La Gente Cambia

A change of heart

Ok folks, La Misma Luna was one of the best films I have ever seen.  It definitely reminded me of my mission (Texas, McAllen) which was right on the border of Mexico and hearing so many different stories of how people crossed the border.  As we already decided in class, immigration is just complicated, so I’m going to talk about something else that caught my attention about this film.   Are you ready? REDEMPTION.  Yes, our favorite topic in IHUM260 :) 

Let’s be honest, this movie is seething with redemption!  But I think it’s mostly portrayed in Enrique, the hombre that gets stuck with Carlitos after the INS raids the tomato farm.  From the minute Enrique meets Carlitos (in the van on the way to work) he doesn’t like him and is instantly annoyed.  But I think its really interesting that when Enrique tells Carlitos que la gente cambia, it’s almost as if he’s talking about himself; as time goes on you see Enrique’s attitude towards Carlitos change, and it seriously like his heart begins to soften towards him.  He definitely has a change of heart!  So he proved his theory with his own actions.  But I think this is even more evident when he creates a distraction for the police when they are trying to get Carlitos to go with them.  Earlier on in the movie he voices his concern about getting caught by the police and getting sent back to Mexico but then pretty much gives himself up to them.  If that’s not a sacrifice then I don’t know what is.  Of course it especially reminded me of the Mission, Bless Me Ultima.  I’m sure that from this point on, whenever I read a book, poem, or watch a movie, it would be much easier for me to pick this out.  In the Mission, especially, along with La Misma Luna, this change of heart and redemption seem to be very intertwined.  Obviously this is something that we find intriguing because it is a consistent theme in films and books.  Maybe it’s because we need to reminded that we all need to be redeemed and should be willing to grant that to others (just as the Bishop does in Les Miserables when Valjean steals his silver)?  I don’t really know, but I believe it added much more depth and a sense of understanding  to this movie which is about such a sensitive subject. 

Bless Me, Ultima= My new favorite book!

I’ve only taken one other humanities class in my whole college career besides this one, and it was an intro in the humanities; in other words, kinda boring to me.  So when I I signed up for this class I was a little skeptical of what it would be like.  But my eyes have definitely opened to a whole new aspect of the humanities as we’ve gone through this course.  Out of all the books, stories, and poems that we’ve read, or the pictures we’ve looked at and the movies we’ve watched, reading the novel Bless Me, Ultima has definitely been my favorite!  In fact, I liked it so much that I’m not going to sell it back to the bookstore at the end of the semester. 

I was intrigued that this book really caused me to think about how each person has a different path they will walk in life, and how it is up to that person as to which path they will take; but that’s not to say the path one may choose can be influenced  by another person.  For instance, Tony’s mom has just ingrained it into Tony’s head that he was to be a priest, and in my own head, that is what Tony becomes (even though the novel doesn’t tell us exactly what does happen to him).  That made me think about my own life and where I am today.  Did I get here because of my own desires or mostly because of the direction others encouraged me to go in?  Was it a perfect mix of the two? I don’t know!  I guess in Professor Mack’s words, it’s just complicated!  Of course everyone’s personalities are different and there are probably some people who are more inclined to do what others tell them, and there are others who are very head strong, and maybe adventurous and won’t listen to anyone.  I wonder what kind of parent I will be . . . Will I be more like Tony’s mom and try and steer my children in the patch that I want for them?  How will I find the balance in letting them make their own decisions but trying to teach them the right way?  Again, it’s complicated and I guess I’ll figure it out as I go along!  If only I had someone like Ultima to give me all the answers :)

"I do not want you to waste your life in dreams..." (Bless me, Ultima, pg. 179)

Dreams.  They’re all over the place in Bless Me, Ultima.  Tony has a lot of dreams when he sleeps,  but I’m talking about a different definition of dreams that are present in the novel.  I’m talking about the type of dream that’s an aspiration, or goal, something you work towards achieving.  We all have those types of dreams, I know I do!  Its clear, from early on in the novel that Tony’s mother wants him to be a priest, this is HER dream for HIS life, and she never lets him forget it.

