Antonio's preoccupations with Ultima's cure and the golden carp underscore his struggle to understand his world. As his enlightenment progresses, he realizes there are different views on how the world operates, and he struggles to decide which is the true one. He still believes that one's destiny is tied to one's blood, and his father continues to reinforce that view. Antonio finds refuge in the company of Ultima. He feels protected when he is with her, and he learns about the legends of his ancestors from her.
The family friends from Las Pasturas tell about the changes they have seen in life, and Antonio begins to realize that things never remain the same although he might not want them to change. He also learns of the grief that comes with change. Anaya is reminding the reader that broad sweeping changes in one's society bring turmoil and grief, and people must learn to adapt if they are to find happiness and harmony.
At another level, Antonio learns that nostalgia is a major element in the lives of people from Las Pasturas. Their approach to dealing with the predicaments of the present is to look to an idealized past. To a great extent, both Gabriel and María share nostalgic outlooks on their respective ancestries, and Antonio is beginning to understand this, but he does not necessarily commit himself to their strategy for coping with life's difficulties.
Tenorio's visit to the Márez home allows Anaya to express the traditional view of Mexican Americans regarding witchcraft, and it also allows him to use the scene outside the house to explore the mob-like tendencies among humans, especially when they are fearful of a person. These irrational tendencies continue to remain a mystery to us all.
