Tony The Story Of The Golden Carp example essay topic

On Bless Me Ultima All through this book the main character, Antonio Mare, constantly feels conflicted about his spiritual beliefs. He sees the very disturbing killing of Lupito, and is immediately wondering about Lupito's soul. He is only seven years old and is already being pressured by his mother to become a priest. He is exposed to Ultima, a curandera, who has a history of helping people with her magic herbs.

His father and mother are constantly disagreeing about religion. Yet, this little boy is supposed to be loyal to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, which his mother has taught him? It's no wonder; he has weird dreams and is curious about the golden carp. Through all his turmoil, the golden carp serves has a backup belief that may be better than his own. He demonstrates this several times by choosing the golden carp over his own God, in dreams and in real life situations.

Antonio first dreams of his brothers saying they are giants who are dying and have seen the land of the golden carp (61). From this dream, Tony seems to think his brothers are in trouble, yet why does he dream of the golden carp instead of his own God? When Samuel tells Tony the story of the golden carp, he immediately questions his own beliefs (79). He even wonders if his mother is praying to the wrong God and if she knew about the golden carp. At this point, Tony is very confused; he really wants to believe Samuel. Tony is then exposed to his Uncle Luca's curse that was put on him by the Trementina sisters, who were bru jas (88).

Ultima takes Tony with her to cure Lucas. Tony doesn't understand why a priest or God couldn't cure his uncle and Ultima could. Cico then takes Tony to see the golden carp, and he is amazed. Cico tells Tony that the golden carp is his God (113). Cico also tells Tony that not everyone can see the golden carp, that he is special, like the Indian, Narciso, Samuel, Ultima, and himself (115). This confuses Tony even more, he wonders who he should worship.

He tells Ultima, and she tells him he has to make up his own mind (119). At this point, he also starts having conflicting dreams. It is understandable that Tony would start believing in the golden carp. Then Tony witnesses Narciso death (170).

He then has a dream about asking God to forgive Andrew and Narciso. God tells him no, he will not have a priest with golden idols (173). He also dreams of evil taking over by the Trementina sisters, and everyone dies, including his family (175). However, the golden carp saves the day by swallowing everything that is good and evil, becoming a new sun, and starting a new earth (176).

Obviously, Tony is choosing the golden carp over his God, and feels the golden carp is good, not evil. Tony finds out that Florence doesn't believe in God (196). Samuel tells Tony that Florence should know about the golden carp. Tony finally takes communion and feels that God will finally answer all his questions, but there was silence (221).

This confuses him even more. He has another dream where it seems he chooses the golden carp to save his brothers (235). Cico and Tony go to see the golden carp again. Cico tells Tony that his God is a jealous God (238). Tony questions, whose priest will he be, he thought about the idea that there were other gods besides the God in heaven (238).

He wonders if the golden carp is a god of beauty, who seemed to make the world peaceful (238). Then he decides that because Florence is having such a hard time with his beliefs, they should tell him about the golden carp (238). This shows that Tony is definitely using the golden carp as backup belief system. Meanwhile, when Tony and Cico go to find Florence, they come across a situation where Florence went swimming and doesn't come back up. The lifeguard tries to save him, however it is too late, and Florence drowns.

Tony feels bad that Florence died without believing in anything (242). Tony then has a nightmare about the three people he saw die, Lupito, Narciso, and Florence (243). He asks whom else will his prayers accompany to death (243)? Florence then tells him nothing is left, no heaven, no hell, and no Ultima (243). Everything he believed is destroyed (243). As you can see, this little boy is very conflicted.

He uses the golden carp as a crutch, throughout the entire book, especially when the conflicts of his own beliefs stir inside him. He does seem to always think of the golden carp as good, not evil. In conclusion, by the end of the book, he really never chooses anything, the God of heaven or the golden carp.