bless me, ultima...anaya, who grew up in santa rosa, new mexico with a vaquero (rancher) father and...

Bless Me, Ultima StudyGuide

ThisStudyGuidewaswrittenbyRenelleChoriletteWilsonandeditedbyKaceyRoye.Itcontainsselectedexcerptsfrompublicdomain.

ShowRunsFebruary16th–March11th,2018

The Classic Theatre–- Bless Me, Ultima Study Guide

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TableofContents

MISSION:TheClassicTheatrecreatesexcellenttheatrethatisrelevant,diverse,entertaining,

andtransformative.

VISION:Weseektoachieveourmissionbycreatingconnectionsandconversationsthroughcompellingclassicworks.

ClassicTheatreStaff

KellyRoush Executive&ArtisticDirectorKaceyRoye DirectorofEducation

FlorenceBunten BoxOfficeManagerRitaDuggan,ZachLewis,EvaLaporte HouseManagers

PAGE SECTION

3 AboutBlessMe,Ultima

5 BlessMe,UltimaCast&ProductionCrew

6 Synopsis

7 AboutthePlaywright

8 FactsAboutBlessMe,Ultima

9 AnalysisofMajorThemes

10 Vocabulary

11 Pre-PlayActivities

13 Post-PlayActivities

14 TheatreEtiquette

15 FreeStudentProgramsatTheClassicTheatre


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AboutBlessMe,Ultima

"WhatI'vewantedtodoiscomposetheChicanoworldview—thesynthesisthatshowsourtruemestizoidentity—andclarifyitformycommunityandmyself.Writingformeisawayofknowledge,andwhatIfindilluminatesmylife."

-RudolfoAlfonsoAnaya

AlthoughBlessMe,Ultima(1972)wasAnaya'sfirstpublishednovelandtheonethatgainedhiminternationalacclaimasawriter,itwasnothisfirstnovel.Hispreviouslywrittennovelsdidnotseeprint.Duringthemid-1960s,hewroteprodigiously,expressinghislifeandhisexperiencesthroughpoetry,shortstories,andnovels.ForAnaya,writingbecameanexpressionoffreedom.Seeinghispeoplearoundhim"inchains,"herevoltedagainstthatworld.Breakingthosechainswasimportant;hischaracterswouldnotbeenslaved.Herealizedthatifhecouldwriteabouthisexperiencesandhisfamily,usingthetownwherehegrewupasasetting,hecouldfocusontheseearlyyearsandcreateasenseofbeingliberated.BlessMe,UltimawasbegunasastoryaboutAntonio,butitwasUltimawhomadethestoryclick.ThroughUltima,Anayaexploredthesubconsciousworld,thatworldbelowthesurfaceofexperiencethatcontainshisculture'scollectiveimages,symbols,anddreams.Inthissubconsciousworld,AnayaexaminestheculturalforcesthatshapedthelivesofNuevoMéjicanosandNuevoMéjicanasinthe1930sand1940s.ThroughUltimaandthesubconsciousworld,Anayaexposesthedarksideofbrujeríaandraisesquestionsaboutgood,evil,andtruth.

-Martinez,RubenO.

“Imadestrengthfromeverythingthathadhappenedtome,”writesRudolfoAnayainhis1972novelBlessMe,Última,“sothatintheendeventhefinaltragedycouldnotdefeatme.AndthatiswhatÚltimatriedtoteachme,thatthetragicconsequencesoflifecanbeovercomebythemagicalstrengththatresidesinthehumanheart.”

ItisthissamestrengththatunderliesAnaya’sclassicworkofChicanoliterature,makingitsuchacompellingandtransformativepiece.

Itsgenesisdidnotcomeeasily.Anaya,whogrewupinSantaRosa,NewMexicowithavaquero(rancher)fatherandamotherraisedamongfarmers,beganwritingthebookin1963whenhewasahighschoolEnglishteacher.Thoughnowconsideredthefrontrunnerofitsgenre,BlessMe,Última’spublicationprovedachallengebecauseofthenovel’sfreecomminglingoftheEnglishandSpanishlanguages,aswellastraditionalCatholicandnativehealer(“curandera”)lore.Seamlessly,Anayaweavestogetherthesacredandtheprofanetomasterfuleffect.


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Andyet,thepowerfulstorytookyearstowriteandstilllongertofindapublisher.

