Cast of Characters
- Antonio Marez
- The main character of the story, Antonio is a boy of age 6 who matures
to age 8 over the course of the novel. He questions his mother's dreams for
him, his father's dream for him, and his own belief system.
- Ultima
- Nicknamed "La Grande," Ultima is a local curandera (a person who heals with
herbs and magic) who assists Antonio on his quest by teaching him about himself
and about the earth.
- Gabriel Marez
- Antonio's father and a vaquero (a.k.a. cowboy), Mr. Marez is filled with a
roving, wandering spirit that is tied to "pagan religion" and the earth. He dreams of Antonio
becoming "a Marez man" and moving with him to California.
- Maria (Luna) Marez
- Antonio's Mother, Mrs. Marez is a priest, a farmer, and a descendent of the first person in
the area. She dreams of Antonio becoming a priest and tries to
instill in him the value of knowledge and farming.
- Deborah and Theresa Marez
- Antonio's sisters, Debora and Theresa play a minimal role in
the novel. They spend most of the time playing in the attic and enjoying their
innocence.
- Leon and Gene Marez
- Antonio's two oldest brothers, Leon and Gene are the
subjects of their father's dream until they fight in the war, thus losing their innocence
and their strong family ties.
- Andrew Marez
- Antonio's younger older brother, Andrew remains faithful to
family ties longer after the war but eventually breaks them.
- Narsciso
- Despite being known as the town drunk, Narciso respects "La Grande" and
defends her to the end.
- Tenorio
- This shop owner lives in a nearby town and believes Ultima is a
witch; he hates her and blames her for the death of his daughters.
- The Golden Carp
- This majestic fish is a fogiving "pagan" god who contributes to
Antonio's self-searching.
- Ultima's Owl
- Questionably a character, the owl is often seen or heard around Ultima;
the two are usually not present together, however.
- The local boys:
- Horse
- The largest member of the group, Horse is always interested in play
wrestling with other boys.
- The Vitamin Kid
- A mysterious boy who never stops running, the Vitamin Kid always
wins races and is a symbol of youth.
- Cico
- A friend of the "pagan god" of the golden carp, Cico introduces
Antonio to his "faith".
- Florence
- A doubter of the Christian religion, Florence is a friend to Antonio.
- Bones, Samuel, Jason, and other various boys
- These boys are other members of the diverse youth of the area.
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