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Definition of Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved directly or indirectly, by making... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the... read full definition
Foreshadowing
Explanation and Analysis—Dream-Country:
In Bless Me, Ultima, the reader encounters magical realism that blends the realistic and the spiritual. This motif is never clearer than it is in the author's descriptions of dreams, which act as prophetic and spiritual communication channels between Antonio and the world of magic and religion. They also foreshadow the future and offer insights into Antonio’s subconscious. Sometimes they even demonstrate his personal growth and his evolving understanding of his place in the world, mostly through symbolism and metaphor.
Throughout the novel, Antonio’s dreams act as a space where his fears and questions take symbolic form. These subconscious journeys mirror his internal discomfort with the order of things in Guadalupe and the obligation to follow religious doctrine unquestioningly. As he matures into adolescence, the contents of Antonio’s dreams demonstrate his growing sense of responsibility for the events in his life. For example, he dreams of his family’s expectations for him, especially of the conflict he sees between the peaceful life of a Catholic priest his mother’s Lunas side wants for him, and his vaquero Márez father’s more adventurous dreams for him to move to California.
The imagery in Antonio’s dreams also frequently mirrors the cultural mingling present in his waking life. Symbols like the llano and the golden carp represent the intersecting arenas of his cultural and religious heritage. The golden carp’s speech in his dreams—full of fire and brimstone—gives a real voice to many of the questions Antonio has about revenge and religious leadership. Some of his dreams also foreshadow future events or symbolize Antonio’s fears about death and violence. For example, he dreams about Tenorio’s actions and the deaths he’ll cause before they happen. This isn’t explained away; Anaya leaves the reader to judge how the dream should be interpreted. In so doing, the authors blur the line between reality and magic. This choice leaves the reader unsure of whether the supernatural truly exists as a force in Antonio’s world or whether it’s bias on the narrator's part as he remembers his past.
Related Themes:
