Bless Me, Ultima Study Guide

Name:______________________________
Bless Me, Ultima Study Guide
Chapter 11, 106-121
1) Why is Tony reluctant to believe in the Golden Carp?__________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) What makes Tony feel sick on page 111?____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3) How does Cico explain the boys‘ behavior?__________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4) Why can Tony and Chico see the Carp, but some others cannot?__________________
________________________________________________________________________
5)How is the prophecy of the Carp like the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6) The struggle in Tony‘s last dream of this chapter is really between _______________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 12, pp. 122-135
1) Why do Tenorio and his men want to hurt Ultima?____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2) Why can‘t a bruja (witch) pass the sign of the cross?___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 13, pp 136-142
1) What does Tony question about God on page 137?____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) How do the people of El Puerto know that the Trementina sister is a witch?_________
________________________________________________________________________
3) What do Tony‘s uncles ask of his parents?___________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 14, pp. 143-176
1) What do some of the kids tease Tony about when he returns to school?
________________________________________________________________________
2) Why do Tenorio and Narciso continue to fight?_______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3) Why is Tony shocked when he follows Narciso to Rosie‘s?_____________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4) What happens to Narciso?________________________________________________
5) What does Tony do for Narciso?___________________________________________
Chapter 15, pp. 177-185
1) Why do things change between Tony and his brother Andrew at this point?_________
_______________________________________________________________________
2) Why are Leon and Eugene particularly embarrassed about what happened to their car?
_______________________________________________________________________
3)What fact about his sons has Gabriel Marez come to accept?____________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 16, pp. 186-189
1) Why does Tony begin to have some doubts about his faith?______________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) What does Tenorio mean when he says to Tony, —Your curse is that you know too
much!・?_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 17, pp. 190-202
1) How does Tony feel about his upcoming Holy Communion?____________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2) Describe Florence’s views on religion. Why do these thoughts trouble Tony?_______
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 18, pp. 203-216
1) Of what fact of existence does Ash Wednesday remind Tony?___________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2) Why is Tony upset by the —confession game?_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3)Why do all the kids become angry with Tony at the end of this scene?_____________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 19, pp. 217-221
1) What is Tony‘s reaction to his first communion?_______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 20, pp. 222-235
1) What is the reason for the curse on the Agua Negra ranch and the Tellez family?_____
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 21, pp. 236-242
1) Why don’t Cico and Tony tell others about the golden carp?_____________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) What do they decide about Florence?_______________________________________
3) What happens to Florence?_______________________________________________
Chapter 22, pp. 243-262
1) About which three people does Tony have a nightmare?_________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2) What advice does Ultima give to Tony on page 245?___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3)What advice does Gabriel Marez give to his son on page 246?___________________
________________________________________________________________________
4) Why does Tenorio kill the owl?____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5)Why does Tony ask Ultima to bless him?___________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6) What last piece of Ultima’s advice does Tony remember?_______________________
________________________________________________________________________
C
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Spanish
English
llano
plains
curandera
healer
Está sola, ya no queda gente en el pueblito de
Las Pasturas.
She is alone, there are no people left in the small town
(village) of Las Pasturas.
vaquero(s)
cowboy(s)
tejano(s)
texan(s)
sala
living room
big rancheros
big ranchers
compadres
comrades/cronies
crudo
hungover
Ave María Purísima
Bless me Mother Mary
la Grande
the Great one (honorific used by the Marez family to refer
to Ultima)
Es verdad
That's true
bruja(s)
witch(es)
cuentos
stories
Está bien
That's good
conquistador(es)
conqueror(s)
atole
cereal/drink made of blue corn meal
Nuestra casa es su casa.
Our house is your house.
farol
lantern
¡Andale hombre, andale!
Hurry man, hurry!
Ya vengo
I'm coming
mis hijos
my sons (my children)
¿qué pasa?
what's wrong?
¡Madre de Dios!
Mother of God!
la llorna
weeping woman (refers to the legend of La Llorona)
¿Pero qué dices, hombre?
