Antonios eyes. Such as seeing a local named Lupito get gunned down and shot right in front of his eyes. Antonio said, How would I ever wash away the stain of blood from the sweet waters of my river. (Anaya, pg.23) Little wrinkles of worry riddle across Antonios face for he is anguished on what he has just experienced, the beautiful and pure river has been adulterated with the blood of Lupito. In much the same way, young Antonio, who has witnessed the killing, has now lost a part of his childhood innocence. How can it ever return to the way it was? After this Antonio began to worry about where Lupito was going to go now that he was dead, he worried about the afterlife. Antonio said, Where was Lupitos soul? He had killed the sheriff and so he had died with a mortal sin on his soul. He would go to hell. Or would God forgive him and grant him Purgatory, the lonely, hopeless resting place of those who were neither saved not dammed. (pg. 27) Lupito died in front of Antonio and Antonio is now left wondering if Lupito will be forgiven of his sins or if he is going to go to hell, these are very troubling

thoughts to have especially at such a young age. Antonio is no longer an innocent child he is changing and thinking of things that most children dont. Antonio is being forced to mature by the things he has seen. Will the innocence of Antonio come back? These events lead up to Antonio questioning his religious faith. He does not know enough to understand, he begins to question if God is really there listening. Antonio was thinking and he said, Did God listen? Would he hear? (pg. 23) This shows Antonio is concerned because he is not completely sure about his religious faith and he is questioning if God listens to his prayers. Antonio questions God and religion everyday and thinks about Lupitos death. Antonio asks God or really himself trying to find God, he says, God! Why did Lupito die? Why do you allow the evil of the trementinas? Why do you allow Narciso to be murdered when he was doing good? (pg 21) Antonio still does not understand why the good people die sometimes but the bad people are left harmless and they keep doing bad things. Antonio was asking God so many questions hoping and praying for all the answers, but there was nothing but silence no answers. Making Antonio question, was there a God of forgiveness? Antonio learned the is hope and that things happen for a reason. As the story progresses Antonio matures and realizes all the questions he was asking were answered in their own way. When Antonio went to El Puerto with his uncles he learned to farm and he got his mind of bad things that happened, Antonio really enjoyed that summer. Antonios uncles think that there is hope in Antonio. His uncle tells his mother about hope and Antonio immediately knows its about him. In that one there is hope, I heard my uncle Juan say to my mother. I knew he talked about me. (pg. 49) Antonio wants to mature and believe his uncles when they say there is

hope in him because lately Atonio has been very down and confused about many things, but in saying this Antonio starts to believe it himself. There is hope. The owl was buried which sadly meant Ultima died, this was a big deal for Antonio because Ultima and him grew close. Also right when Antonio was beginning to have hope again Ultima dies. Antonio was running towards the hill where Utima told him to go. He buried the owl and Ultima was buried that night. Ultima said to take life's experiences and build strength from them not weakness. (pg. 261) Antonio is a lot stronger now, he was taught not to be sad because summer is gone but really its always here. In the end Antonios character grows from a young puzzled child to a more understanding young adult. Due to the things Antonio had to go through at such a young age, he matured and understood the process of life. He listened more and did not doubt as many things, his religious beliefs settled down and his life path was still indecisive but not as unclear. Overall Antonio matured, when he was burying Ultima and the owl he showed signs of maturity, he learned to love the land and his environment.

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