Ideas for the Bless Me, Ultima Response Paper

You can write your Bless Me, Ultima response paper on whatever topic you choose, but here are a few ideas to help you get started if you're having trouble coming up with a focus. Also feel free to share your ideas for response papers in the comment section below.

• The character of Antonio and his believability as a young child: Is Tony a realistic seven-year-old or so character, or is he to mature, too "deep," too articulate for his age? More importantly, if you find that he's not, is that a flaw of Bless Me, Ultima, or does it make sense, given some of the other less-than-realistic elements of the book?
• Bless Me, Ultima as magical realism: How would you define "magical realism," if you're familiar with the genre, and do you feel that Bless Me, Ultima qualifies? Why or why not?
• The problem of good and evil in Bless Me, Ultima: What conclusions, if any, does this novel draw about the nature of good and evil and their balance in the world?
• Antonio and faith: His Catholic faith, his role in Ultima's more complex spiritual world and work, and "pagan" spiritual ideas like Golden Carp keep Tony engaged in a deep inner struggle throughout the book. Does this struggle resolve, in your view, and how?
• Ultima––bruja, curandera, or both? Is Ultima merely a misunderstood curandera, or is she also/instead a bruja? And if so, what does Bless Me, Ultima seem to think about brujas and their possible relationship to good and evil?