In the excerpt from Rudolfo Anaya's novel, Bless Me, Ultima, we are presented the narrator, Antonio (aka Tony), a Mexican-American boy, around the time of ash Wednesday. As the days progress towards Easter Sunday, Tony is filled with this excitement, that everything will be made well again, and that his first communion will make everything right. As it progresses, he does not seem to feel any better. When he is made priest by the other children, and refuses to give penance to Florence for not believing in the word of God, he is beaten violently by the children. Still, he goes into his confession, with a heavy heart, still thinking he must confess. This story definitely shows someone who is lost within their religion. The words of Florence resonate in Tony, I feel. Florence says of his disbelief: "Because you refuse to see the truth, or to accept me because I do not believe in your lies! I say God has sinned against me because he took my father and mother from me when I needed them, and he made my sisters whores" (3319). You can feel his anger and his sadness through his words, and I think Tony felt moved by it. I found Tony's situation to be reminiscent to that of Jesus. He stood up for what he believed was right, and suffered punishment for it. Yet, at no time did he go back on it. He struggled to get away, but in the end, he held true his convictions. He is very noble, and though one gets the sense he is lost, he still seems clear in his morals.
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