Sometimes words are insufficient to comprehend the abstractness of life, however, human beings are able to create a path of wisdom, consciousness, and finally an understanding of the spiritual interconnection of cultures and religions through experiences. Rudolfo Anaya, the author of Bless Me, Ultima conveys the reconciliation and integration of the Mexican and American culture through Antonio’s life. In his novel, he demonstrates how societies have adopted the wrong idea of culture and religion instead of the harmony between both. Even though Bless Me, Ultima is a great book for immigrants who feel in the middle of two worlds, it is also a good book for everyone who wants to connect to their heritage and roots.
Bless Me, Ultima is a portrayal of Antonio's journey into his heritage as well as the natural and religious worlds. Antonio is a unique seven-year-old boy who faces multiple cultural and religious dilemmas where he questions his faith and beliefs in order to understand his search for the truth. Although Antonio wants immediate responses to his questions and a deep understanding of the world in order to have control over his life, Ultima enlightens him through a direction of reconciliation between his heritage and religion. Ultima is an old curandera who represents the connection between Catholic doctrines and Indigenous traditions and thus comes into Antonio’s life to help him restore harmony between these two aspects. Ultima aims to teach him the healing properties, and that “magic” comes from the wisdom of past experiences. She demonstrates to him that religion and cultural teachings can respond to inquiries that the other leaves unanswered; both of them can coexist.
However, the powerful message of this story has been limited due to the banning of this book in some states. Bless Me, Ultima has faced many challenges since its first publication in 1972. It was the first time someone wrote about Chicano culture (American people with Mexican origins), and hence, it produced culture shock where confusion and judgment abounded. Anaya introduced Mexican traditions in order to show his identity and his love for the combination of cultures. He wanted to represent and at the same time give a voice to those who have never been heard, but his purpose was never understood. According to Las Cruces, in 1981, the Bloomfield School Board in New Mexico decided to burn all copies of the book due to its “Spanish profanity” content.
During the years 2006 and 2008, the state of Arizona prohibited “Raza Studies” (raza in Spanish means race) due to its social consequences. The lawmakers stated that those fields of studies could bring a misinterpretation of how American and Latinos were, provoking an idea of white men as “racists” and people of color as the “victims.” Moreover, according to American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom Bless Me, Ultima was among the ten most challenged books from 2008 to 2013 because of its “obscene” material in the brothel scene. This notion of harmful content also progressed to other Southwestern states. In 2008, the state of Texas confirmed a state law (HB 2281) that forbids “ethnic solidarity” and thus any Mexican American studies program (Politico). The legislative body decided that schools could not teach anything that offends or cause resentment of American values, or that generates social divisions instead of promoting a community as a whole. Although Rudolfo Anaya died in 2020, Bless Me, Ultima continues to face challenges and banning in public schools due to its sensitive content, specifically in culture and religion.
As one reader states in Las Cruces Sun-News, “Bless Me, Ultima could be perceived as offensive, but not by anyone who’s actually read the book,” I agree that the power of a story should never be undervalued and misjudged, especially when it can reveal a social reality and when it can give a voice to people who has never felt identified. And as Anaya stated, “But a novel is not written to explain a culture, it creates its own.” Bless Me, Ultima has the purpose to show how there is no right culture or right religion. It wants to present how everything is alive and connected, and how God is represented and found everywhere. However, it also teaches us that if it is good, there is bad and if there is God, there is Evil; no more than the real world.
Bless Me, Ultima is a good book because it shows the reality of society. Most people tend to question themselves about religious and cultural differences, as can be perceived in the book. The main character’s perceptions of religion vary throughout his entire journey. Every time Antonio thinks or experiences something new, he comes up with a new question. And even though Antonio is willing to believe in God, he still finds many pitfalls in his questions. He is afraid of becoming a man because that means he has to sin and he has to face “evil things.” However, at the end of the book, his father expresses that life is not perfect and hence sin is part of living; but not every sin means evil, and some sins are just part of our personal growth. Antonio’s father says, “I think most of the things we call evil are not evil at all; it is just that we don’t understand those things and so we call them evil. And we fear evil only because we don’t understand it” (275). This statement opens Antonio’s mind, it makes him think critically about the meaning of God and evil, and that his deep analysis of experiences will make him understand that good and bad are part of life. That is why Bless Me, Ultima should not be banned. The book is not influencing anyone to sin or to follow evil. The book is showing the nature of questioning life, the nature of a little boy who wants to know everything. Besides, it is clear how Antonio’s desire is to be Catholic even though he has more questions than answers. It is showing a philosophical path of understanding good and bad.
Bless Me, Ultima presents controversial, but real topics that are part of our daily lives. As human beings, it is natural to question ourselves and our environment. We want to know and understand life without living it. That is why this book is essential for the notion of understanding life. This book takes human beings from a utopia to Earth, it makes us keep our feet on the ground by accepting that experiences are the path to wisdom and to the development of the integration of knowledge. Besides, it does not contain any explicit content. Brothels are part of temptations that people must overcome. The book wants to show how good and bad things are going to be presented in life, but that it is our decision to do it or not.
On the other hand, the book has been banned because “it is designed for a certain ethnicity.” As a Latin girl in a foreign country, I feel identified with Bless Me, Ultima. This book connects me again with my historical roots and culture. It reminds me of the importance of connecting my body, mind, and spirit through the acceptance of the coexistence of culture and religion. Bless Me, Ultima is a philosophy of life, where there is no absolute truth and where everything connects to form wisdom. Even though it mentions Latin American and Chicano cultures, it can be adapted to any culture or ethnicity. The purpose does not change, this voice of wisdom is for everyone no matter the religion, culture, or country. And by banning this book, we are not only losing the voice of the Chicano population, but we are also losing the voice of humans who want to plunge into a world of interconnecting every aspect of life.
But the real question is, why are we afraid of knowledge? Knowledge is the best mechanism to evolve as human beings for our benefit and hence for a collective benefit. Bless Me, Ultima presents unspeakable topics that one day or another will be expressed in the world. This book demonstrates how not everything needs a radical position or decision, things should have a balance. It conveys how the balance makes people progress and have a better quality of life. People tend to focus on extremes instead of following the integration of heritage, culture, and religion. Books are the best method to culturize people, books provide values that will contribute to individuals and to societies.
Anaya, Rudolfo. Bless Me, Ultima. Grand Central Publishing, 1999.
Leah Romero, Las Cruces Sun-News. “‘Bless Me, Ultima’ Under Review in Oklahoma. Here’s Why.” Las Cruces Sun-News, 26 Feb. 2022, https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/2022/02/26/new-mexico-bless-me-ultima-under-review-obscenity-oklahoma-rudolfo-anaya-culture-book-ban-censoring/6909410001/
“What Arizona’s 2010 Ban on Ethnic Studies Could Mean for the Fight Over Critical Race Theory.” POLITICO, 11 July 2021, www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/07/11/tucson-unified-school-districts-mexican-american-studies-program-498926
O’Connor, Acacia. “Judge Upholds Arizona Law Banning Ethnic Studies.” National Coalition Against Censorship, 3 Jan. 2020 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/07/11/tucson-unified-school-districts-mexican-american-studies-program-498926
Book cover from National Endowment for the Arts.
Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved.
This book review is part of a series of Banned Books Week reviews from Dr. Emilee Howland's Fall 2022 ENGL 460: Banned Books class.
For more information about Banned Books Week and how to get involved, please visit BannedBooks.org.
0 Comments.