What are you saying, man?
Buenos dias le de Dios
May God give you a good morning
Ya las campanas de la iglesia estan doblando
Now the church bells are tolling
Por la sangre de Lupito, todos debemos de rogar
For the death of Lupito, we should all pray
Que Dios la saque de pena y la lleve a
descansar.
That God rescues him from his pain and carries him to
rest.
Ven aca, Antonio.
Come here, Antonio.
cabroncitos/cabritos
Term of endearment (literally, little goats)
Es una mujer que no ha pecado
She is a woman who has not sinned
Una mujar con un diente, que llama a toda la
genta.
A women with one tooth who calls all the people (folk
saying referring to the church bell)
La campana de la iglesia esta doblando
The church bell is tolling
Arrímense vivos y difuentos
Come here living and dead
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5
6
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9
1
0
1
1
1
2
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3
chingada
Expletive
cabrón
Expletive
los vatos
the boys in the neighborhood
¡Hijola!
Wow!
¡A la vecca!
Exclamation
yerba del manso
herbal medicine
orégano
oregano
osha
herbal medicine
¡Mira! Qué suerte, tunas.
See! What luck, pears.
Hijito
Term of endearment for a male child (literally, little son)
Manzanilla
chamomile
mollera
crown of the head (colloquial, used to refer to the soft
spot on a baby's head)
muy sabrosos
very tasty
ristras
string (usually of dried chiles)
Si, tio
Yes, uncle
¡Vamos! ¡Vamos!
Let's go! Let's go!
¡Bueno! ¡Bueno!
Okay! Okay!
suerte
good luck
la tristesa de la vida
the sadness of life
¡Jesús, María Purísima!
Jesus, Mother Mary
Ay Díos mio
Oh my God
Perdón
Excuse me
chango
monkey
el encanto
the curse (spell, enchantment)
el Diablo
the Devil
Buenos días le de Dios, tio
May God give youa good morning, uncle
¡Gracias a Dios!
Thanks be to God!
¡Jesús, María y José!
Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Médica
Healer
Abuelo
Grandfather
la muerte
death
vieja
old woman
el hombre volador
the flying man
¡Cuidado! !Saludos a papa, y a todos!
Be careful! Say hello to Father and everyone else!
Gracias por mi vida.
Thank you for my life.
bosque
woods, forest
¿Quién es?
Who is it?
¡La mujer que no ha pecado es bruja, le juro a
Dios.
The woman who has not sinned is a witch, I swear to
God.
¿Qué pasa aqui?
What's going on here?
¡Madre de Dios!
Mother of God!
¡Mira!
Look!
campo santo
graveyard
mitote
gossip
Qué Dios te bendiga.
May God bless you.
Te voy a matar
I am going to kill you
¡Basta! ¡Basta!
Enough! Enough!
¡Por la madre de Dios!
For the Mother of God!
¡Aye que Diablo!
Oh what a devil!
¿Quién?
Who?
la misa de gallo
midnight mass (literally, mass of the rooster)
posole
Mexican stew
bizcochitos
sugar cookie (flavored with anise)
empanaditas
turnovers (meat and/or fruit)
Hi, Jefa
Respectful term for a female (literally chief)
Hi, Jefe
Respectful term for a male (literally chief)
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6
entremetido
meddler
1
7
Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos-purga
Our Father who art in heaven--laxative
¿Cómo estás, Tellez?
How are you, Tellez?
abrazo
hug
bulto
form, shape, ghost
Gracias a Dios que venites
Thank God you've come
Benditos sean los dulces nombres
Bessed be the sweet names
yerba de la vivora
herbal medicine
grillos
crickets
pesadilla
nightmare
te doy esta bendición en el nombre del Padre,
del Hijo, y el Espíritu Santo
I give you this blessing in the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit
acequia
irrigation canal or ditch
¡Espíritu de me alma!
Spirit of my soul!
velorio
wake
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5
2
0
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