The killing of Lupito is the major event in Antonio's life that sets in motion his preoccupation with sin and punishment. He is concerned about the salvation of Lupito's soul and the absolution of Gabriel and Narciso for their participation in the death of Lupito. Thrust into the role of priest by Lupito, Antonio becomes more and more obsessed with the trajectory of his destiny.
Religion is an important facet of Antonio's world. The church has been a powerful force in the lives of Chicano/as, and Anaya captures this dimension in the life of the Márez family. María, like many other Chicanas, maintains an altar at home. She and her family pray regularly before the altar, and their daily greetings and expressions are filled with religious references and sentiments. The centrality of the Church in the lives of the Márez family members and the surrounding communities is symbolized by its visible steeple and its tolling bells. Villagers' lives are organized and structured by the Church.
Antonio's dream that night reflects the importance of his brothers in his struggle for increased understanding. His brothers see him as a farmer-priest and call upon him to save them. Interestingly, it is the power of the river, primal and earthly, rather than the power of Catholicism that enables him to help them. This reflects his recent initiation, with Ultima as his mentor, into a spiritual relationship with nature.
Here, Anaya introduces la llorona as an important motif of ambivalence that, like the river, calls to Antonio and makes him fearful. Throughout the remainder of the novel, the wailing call of la llorona mixes with the owl's cry, the wind's mourning, and the church bell's tolling to both lure Antonio and to alert him to danger. La llorona is a mythic figure in Chicano/a and Mexican folklore. Many versions of the myth exist, but all tend to be used as a device to socialize children, who are warned not to stray from or disobey their parents lest la llorona get them.
María and Gabriel hold conflicting views of human development. María thinks of growing up as a loss of innocence, whereas Gabriel views it as developing strength and self-worth. For María, Antonio is saved if he becomes a priest. For Gabriel, whose views have much affinity with those of Ultima, growing up is a fact of life, and it is not good that anyone should meddle in another's destiny.
In these early chapters, Anaya uses many Chicano/a riddles and sayings to depict the local culture. Anaya's intimate familiarity with and command of the local culture enhances his depiction of the family and infuses the novel with costumbrismo. The riddles and sayings merge with realistic characters to give them vivid, believable personalities. As the novel develops, the dialogue among the kids reflects their spontaneity, restlessness, bluntness, and sometimes vulgar behavior.
