Rudolfo Anaya's novel Bless Me, Ultima belongs to one of my favorite genres: magical realism. Magic does not exist in reality, so tying realism to magic seems oxymoronic, but the genre manages to link the two aspects through detailed descriptions of life that just happens to involve the supernatural. For instance, in Bless Me, Ultima the characters view witchcraft as a reality that is never questioned, just taken in stride. Similarly, spirit animals, mythical creatures, and ancient gods are all accepted as real by the characters.
Bless Me, Ultima tells the story of Antonio Mรกrez, a young boy growing up in New Mexico during World War II. Magical realism is clear throughout the book as Antonio seeks to reconcile his Catholic faith with the mystical events he witnesses and the traditional magic that seems to accomplish what the Church cannot. Although the fantastical images in the novel are clearly part of the genre, I found it different in many ways from much of what I associate with magical realism. Magical realism seems to delight in epic stories that span many people and many generations. Ultima, however, is limited: Antonio is the sole narrator, the plot takes place over the course of a few years, and the action is confined to a few small towns.
I did not expect this smaller scope, I think now that it serves particularly useful in adding to the book's ability to impact the reader. Antonio's daily routines – doing chores, helping the curandera (traditional healer) Ultima find plants for her medicines, going to school, playing with friends – build an image of a fully human and three-dimensional young boy. This in turn means that the conflicts in the book are more keenly felt. The trauma Antonio feels when he witnesses death, his internal struggle to define who he is, and his joy at discovering new things all become more important than the mystical elements involved. This, I think, means that Anaya does a very good job in conveying the emotions and experiences of Chicanos in the United States to a wider audience.