“I hope you will use your knowledge to carry out God’s will.  You are a very bright boy, you understand so much, you can be a great leader, a priest—I do not want you to waste your life in dreams, like your father.  You must make something of yourself, you must serve the people.  The people need good leaders, and the greatest leader is a priest.” 

Some parents are like this.  I’ve met them before.  It also reminded me of a movie that illustrates this really well.  It’s called “Center Stage” and is about young adults aspiring to be part of a well-known ballet company. (start watching at 2:30 and stop at 5:20 if you want)

Alright… what the heck is wrong with this poor girl’s mom?! Does she even care about her daughter and what SHE wants? She says she does but I don’t know… She's just living her dream through her daughter. Is that was Tony’s mother is like?  Of course she coudn't be a priest but maybe she really did want to be a leader, someone who could help others, at some point in her life.  Reading the novel, at times it seems like Tony really does want to become a priest, but then I second guess it because I swear since all she ever talks to him is about becoming a priest, that's just what he THINKS he wants.  How does she know that’s the best thing for him?  The other beef I have with Tony’s mom, is what’s so bad about having dreams?  She tells Tony that they’re a waste… but I beg to differ.  Obviously, there’s a balance to be found in all things and its true that our parents can be influential in helping us shape our dreams (I always dreamed of going to BYU because my mom and dad went there and i heard what a wonderful place it was... but they didn't shove that dream upon me at all).  But why do people, especially parents, sometimes say these things to hopeful, young kidlets? Are they trying to protect us from pain that may come when our dreams aren’t realized?  I understand that, but maybe that’s part of the learning process for us.  Its like what we’re taught as missionaries, you have to set goals that are reasonable… but who’s to say what’s reasonable and what’s not?  Maybe I’ll never know.  But for now, I would echo the words, "If you want something, go get it.  Period."  Just be sure its a dream they really do want to accomplish, not yours.

". . . good is always stronger than evil." (Bless Me, Ultima, pg. 98)

   I'm loving the novel Bless Me, Ultima!  As I've read these pages, something that seems to keep coming back into plat time and time again is this idea of good vs. bad.  Tony seems to struggle with this in the novel, trying to come to conclusions as to what is good and proper, and what is not.  And as I read this book, honestly, I get confused, too!  The best conclusion I can come to so far about it, is that it's complicated.

   Why do I think it’s complicated?  Because sometimes in literature or movies, it’s hard for me to figure out who/ what is good and bad.  In the novel, one of the Luna brothers becomes ill and is near death because of a magical curse.  The family tries to find an answer of healing through a doctor and a priest, but it is to no avail.  Finally, against the desires of the priest, they call Ultima, a curandera, to fix the situation.  Just as the priest fears, they rely on magic instead of God.  In the moment, I could relate to the priest, thinking that having faith and trusting in God is sometimes all you can do.  But then, after understanding that Ultima isn’t an evil person, who uses her magic for good, I began to wonder if it was a bad idea for the family to trust Ultima after all.  When Lucas, The Luna brother is healed by Ultima’s procedures, obviously I’m thinking that it was totally justifiable!

         As I played with this idea in my head, I thought about the movie “The Prestige”.  The plot of this movie takes me to the same place. Throughout the whole film, I sat there thinking that Borden was the good guy and Angiers was the bad guy.  Clearly this had to be, because Angiers is a weird obsessed guy who kills himself a bunch of times, and that’s bad! But then, the “other” Borden murders the Angiers "clone" at the end.  Again, killing is usually a bad thing!  So did that turn my good guy into the bad one?  Were his actions justified, too? Absolutely. 

   So why am I so surprised with myself when I think this?  Because as Ultima states, good is always stronger than evil, and I believe that.  Do you? Perhaps, but to what extent?  Maybe I’m making it too complicated!  Either way, let's me honest, that's why writers like Anaya and Christopher Priest (the author of the novel, The Prestige) are geniuses; they make you second guess everything you've thought your whole life.