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Table of Contents | Downloadable/Printable Version
KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING The present setting of the novel is Guadalupe, New Mexico. Two surrounding villages that have a strong influence on the people of Guadalupe are Las Pasturas, New Mexico, the land of the llano where the vaqueros or llaneros (cowboys) used to run their livestock and El Puerto de los Lunas, New Mexico, a village ten miles away from Guadalupe in the valley. It is the farm land of the Lunas. It is set during the time of World War II and after. In a deeper sense, the novelÂ’s setting is in its cultural history. The land and the people are marked by the history of place. The spirit and lore of Native Americans, specifically Comanches, is present in the place and the people. They were displaced by the Spanish conquistadores who brought two kinds of people: the vaqueros (cowboys) of the llano (prairie) and the priests and farmers of the land. The traces of Mexican past are also in the land. New Mexico belonged to Mexico before it was taken by the U.S. in the Mexican War of 1855. The ancient religion of the Aztecs also persists in the customs of the people who presently inhabit New Mexico. CHARACTER LIST Major Characters Antonio Juan Márez y Luna (Anthony, Tony, Tonio) The boy who is the subject of the story and man who is the present-day narrator. Ultima La Grande, a curandera; Antonio's mentor in curandismo. MarÃa Luna Antonio's mother, a devout Catholic from a farming family descended from a priest. Gabriel Márez Antonio's father, a llanero who has moved to the town to satisfy his wife. Minor Characters Deborah Antonio's sister.
Theresa Antonio's sister. Her mother says she has too much Márez in her when she speaks only English. Benito Campos Marez's vaquero friend to whom he gives his horse when he leaves the llano. Bonney A vaquero friend of Márez. The Gonzales brothers Vaquero friends of Márez. Eugene Márez The youngest of Antonio's older brothers. Father Byrnes The Catholic priest in Guadalupe. Jasón Antonio's friend. Jasón's Indian An old man who lives in a cave near the Indian burial grounds on the river. Chávez A man whose brother is killed by Lupito. Lupito A man who kills the sheriff of Guadalupe. He has just come home from war. Vigil A state policeman who patrols Guadalupe. León Antonio's eldest brother. Andrew Antonio's second eldest brother. Antonio is closest to Andrew, but finally rejects him when he sees Andrew betray his responsibility to Narciso so he can stay at a house of prostitution. Rosie A woman who owns a brothel in Guadalupe. Father Luna The first priest of El Puerto de los Lunas, an ancestor of the Lunas. He led the first colonizing party to New Mexico and founded the town. Ernie A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. Abel A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. He is one of the Los Jaros boys. Horse A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. He is one of the Los Jaros boys. He has the characteristics of a horse. Bones A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. He is one of the Los Jaros boys. Samuel A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. The Vitamin Kid A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. He is a boy who runs all the time. Florence A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. A tall and thin boy with blond hair. He is one of the Los Jaros boys. He is an orphan and he is an atheist. He dies from drowning at the end of the novel. Lloyd A friend of Antonio from the town of Guadalupe. He is very legalistic when it comes to Roman Catholicism. Juan Luna MarÃa Luna's brother. Pedro Luna MarÃa Luna's brother and Antonio's favorite uncle. He kills Tenorio at the end of the novel. Prudencio Luna MarÃa Luna's father. Miss Maestas Antonio's first grade teacher. George and Willy Two boys with whom Antonio shares lunch at school when he is laughed at by the other children for eating Mexican-American food instead of a sandwich. Cico The boy who shows Antonio the golden carp. Lucas Luna MarÃa Luna's brother who is cursed by a bruja and who Ultima saves with Antonio's help. The flying man from Las Pasturas Ultima's mentor in curandismo who gave her the owl. The Trementina sisters The daughters of Tenorio, the brujas who lay the curse on Lucas. Two of them die by the end of the novel. Tenorio Trementina Tather of brujas, saloon owner, and barber. He kills UltimaÂ’s owl at the end of the novel, effectively killing her. Manuelito A sheep herder who warns Lucas Luna not to go near the grove of witches. Pablo Luna One of the brothers Luna. Red One of the gang of boys in Guadalupe, a Protestant. Jesús Silva Man from El Puerto who warns Ultima of Tenorio's witch hunt. Blas Montaño, Manuelito and Cruz Sedillo Men on the lynching party to kill Ultima. Mateo Luna The storyteller of the Luna family. Porfirio Baca A townsperson of El Puerto. Aunt Oretea The deaf and dumb wife of uncle Mateo Luna. Maxie A boy in the school play. Miss Violet Antonio's third grade teacher. Rita, Agnes, Lydia, Ida and June Girls in Antonio's school. Tellez A man who lives on the Agua Negra ranch and comes to ask UltimaÂ’s help when a curse is laid on it. Dorotea Tellez Married to Tellez, and suffers with him through the haunting of their house on the Agua Negra ranch. Table of Contents | Downloadable/Printable Version | |