Norhasitslegacygoneunchallenged:In2010,ArizonapassedHouseBill2281,banningliterature"designedprimarilyforpupilsofaparticularethnicgroup,"effectivelybanningethnicstudiesaltogether.Amongthebookschallenged?BlessMe,Última.LastAugust,ofcourse,afederaljudgedeclaredHouseBill2281“raciallydiscriminatory,”andAnaya’sworkissafe.Fornow.

ThebattlethathasragedforyearsaboutthetextintheTucsonUnifiedSchoolDistrictisastrikinganalogueforÚltima’sstory:BlessMe,Última,muchlikeÚltimaherself,hasbeenmartyred,misappropriated,andmisunderstoodovertheyears,avictimofitsownOtherness.Última–muchlikehereponymousstory–doesnotfitneatlyintoanyonecategory.Herinclusiveworldviewdisquietsallthosewhowouldtradeinexclusivity.Sherepresents,assheremindsTony,“allthatisgoodandstrongandbeautiful,"drawingfrommultiplesourcesbutthesamewellspring.

Ultimately,Últimadoesnotdiscriminate.Whateverthegeographicalregion,faithtradition,orethnicbackgroundfromwhichyouhail,thisstageadaptationofBlessMe,Últimawillchallengeandchangeyou,asithaschallengedandchangedus.Intheplay,weseethetriumphofthehumanspirit–ofallthatisgoodandstrongandbeautiful–overallthatthreatenstoassailit.

“Itisbecausegoodisalwaysstrongerthanevil.Alwaysrememberthat,Antonio.Thesmallestbitofgoodcanstandagainstallthepowersofevilintheworldanditwillemergetriumphant."

DonnaProvencherM.A.,EnglishLiteratureandDramaTheCatholicUniversityofAmerica


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BlessMe,UltimaCast&ProductionCrew

CastofCharactersCarlosAlvarado Narrator

AndrewTreviño Tony

MarisaVarela Última

LuisGarcía,Jr. Gabriel

AnnadeLuna María

RicardoGuzman PrudencioJulioAlbertoSepulveda

BellaL.VillarrealSpencerOldhamIvan

OrtegaAmandaIreta-GoedeKeli

RosaCabunocAlyxIreneGonzález

Ensemble

ProductionStaffJoseRubenDeLeon Director

CameronBeesley TechnicalDirector

DianeMalone CostumeDesigner

RickMalone SoundDesigner

RicSlocum SetDesigner

AlfyValdez PropsMaster/LightingDesigner

MattShavers MasterElectrician


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Synopsis

ThestorybeginswithUltima,acurandera,orfolkhealer,goingtolivewiththeMárezfamilyduringthesummerthatAntonioissixyearsold.Antonioispreoccupiedwithandanxiousaboutattendingschoolandhavingtobeseparatedfromhismother.Relatedtotheseconcernsishisengrossmentwithknowinghisdestiny.Thisconcernisexacerbatedbyhismother'sdesirethathebecomeapriesttoacommunityoffarmers,whereherfamilylives.Atthesametime,Antonioisconcernedaboutrealizingthewanderingdesirethatstemsfromhispaternallineage.

Antonioisnearlyatthepointofstartingreligiousstudyforhisfirstholycommunionand

isbecomingconcernedwithgoodandevilintheworld.Earlyinthestory,hewitnessesthekillingofLupito,awarveteran,andfearsthathisfathermaybepunishedbyGodforbeingwiththemenwhokilledLupito.AntonioisdeeplyconcernedaboutthefateofLupito'ssoul.

Astheplaydevelops,Antonio'sfearsandconcernsintensifyandbecomewoven

togetherashestrugglestounderstandtheeventssurroundinghislife.Hebecomespreoccupiedwithquestionsabouthisdestiny,lifeanddeath,andgoodandevil.UltimaconveysanindigenousviewpointtohimthatprovidesguidancewhenhelosesconfidenceinparentalviewpointsandtheteachingsoftheChurch.Ultimatellshimthestoriesandlegendsofhisancestors,andhecomestounderstandhowthehistoryofhispeoplestirshisblood.Throughher,Antoniolearnsthe"oldways"anddevelopsanewrelationshipwithnature.Thisrelationshipopenshimtothecontemplationofthepossibilityofothergods.

