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But how could the blessing of Ultima be like the whirlwind? Was the power of good and evil the same?
Antonio has these thoughts in Chapter 6, as Ultima blesses him before he leaves for school. While previously Antonio believed that good and evil were distinct from each other, Ultima’s blessing makes him wonder whether that’s the case. Importantly, the blessing Ultima gives Antonio is for him starting school, a moment of growth and learning. As Antonio will learn throughout the novel, maturing sometimes means experiencing both good and evil. It also means questioning how others see good and evil.
His voice was strong with faith. It made me shiver, not because it was cold but because the roots of everything I had ever believed in seemed shaken. If the golden carp was a god, who was the man on the cross? The Virgin? Was my mother praying to the wrong God?
This quotation comes from Chapter 9, when Samuel first tells Antonio the story of the golden carp. The intense spirituality of this moment shakes Antonio, causing him to question everything he’s ever believed. Antonio previously believed that Catholicism was the only true faith, and all pagan beliefs were witchcraft or devil worship. However, he cannot reject Samuel’s sincere belief, nor can he see it as evil. This moment helps broaden Antonio’s mind to accept different faiths and worldviews.
I cannot tell you what to believe. Your father and your mother can tell you, because you are their blood, but I cannot. As you grow into manhood you must find your own truths.
Ultima says these words to Antonio in Chapter 11, after Antonio asks whether he should believe the story of the golden carp. Instead of teaching Antonio what to believe, Ultima teaches him how to approach new ideas as he grows up. According to Ultima, growing up means developing one’s own system of belief and moral code, instead of relying on others. She believes that although parents pass their belief systems onto their children, as their children grow it is up to them to decide what to make of these ideas.
I was facing the angry kids and I could see that their hunger for vengeance was directed at me, but I didn’t care, I felt relieved. I had stood my ground for what I felt to be right and I was not afraid.
This quotation comes from Chapter 18, when Antonio stands up for Florence against his confirmation classmates. While the other students demand Antonio invent a punishment for Florence as their priest, Antonio insists that Florence’s beliefs do not constitute a sin. This moment marks an important milestone in Antonio’s moral independence. Even though his classmates and broader Catholic thought dictate that being an atheist is a mortal sin, Antonio has decided that he disagrees. Not only does he stand up for Florence, but he stands behind his own beliefs, demonstrating courage and personal integrity.
Take the llano and the river valley, the moon and the sea, God and the golden carp—and make something new.
Gabriel gives this advice to Antonio in Chapter 22, as they drive together to El Puerto and bond as father and son. As part of this conversation, Gabriel encourages Antonio to build his own way of life and draw from both cultures he has been raised in. Instead of being bound to either the Márez or Luna conceptions of the world, Gabriel encourages him to feel free to choose for himself what he values and believes, blending the two.
