Personification: A figure of speech in which an animal, object, force of nature, or idea is given human qualities or characteristics
Example: "Like a young tree bends with the wind, so a man must bow to the earth-- It is only when man grows old and refuses to admit his earth-tie and dependence on mother nature that the powers of mother nature will turn upon him and destroy him, like the strong wind cracks an old, dry tree." (192)
Function: In Rudolf Anaya’s thrilling coming-of-age novel, Bless Me, Ultima, Antonio Márez y Luna narrates and reflects on his childhood as Ultima moves in and passes wisdom and knowledge to Antonio. Throughout the novel Antonio searches for his identity, his identity of which he is a Márez or a Luna, his spiritual identity of that he is a catholic or pagan. Here, Antonio’s friend Florence explains to him the values his mother taught him, “Like a young tree…show more content… Antonio isn’t convinced to follow his mother’s wishes of becoming a priest or choose his father’s vaquero way of life. ““It is the way of the llano,” he said, “and the wind is the voice of the llano. It speaks to us, it tells us something is not right.” He straightened from his labor and looked across the rolling hills. He listened, and I listened, and I could almost hear the wind speak to me.”(191). Antonio is induced that he needs to make his own decisions, decide his own way and not flow with the wind. If he stays tied to the winds he will never be able to experience the world. And what offers him. And when he is destroyed his memories and experiences are not of worth, he choose a happy medium embracing both Luna, and Márez, both pagan and catholic
