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Through Antonio’s conflicts with other people, Rudolfo Anaya shows that a person will experience many challenges in their life and then they will be able to apply what they learned in other situations.

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Antonio is learning more lessons as the time passes. The first lesson he learned was that the river wasn't awful , it shared his spirit

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Antonio is learning more lessons as the time passes. The first lesson he learned was that the river wasn't awful , it shared his spirit

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"I had been afraid of the awful presence of the river, which was the soul of the river, but through her I learned that my spirit shared in the spirit of all things” (15).

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As Antonio matures he learns to care for people he loves. He was drawn to follow his father and his friend because of the worry he had for his father.

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As Antonio matures he learns to care for people he loves. He was drawn to follow his father and his friend because of the worry he had for his father.

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“Perhaps this is what drew me out into the night to follow my father and Chàvez down to the bridge, or perhaps it was some concern I had for my father” (17).

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Antonio is going to school for the first time. He is thinking about not having the protection of his mother, which makes him excited and also sad. 

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Antonio is going to school for the first time. He is thinking about not having the protection of his mother, which makes him excited and also sad. 

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“Today I would take the goat path and trek into town for years and years of schooling. For the first time I would be away from the protection of my mother. I was excited and sad about it” (51).

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Antonio is going through some struggles at school. He really wanted to have his mother by his side but, he also understood why his mother sent him there. 

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Antonio is going through some struggles at school. He really wanted to have his mother by his side but, he also understood why his mother sent him there. 

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“I yearned for my mother, and at the same time I understood that she had sent me to this place where I was an outcast…The pain and sadness seemed to spread to my soul, and I felt for the first time what the grown-ups called, la tristesa de la vida” (59).

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Antonio is realizing how much hate is in the world. They were saying terrible things but Anthony knows to stay strong for Ultima.

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Antonio is realizing how much hate is in the world. They were saying terrible things but Anthony knows to stay strong for Ultima.

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“Come on, Tony’ Ernie said coming closer,  ‘she is a witch, ain't she! They were going to burn her, huh!’ ‘They would have to drive a stake through her heart to make it legal,’ Loyd said. ‘She is not a witch; she is a good woman.’ I answered. I barely heard myself speak… ‘You calling me a liar!’ Ernie shouted in my face. His saliva was hot and bitter… ‘Yes!’ I shouted in his face. I had felt like running away, but I remembered my father and Narciso standing firm for Ultima” (146).

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Antonio is coming to terms with his sin. He is starting to make his first confession to God in his young life.

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Antonio is coming to terms with his sin. He is starting to make his first confession to God in his young life.

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“I made the sign of the cross and said, ‘Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned,’ and I made my first confession to him” (216).

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Ultima is telling Antonio that life is filled with sadness when you go from boy to a man. She wants him to not dwell on the sadness but turn it into strength

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Ultima is telling Antonio that life is filled with sadness when you go from boy to a man. She wants him to not dwell on the sadness but turn it into strength

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"I will be saddened at leaving you,’ I told Ultima when we were alone. ‘Ay,’ she tried to smile, ‘life is filled with sadness when a boy grows to be a man. But as you grow into manhood you must not despair of life, but gather strength to sustain you– can you understand that” (245).

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When talking to his mom he realizes he is becoming a man. He gave his mom an order and she respected it because of him changing to a man.

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When talking to his mom he realizes he is becoming a man. He gave his mom an order and she respected it because of him changing to a man.

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“Take them to their room,’ I said to my mother. It was the first time I had ever spoken to my mother as a man; she nodded and obeyed” (259).

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Rudolfo Anaya shows that through all of the challenges Antonio faces while becoming a man he can use these challenges to help him get through harder situations in life. Antonio faces challenge after challenge but somehow gets through them in fact, Anaya states that, “I yearned for my mother, and at the same time I understood that she had sent me to this place where I was an outcast…The pain and sadness seemed to spread to my soul, and I felt for the first time what the grown-ups called, la tristesa de la vida” (59). This shows that Antonio is going through struggles at school with everyone making fun of him but he realizes that his mom sent him there for a reason which is to learn. Antonio also faces troubles of which someone he loves who is Ultima is leaving him and she was always by his side to protect him but he will soon have to learn to move on and strengthen himself. The author remarked that, "I will be saddened at leaving you,’ I told Ultima when we were alone. ‘Ay,’ she tried to smile, ‘life is filled with sadness when a boy grows to be a man. But as you grow into manhood you must not despair of life, but gather strength to sustain you– can you understand that” (245). This was Ultima telling Tony that life when you are coming of age will come with sadness but he has to take the sadness and turn it into strength.