Tuesday, 25 November: complete Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima (

Web highlight (final exams regarding Mexican American literature): Julie Mash

Introduction: 

I have chosen three examples from the 2004 Final Exam Answers.  The first two touch on Objective 5c, “The Ambivalent Minority”.  The examples that are used come from the text; Bless Me, Ultima and “Virgin of Guadalupe”.  The third example reflects on Objective 6b, literary devices.

2004 Final Exam

2. Mexican American Literature & Culture

A. (default option). Describe “Latinos / Hispanics” as an ethnic group and locate Mexican Americans within it as an “ambivalent minority.” Why may this description be appropriate, given the history of Mexican America and the Southwest United States? How successfully does “ambivalence” characterize Mexican and Mexican American experience in our readings? Apply to “The Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe,” Bless Me, Ultima, and a Mexican American poem presented in class. (Objective 3c—mostly).

(2008 Obj. 5c)

Ex. 1   Bless Me, Ultima

Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, beautifully brings this theme of ambivalence to light.  In the novel, Tony is faced with one uncomfortable choice after another, and his resistance to absolute decisions illustrates ambivalence.  First, Tony must choose between the ways of his father’s people, the vaqueros, and those of his mother’s people, the farmers.  While the father represents Spanish settlers, his mother seems to represent the ways of the Indians who first inhabited the land.  By nature of his birth, Tony represents the initial mixing of cultures and traditions.  He feels the weight of impending choice, and wonders if no other option exists.  His brothers, who leave to find a new life outside of either tradition, may represent a third choice.  But the story ends without Tony making any choice, leaving the reader with a profound sense of ambivalence.

            Tony’s struggles with religion similarly reflect his feelings of ambivalence.  Tony sees the failure of Christianity (the priest cannot save Tony’s uncle, for example), and is drawn to the natural beauty and simplicity that the Golden Carp represents.  In addition, Tony witnesses the power of Ultima’s magic (she does save his uncle), a force of good that is perceived as evil and shunned by many, even within Tony’s own family.  He asks why he must choose between these forces.  In fact, throughout the novel, Tony consistently asks more questions than he answers.  “Why did Narcisso and Lupito die?  Why must I choose one religion?  Should I be a farmer or rancher or priest?”  This questioning nature reveals the deep ambivalence Tony feels in his life, and may reflect the ambivalence of MA people and culture.  [TNK]

Ex. 2 “Virgin of Guadalupe”

A quality in which the ambivalence is noteworthy appears in religion.  The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico’s patron saint.  However, her appearance is a syncretism of Aztec religion and Catholicism.  The figure, greatly resembling the Virgin Mary, has the skin and face of an Indian, which suggests the Mexican heritage of Aztecs.  At the same time, she is discovered by Juan Diego, who is Mexican.  This combines the populations of Mexico, the contemporary Mexican and the traditional Aztec, in worshipping in the vein of Catholicism.  More importantly, the adoption of this image symbolizes the acceptance of Catholicism.  This is voluntary rather than forced, and minorities typically deal in involuntary participation.  At the same time, this is not total submission, because the image of Mary has been adapted to the approval of Mexican and Indian culture.  As a result, there is a feeling of compromise, rather than force by the dominant culture.  [RL]

B. (creative option). Apply another course objective besides 3c to the subjects of Latinos / Hispanics, Mexican Americans, and the texts of “The Miraculous Apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe” Bless Me, Ultima, and one Mexican American poem presented in class. Explain the significance of your chosen objective and use it as a means of exploring the unique qualities of Hispanic / Latino and Mexican American identity. Describe the appearance of your objective in the texts and in Hispanic / Latino and / or Mexican American culture generally. Conclude with what you have learned through this essay about the objective and about Hispanic / Latino and Mexican American literature and culture.

Ex. 1

Objective 5e (2008 Obj. 6b) asks that the class look for the ways in which all speakers and writers use the devices of human language to create poetry, narratives, and figures of speech…

            In reverence to The Virgin of Guadalupe, who is also referred to in the apparition story as “Mother of God,” “Queen of Heaven,” and “Virgin Mary” Mexican tradition has held her dearly.  She is “painted in murals, tattooed on to biceps, and etched in to windows of low-riders,” and also used frequently in Mexican Literature.  In Bless Me, Ultima  the mother figure frequently says, “Ay, Jesus, Maria, and Jose” or “Ave Maria Purisima.”  There is also apparently significance to the name “Juan” when Ultima goes to save Lucas.  Fist she passes him and says, “Be ready Juan-,” then later tells “The boy will have to go with me,” adding as reason, “He is a Juan” (89).  All of this goes back to the cultural tales of the story of the Mother of Jesus: The Virgin of Guadalupe.  It is their religious strong hold.  After Tony is told the story of The Virgin and Juan Diego he begins to look for her around ever corner.

While there is a great deal about the Virgin there is also a lot of cross-cultural language used.  In the beginning of the book the reader learns that the kids in school speak only English, and most adults speak only Spanish.  This could cause some issues, but none arise in the novel. Most of the Spanish is basic enough that the two years taken in high school, just barely passed to get the credits, is sufficient for understanding.  The only time it really does seem to be a problem is when Ultima blesses Tony in Spanish.  The benefit is that the reader who does not know Spanish is able to imagine the blessing, and it may be very close to what is in fact said.  [THF]

Conclusion:

I found that in these examples listed above we could go back through and compare them all to Objective 3a, to see if there is assimilation or resistance.  I enjoyed seeing others’ perspectives on the readings of, Bless Me, Ultima and  “Virgin of Guadalupe”.

Questions: Any comments or questions about the highlights above?

Where is the best writing and how do you identify it?