25 Bless Me, Ultima Quotes on Faith and Destiny

Remember why following your path is crucial with these Bless Me, Ultima quotes. 

Considered a classic, Bless Me, Ultima is a powerful novel by Rudolfo Anaya.

Check out our Bless Me, Ultima quotes below. 

What is Bless Me, Ultima? 

Bless Me, Ultima is the story of Antonio, a Mexican-American boy living in New Mexico in the 1940s. 

Check out these Bless Me, Ultima facts below: 

• Some religious critics felt the book was anti-Catholic. 
• Bless Me, Ultima is banned in Stanislaus County, California. 
• Bless Me, Ultima explores the ties between religion, spirituality, and mysticism. 

Anaya shines a light on the Chicano narrative as Antonio matures and must contend with the challenges of his living conditions and destiny. 

The book explores the social-psychological journey Antonio must face as he deals with the pressures of family life. 

His mother wants him to become a priest.

However, Antonio is engrossed with feelings that take his mind and heart to new levels of awareness, often clouding his desires. 

Why was the book banned?

While The United States is known as the land of the free, our country has an extensive banned books list. 

In fact, many of the books we label as classic today were banned during their time. 

Bless Me, Ultima was added to the banned books in various states of the country because some critics felt the novel was anti-Catholic. 

The book also contains adult language, violence, and homosexuality. 

For these reasons, some parents complained, and their school districts chose to ban the book. 

Good and evil are significant themes in the novel, and Antonio’s feelings intensify as he matures and witnesses good and evil in his community. 

The novel is unique because as Antonio develops new understandings of his conditions, his grandmother, Ultima, provides him with an Indigenous worldview. 

As Ultima teaches Antonio about his history, he develops a new understanding of the church and how the church has impacted his ancestors. 

As Antonio learns about his ancestor’s history, he better understands his culture and develops a closer relationship with nature.

To learn more, check out our Bless Me, Ultima quotes below. 

Short Bless Me, Ultima quotes about hope and evil

Hope is a central theme of this novel; here are some short quotes supporting this theme. 

1. “In that one, there is hope.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

2. “Understanding comes with life.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

3. “Your evil bird blinded me! he cried.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

4. “And you, Narciso, I swear to kill you!” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

5. “For that, I curse you! I will see you dead!” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

The top Bless Me, Ultima quotes about growing up 

Bless Me, Ultima is an amazing coming-of-age story. 

6. “You are innocent until you understand.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

7. “I knew she held the secret of my destiny.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

8. “Ultima’s spirit bathed me with its strong resolution.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

9. “I do not want you to waste your life in dreams, like your father.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

10. “The day dawned, and already the time of youth was fleeing the house which the three giants of my dreams had built.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

The best Bless Me, Ultima quotes about death and blood

Blood is our life force, yet many associate our blood with death. 

These Bless Me, Ultima quotes explore the significance of blood. 

11. “I must go. He was my brother!” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

12. “It will only end when blood is spilled.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

13. “I saw the old woman who had delivered me from my mother’s womb.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

14. “I was so startled and frightened that I jumped like a wounded rabbit, but he made no move to catch me.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

15. “It was true, I thought, it is the Márez blood in us that touches us with this urge to wander. Like the restless, seeking sea.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

Bless Me, Ultima quotes and sayings about life 

We are tied together by our pasts the same way we are connected in our future. 

16. “Ay, every generation, every man is a part of his past.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

17. “Ultima says a man’s destiny must unfold itself like a flower.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

18. “I heard my uncle Juan say to mother, I knew he talked about me. ” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

19. “They understood that I had to be away from the places that held the memories of my friend.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

20. “He drew near and saw that it was no natural fire he witnessed, but rather the dance of the witches.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

Quotes about religion and spirituality 

These Bless Me, Ultima quotes go deep into the nature of good, evil, and spirituality. 

21. “It is because good is always stronger than evil.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

22. “For the first time, I would be away from the protection of my mother.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

23. “Time stood still, and it shared with me all that had been, and all that was to come.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

24. “For what you have said to shame my daughters and my good name in front of those men, I will see you dead!” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

25. “It was the Lunas who carried the charter from the Mexican government to settle the valley. That took courage.” — Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima

Is our destiny preordained?

Many readers relate to Bless Me, Ultima because many people empathize with having traditions forced upon them. 

In a perfect world, all of us would be free to choose the lifestyle we wish. 

However, this is not the case for a lot of people. 

Often, we are born into traditions and cultures that might have limitations we wish to transcend. 

One of the novel’s central themes is the idea of moral independence and the influence of culture on our identity. 

Antonio wrestles with dreams, education, tolerance, and empathy throughout the story. 

He witnesses a murder and must choose whether or not he will live by “the old ways” or incorporate his parents’ wishes into his life. 

As his grandmother teaches him about his history, his future becomes less certain. 

Do you have a favorite Bless Me, Ultima quote?

If so, please be sure to let us know in the comments section below.