Antoniolearnstherearepowersintheworldthatdifferfromthosehonoredbythe

Catholicfaith.HehelpsUltimaperformahealingthatsavesthelifeofhisUncleLucas,whohadbeenbewitchedbytheTrementinasisters.Later,hewitnessesanotherhealingperformedbyUltimaandbeginstounderstandtheworlddifferently;helearnstoovercomehisfears,especiallyhisfearofchange.Intheend,Antoniounderstandshimselfandtheworldaroundhimbetter,andhelearnstoacceptlifeandthemanychallengesthatitpresents.


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AboutthePlaywright

RudolfoAlfonsoAnayawasbornonOctober30,1937,toRafaelitaandMartinAnayainPastura,NewMexico,asmallvillagelocatedonthewesternedgeoftheLlanoEstacado(theStakedPlains).Hewastheeighthoftenchildren(threeofthemfrompreviousmarriagesbyhisparents).RudolfowasbornintoagenerationofMexican-Americanfamiliesthatexperiencedtheculminationofthedisplacementofanagro-pastoral,self-subsistenceeconomybyawage-labormarketeconomy.Hisfathertendedtowithdrawfromthisprocess,whilehismother,adevoutCatholic,encouragedRudolfotoexplore,adapt,andachieveintheenvelopingsocialworldoftheAngloAmerican.Earlyinhislife,hisfamilymovedfromPasturatoSantaRosa,wherehespenthisyearsasaboy.In1952,Rudolfo'sfamilymovedtoAlbuquerque,NewMexico.Alreadyateenager,

Rudolfofoundthecityexcitingandadaptedquickly.BarriolifeintheBarelassectionofthecityswepthimintothefoldoftheurbanlifeofChicano/as.In1954,aswimmingaccidentleftRudolfotemporarilyparalyzedandgavehimtimeandcausetoconsidermanyphilosophicalquestionsaboutlifeandhumanexistence.

Rudolfograduatedfromhighschoolin1956andenrolledlaterthatyearatalocalbusinessschool.Unfulfilledbythestudyofbusiness,heenrolledattheUniversityofNewMexicotostudyEnglish.There,hediscoveredtheimportanceofliteratureasameansforexpressingideas.Duringhisstudentyears,hewasinfluencednotonlybyhisteachersbutalsobythecountercultureofthebeatniks,especiallybytheiranti-establishmentpoetry.In1963,hereceivedhisBachelorofArtsdegreeinEnglishandbegantoteachatanelementaryschoolinLaJolla,aneighborhoodinsouthernAlbuquerque.Anayaenjoyedteachingandwentontoteachatsecondaryschoollevels.Hisinterestinliteratureremainedstrong,however,andheeventuallyreturnedtotheUniversityofNewMexicoforfurtherstudy.In1968,hereceivedaMasterofArtsdegreeinliterature,andhereturnedlaterandearnedanotherMasterofArtsdegree,thisoneinguidanceandcounseling.Between1971and1973,heservedastheDirectorofCounselingattheUniversityofAlbuquerque.

RudolfoAlfonsoAnaya


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DidYouKnow?FactsaboutBlessMe,Ultima

àBlessMe,Ultimawasorigninalyanovel!IthasbecomethemostwidelyreadandcriticallyacclaimednovelintheChicanoliterarycanonsinceitsfirstpublicationin1972.àBlessMe,UltimaisAnaya'sbestknownworkandwasawardedtheprestigiousPremioQuintoSol.In2008,itwasoneof12classicAmericannovelsselectedforTheBigRead,acommunity-readingprogramsponsoredbytheNationalEndowmentfortheArts,andin2009,itwastheselectednoveloftheUnitedStatesAcademicDecathlon.àBlessMe,UltimaisthefirstinatrilogyfollowedbythepublicationofHeartofAztlan(1976)andTortuga(1979).Withthepublicationofhisnovel,

Alburquerque(1992),Anayawasproclaimedafront-runnerbyNewsweekin"whatisbettercallednotthenewmulticulturalwriting,butthenewAmericanwriting.”àIttookAnayasixyearstocreateBlessMeUltimaandanadditionaltwoyearstofindapublisher. àAfilmversionofthebookwasproducedin2013.

