Feminist Lens
In Bless Me, Ultima there is a variety of 'Lenses' present. The one I would like to talk about is feminism. This novel is mostly based upon female characters. Tony's mother, the School teachers, Tony's three sisters, the women at whore house, Tenorio's three daughters and Ultima. Each female character is strong in their own manner yet some are as strong as some of the male roles in this novel. The opposite of the Feminist lens
Tony's mother is a strong individual, and I would say that in this novel she is equal to her partner. Her strong values and ties to religion are ever so strong. She is in charge of her household and doesn't let anyone besides Ultima stand up to her. She is the anti-feminist in her character.
Not so much as her two daughters. I would say that they have to follow the rules/roles that were made for them since their birth. They play with dolls, go to school, and they are traditional female aspects of life. The two speak the foreign language of english but Tony does not become aware of this until he goes to school and becomes lost in the waves of commotion.
Then Tony meets his first grade teacher, Ms. Maestas. She is a motherly figure to Tony, and she helps him understand the words of the complicated english language. At the end of his first year at school she promotes him to the third grade. Her name is Maestas and in the Spanish language the word for 'teacher' is Maestra, I believe that this tie to the language is very symbolic as she helps the children of the llano become more involved in school and understands where they from and their culture.
In this novel Tony is afraid of the women at the Brothel, because he believes that it represents sin and evil. When he finds out that his brothers visit this place is his devastated. In chapter nine Tony dreams of his brothers entering this place and when Andrew is about the enter he tells Tony that he will not go in until he loses his innocence. This is where the lens comes into play, the female charcters are seen as objects at the brothel, they share no interest to men yet the men in the town keep visiting them.
The town also sees Tenorio and his three daughters as gypsies who study the black book and place a curse on Tony's uncle Lucas. The three sisters are feared because they are different from the normality of the Catholic reglion and study the black book. In their case they hold the power because they are feared by the town and Tony. As Ultima is getting rid of the curse placed upon Lucas the three sisters are portrayed as coyotes, creatures of the night howling in the wind. Their role in this novel can be seen as the opposite to the feminist lens as well. Not only because they hold the power, but they were brought down by Ultima, a strong female character.
Ultima's character in this novel is important and largely the plot revolves around her and Tony. She helps Tony with his confusion about religion and faith. She plays a motherly role to Tony thus making the feministic lens true. Yet she finds a way to break that barrier, as a curandera she is an independant women leading her own life. And then making the feminist lens true again because she is doing what is traditionally a female job/role of taking care of people. Her character is hard to pinpoint a specific role.
Tony's mother is a strong individual, and I would say that in this novel she is equal to her partner. Her strong values and ties to religion are ever so strong. She is in charge of her household and doesn't let anyone besides Ultima stand up to her. She is the anti-feminist in her character.
Not so much as her two daughters. I would say that they have to follow the rules/roles that were made for them since their birth. They play with dolls, go to school, and they are traditional female aspects of life. The two speak the foreign language of english but Tony does not become aware of this until he goes to school and becomes lost in the waves of commotion.
Then Tony meets his first grade teacher, Ms. Maestas. She is a motherly figure to Tony, and she helps him understand the words of the complicated english language. At the end of his first year at school she promotes him to the third grade. Her name is Maestas and in the Spanish language the word for 'teacher' is Maestra, I believe that this tie to the language is very symbolic as she helps the children of the llano become more involved in school and understands where they from and their culture.
In this novel Tony is afraid of the women at the Brothel, because he believes that it represents sin and evil. When he finds out that his brothers visit this place is his devastated. In chapter nine Tony dreams of his brothers entering this place and when Andrew is about the enter he tells Tony that he will not go in until he loses his innocence. This is where the lens comes into play, the female charcters are seen as objects at the brothel, they share no interest to men yet the men in the town keep visiting them.
The town also sees Tenorio and his three daughters as gypsies who study the black book and place a curse on Tony's uncle Lucas. The three sisters are feared because they are different from the normality of the Catholic reglion and study the black book. In their case they hold the power because they are feared by the town and Tony. As Ultima is getting rid of the curse placed upon Lucas the three sisters are portrayed as coyotes, creatures of the night howling in the wind. Their role in this novel can be seen as the opposite to the feminist lens as well. Not only because they hold the power, but they were brought down by Ultima, a strong female character.
Ultima's character in this novel is important and largely the plot revolves around her and Tony. She helps Tony with his confusion about religion and faith. She plays a motherly role to Tony thus making the feministic lens true. Yet she finds a way to break that barrier, as a curandera she is an independant women leading her own life. And then making the feminist lens true again because she is doing what is traditionally a female job/role of taking care of people. Her character is hard to pinpoint a specific role.
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