Bless+Me,+Ultima

[|Bless Me, Ultima] Interpret your dreams here! Find the symbolism behind your most profound dreams...
=Rudolpho Anaya- Author Background= =[|Bless Me, Ultima]=

Examining an author’s life can inform and expand the reader’s understanding of a novel. Biographical criticism is the practice of analyzing a literary work through the lens of an author’s experience. In this lesson, explore the author’s life to understand the novel more fully. Rudolfo Anaya was raised on the edge of the New Mexican plains, surrounded by gullies, hills, and mesquite and juniper trees. He spent summers playing along the river and the rest of the year studying at a school in town. Anaya grew up with his sisters. Three older brothers fought overseas in World War II. His father worked on ranches as a cowboy, or vaquero, while his mother stayed home to raise the family. They moved to the barrios of Albuquerque when Anaya was a teenager. There, he began to explore the pueblos and understand his Native American roots. Growing up as a Mexican-American in the 1940s and 1950s, Anaya reflects the multicultural and spiritual heritage of New Mexico. He says:
 * //We believe the region is a spiritual corridor; the earth nurtures us, and our deities[[image:http://neabigread.org/2009_images/books/blessmeultima/001-Anaya(LR).png width="190" height="257" align="right" caption="Rudolfo Anaya leaning on wall"]]//**

**//can be invoked for the good of the community. Here, Native Americans have//** **//been saying prayers and keeping the world in balance for thousands of years.//** **//It’s difficult to make a living here, but beneath the daily struggle there exists a//** **//fulfilling spiritual sense. This is a sacred space for us.//**

=While reading Chapters 1-6, you should read these handouts to familiarize yourself with the culture and setting of the novel:=

=Handout One- New Mexican Catholicism= =[|Bless Me, Ultima]= =Handout Two- The Spanish Language and the Magic of Words= =[|Bless Me, Ultima]= =Handout Three- The Land of Enchantment= =[|Bless Me, Ultima]=

[|Bless Me, Ultima]
[|Bless Me, Ultima] Dream Symbolism

Biblical Allusions to Know

[|Bless Me, Ultima] Radio Show