Astillfromthe2013movie

Theoriginalnovelcover


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AnalysisofMajorThemes

ComingofAgeBlessMe,UltimachroniclesAntonio'slossofinnocenceandhisgrowthfromboytoman.ItjusthappenstoAntoniomuchearlierinlifethanitdoestomost.Butwhat'sinterestinghereisnotthefactthatAntoniogrowsup,buthowhegrowsup.It'sdefinitelynotinyourtypicalfashion.Insteadofdealingwithfirstkissesanddriversed,Antoniowrestleswithphilosophicalquestionsthathaveplaguedtheoldestofmenforages.Sowhilehecomesofagehere,it'sclearhewasalreadywisebeyondhisyears.MoralIndependenceUltimaactsasAntonio’sguideashelearnstheimportanceofmoralindependence.Ultimateacheshimthatthemostdifficultquestionsaboutlifecanneverbeansweredentirelybyasinglereligionorculturaltradition.Antoniohasquestionsaboutevil,forgiveness,truth,andthesoul,questionshecanansweronlyforhimself.AntoniooncebelievedthattheCommunionritualwouldanswerallhisquestions,butUltimateacheshimthathemustthinkforhimselfandarriveathisownconclusions.TheInfluenceofCultureonIdentityBlessMe,Ultimaexploresthedifficultyofreconcilingconflictingculturaltraditions.Intheend,Anayasuggeststhatapersoncandrawfromseveralculturaltraditionstoforgeamorecomplexandadaptableidentity.Antonioissoeagertofindasingle,definitiveanswertothequestionsthathaunthimbecausehehasbeeninfluencedbymanyconflictingcultures.Anayausestheseconflictstoexploretheinfluenceofcultureonidentity.Manycharactersinthebookarelimitedbytheirculturalprejudicesandneverlearntolookbeyondtheirownassumptions.UltimateachesAntoniotoavoidthelimitationsinherentinabidingbyoneculture,onereligion,oronecreed.Instead,UltimaencouragesAntoniotoembracealloftheculturalinfluencesinhislifetobecomeabetterperson.


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Vocabulary

➢ Exorcise:expelthroughadjurationorprayers

➢ Barrage:theheavyfireofartillerytosaturateanarea

➢ Catechism:anelementarybooksummarizingtheprinciplesofareligion

➢ Exuberant:unrestrained,especiallywithregardtofeeling

➢ Fertility:thepropertyofproducingvigorousandluxuriantgrowth

➢ Conquistador:anadventurer

➢ Sacrament:aformalreligiousceremonyconferringaspecificgrace

➢ Limbo:inCatholicism,theplaceofunbaptizedorinnocentsouls

➢ Interminable:tiresomelylong,seeminglywithoutend

➢ Jeer:laughatwithcontemptandderision

➢ Purgatory:atemporarystateofthedeadinRomanCatholictheology

➢ Inquisitor:aquestionerwhoisexcessivelyharsh

➢ Knell:thesoundofabellrungslowlytoannouncedeath

➢ Rheumatism:anypainfuldisorderofthejointsormuscles

➢ Labyrinth:complexsystemofpathsinwhichitiseasytogetlost

➢ Slake:satisfy;asthirst

➢ Spendthrift:personwhospendsmoneycarelessly

➢ Heresy:abeliefthatrejectstheunorthodoxtenetsofareligion

➢ Genuflect:bendthekneesandbowbeforeareligioussuperiororimage

➢ Emaciated:verythinespeciallyfromdiseaseorhungerorcold


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Pre-PlayActivities

RealityTelevisionInordertoencouragestudentstothinkaboutthechoicesaplaywrightmustmakewhencreatingaplaywith“thelookandfeelofreallife,”askstudentstodevelopanewrealityT.V.show.Explaintostudents,however,thatunlikethecurrenttelevisionofferings,theserealityshowsmustactuallyattempttoappear“real.”Liketherealisticdramatistsofthe19thand20thcenturies,studentsmustdiscardloftyoroverblowntheatricsandstorylinesinexchangefortheactualandthe“everyday.”Theircharactersmustbeunabletoarriveeasilyatanswerstotheirpredicaments.Studentsorteamsmustcreateaproposalfortheirshowthatanswersthefollowingquestions:1.Onwhateverydaysituationordilemmawillyourshowfocus?2.Whateverydaycharacterswillyourshowinclude?3.Whatphysicalorphilosophicalproblemsofdailyliving,eithersocial,philosophical,orpsychological,willyourshowexamine?

