The novel begins with a mature Antonio serving as a raconteur, or storyteller, recalling his youth. Anaya uses the quasi-autobiographical voice to capture the perceptual and intellectual limits of a young boy. The narrative voice is neither that of a retrospective, older Antonio nor that of the young, naive Antonio. It seems to be located somewhere between the two. The young Antonio is the protagonist, for whom the plot is lived reality. Childlike naiveté, curiosity, and spontaneity are used by Anaya to set the pace and direction of the narrative. Additionally, Anaya's diction and style contribute to the purpose of approximating the world of childlike perception and understanding.
Through the world of Antonio, Anaya skillfully describes the culture of the characters in the novel, their diversity in lifestyles, and the mores and norms that govern their lives. The religious emphasis captures the Catholic influence in their lives, as well as that of indigenous mysticism.
Symbolically, Gabriel Márez and the vaquero lifestyle represent the adventurous spirit of the Spaniards. Their wandering ways are marked by the free spirit that loves the wide expanse of land (or oceans). María Luna and her family represent the mystical rapport with the earth that is attributed to the Chicano/a indigenous indio heritage. At the same time, however, the culture is represented as an amalgam of European and Mexican influences, and their conflicts and contradictions are embodied in the lives of the characters. Gabriel, for instance, represents the lifestyle of the Spaniard but has the viewpoint of the indigene. Maria, on the other hand, represents the lifestyle of the Pueblo but has the religious viewpoint of the Spaniard (Catholicism).
The arrival of Ultima signals the start of a new period in the life of Antonio. This new period starts out in peace and harmony, with Antonio learning about the beauty of the environment. From Ultima he learns about the beauty of the plains, the power of the river, and the harmony between the plains, the river, and the sky.
Antonio's first epiphany occurs during his first summer with Ultima. She teaches him to feel the pulse of the earth and its beauty. Time stands still for him, and he feels a universal harmony in his existence. The fusion of past, present, and future is seen by some literary critics to have an affinity with Aztec cosmology, but Anaya has said that he did not study indigenous cosmologies as preparation for writing this novel. Perhaps, as claimed by literary followers of Jung, novelists sometimes unconsciously articulate symbols that represent archetypes from the collective unconscious. In this case, Anaya is consciously exploring the Chicano/a collective unconscious.
The chapter ends with Antonio dreaming of Ultima's owl, which he unconsciously identifies with la Virgen de Guadalupe, the saint of the land, whom he perceives as the embodiment of mercy and compassion. His association of the owl with the Virgen affirms his trust in Ultima's goodness. In local folklore, however, the owl is more often associated with "dark witches," signifying its evil nature. Anaya has deliberately broken with tradition and has offered an alternative meaning for a traditional symbol as a means of getting readers to contemplate other views.