IdentityandCultureWalkaboutSurveyToactivatepriorknowledgeandconnectionstotheplay’sthemes,havestudentsperformasurvey.Usingasurveyquestionthatgeneratesthought,providestudentswithanineblock(3X3)handoutreadyforresponses.Ontheleftsideoftheblocksgoingdown,createblanksforthree“Informers.”Onthetopoftheblocksgoinglefttoright,createblanksfor“Detail#1,”“Detail#2,”and“Detail#3.”Studentsthenwalkaroundandaskthreedifferent“Informers”toanswerthesurveyquestion,givingthreefactseach.StudentsrecordtheirInformers’factsintheblocks.Afterreturningtotheirseats,studentssummarizeinwritingwhattheyhavelearnedfromtheirclassmates.SamplequestionstogenerateawalkaboutsurveyforADoll’sHouseinclude:

• Howcanonedescribeidentity?

• Howcancultureaffectidentity?

• Whatdoesitmeantohaveindependence?

• Whatisthedefinitionofgrowth?

• Cansociety'sperceptionshaveaneffectonone'sidentity?

• Canparent'sperceptionshaveaneffectonone'sidentity?


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PracticalActivityTheatricalStyles,MAGICALREALSIMV.REALISM

1. Splityourstudentsintotwogroupsandgivebothgroupsascenario.

2. AllocatebothgroupsoneofthetheatricalstylesofeitherMagicalRealism,orRealism.Askthemtodeviseashortsceneinthatparticularstyletopresenttotherestoftheclass.

3. Sharethesceneswiththerestoftheclass.Seeiftherestoftheclasscanpointoutthedifferencesbetweenthetwodifferentstyles.


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Post-PlayActivitiesNowthatstudentshaveseen/readtheentireplay,theycanreturntothetextforadeeperunderstandingofitssignificantthemes.Thefollowingtopicsandquestionscanbeusedforwholeclassandsmallgroupdiscussionorasessaytopics.

• HowdidUltimafeelaboutplants,theriver,andotherpartsofnature?WhatdoesitrevealaboutAntoniothathewassoattractedtothisviewoftheworld?

• HowwouldyoucharacterizeAntonio'sownreligiousbeliefsinBlessMe,Ultima?• HowdoesRudolfoAnayashowAntonio'slossoffaithinBlessMe,Ultima?• WhatarethemostimportantlessonsAntonioseemstolearnthroughoutthestory?• HowdidRudolfoAnayausesettinginBlessMe,Ultimatoconstructbotha'magical'

senseoftheworldforthereader?• Howisidentityshown?• Howisfaithshown?


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TheatreEtiquetteGoingtoaplayisaspecialexperience,onethatyouwillrememberforalongtime.Everyoneintheaudiencehasbeenlookingforwardtoseeingtheperformance.Aproductionteamputsinmanylonghoursandalotofhardworktomountaperformanceforanaudience.Ifyoukeepin

mindcommoncourtesyfortheperformersaswellasyourfellowaudiencemembers,everyone’stheatreexperiencewillbeoptimized.Whatfollowsareafewremindersfor

attendingthetheatre.

1.Plantoarriveatthetheatrethirtyminutesbeforetheperformancebegins.2.Gum,food,drinks,orcandyareneverallowedinthetheatre.Youmay,however,bringawaterbottle.3.Pleasegotothebathroombeforeseatingfortheperformanceoratintermission.4.TURNOFFALLCELLPHONESoranythingelsethatcandisturbtheproduction,actors,andaudiencemembersduringtheperformance.Itisveryimpolitetohaveyourphonegooffduringtheshow.5.Lightswilldimjustbeforeaperformanceandthengodark.Acknowledgethisbysittingquietlyandcalmly.6.Donottalkorwhisperduringtheperformance.Theactorsonstagecanhearyou,whichiswhyyoucanhearthemsowell.Laughterisofcoursepermissibleatappropriatetimes.7.Keepbodymovementstoaminimum.Youcan'tgetupandmovearoundduringtheperformance.

8.Notakingofpicturesorvideorecordingisallowed.9.Don'tleaveyourseatuntilthecasthastakentheircurtaincallattheend.10.Showyourappreciationbyclapping.Theactorslovetohearapplause.Thisshowshowmuchyouenjoyedtheperformance!


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FreeStudentProgramsatTheClassicTheatre


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bless me, ultima...anaya, who grew up in santa rosa, new mexico with a vaquero (rancher) father and...

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