Tenorio Trementina Character Analysis in Bless Me, Ultima

The antagonist of the novel, Tenorio owns a saloon in El Puerto. It is implied that he practices witchcraft, and his daughters are brujas (witches). When Ultima turns their own curse against them he vows to kill her. He has no moral qualms and seems to thrive on his own hatred. He kills Narciso and Ultima's owl, but is finally shot by Pedro Luna.

Tenorio Trementina Quotes in Bless Me, Ultima

The Bless Me, Ultima quotes below are all either spoken by Tenorio Trementina or refer to Tenorio Trementina. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

I could not understand why Narciso, who did good in trying to help Ultima, had lost his life; and why Tenorio, who was evil and had taken a life, was free and unpunished. It didn't seem fair. I thought a great deal about God and why he let such things happen.

Related Characters: (speaker), , ,

Page Number and Citation: 186

Explanation and Analysis:

I closed my eyes and concentrated. I had just swallowed Him, He must be in there! For a moment, on the altar railing, I thought I had felt His warmth, but then everything moved so fast. There wasn't time just to sit and discover Him, like I could do when I sat on the creek bank and watched the golden carp swim in the sun-filtered waters.
God! Why did Lupito die?
Why do you allow the evil of the Trementinas?
Why did you allow Narciso to be murdered when he was doing good?
Why do you punish Florence? Why doesn't he believe?
Will the golden carp rule - ?
A thousand questions pushed through my mind, but the Voice within me did not answer.

Related Characters: (speaker), , , , ,

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 221

Explanation and Analysis:

Tenorio Trementina Character Timeline in Bless Me, Ultima

The timeline below shows where the character Tenorio Trementina appears in Bless Me, Ultima. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Christianity vs. the Supernatural Theme Icon

...Lucas entered an evil cottonwood forest at night, and there he saw the daughters of Tenorio Trementina dancing as fireballs and casting evil spells – performing the "Black Mass," a satanic... (full context)

...not shoot the coyotes that will approach that night. She says she must speak to Tenorio first, and no one may come with her except Antonio. (full context)

They enter Tenorio's saloon, and at first he will not look at them. When he finally turns to... (full context)

In the street they are caught in an ominous dust storm and Tenorio tries to run them over with his horse, but Ultima pulls Antonio aside just in... (full context)

...won't let Antonio touch them, and she warns him to be careful if he sees Tenorio Trementina. She gives Antonio her scapular necklace with protective herbs in it to keep him... (full context)

...suddenly bursts in to the family's house, yelling that Ultima must hide. He rambles about Tenorio, and the owl gives a cry of warning from outside. Narciso says Tenorio's daughter died... (full context)

...face the mob. Gabriel asks who speaks but everyone is ashamed to identify themselves. Finally Tenorio steps forward and accuses Ultima of murdering his daughter with witchcraft. (full context)

Gabriel yanks Tenorio's beard and throws him to the ground. The other men are armed with makeshift crosses,... (full context)

Tenorio is enraged and vows to kill both Ultima and Narciso one day, but finally the... (full context)

...with the harvest. There is a rumor in town that the priest will not let Tenorio's daughter into the church for mass because she was a bruja. They drive through Guadalupe... (full context)

...they drive Antonio asks his uncle Pedro why the Lunas did not warn them about Tenorio coming from El Puerto, since Ultima had saved Lucas's life. Pedro says their father forbade... (full context)

The procession tries to enter the church but the priest blocks their path. Tenorio and his daughters are angry, but the whole town has seen their excommunication. They have... (full context)

...to watch out for the other kids, especially because of Ultima and her encounter with Tenorio, which they won't understand. (full context)

...from work. On the way they run into Samuel, who tells them that Narciso and Tenorio fought drunkenly the night before. Andrew laughs at the story, but Samuel says their feud... (full context)

The town is empty and eerie as he walks, and Antonio comes upon Narciso and Tenorio fighting savagely and cursing each other outside a bar. Finally the bartender pulls them apart.... (full context)

...He slips into a reverie and then hears a gunshot. He comes upon Narciso and Tenorio fighting again, and realizes Narciso has been shot. Narciso keeps fighting but Tenorio shoots him... (full context)

...God refuses. God says he will forgive Narciso, but only if he can also forgive Tenorio. Antonio protests and then sees the Virgin, who says she forgives everyone, even Tenorio. God... (full context)

...death, as he was the town drunkard, and there is only Antonio's word to accuse Tenorio so the coroner declares it an accident. Antonio has pneumonia and stays in bed for... (full context)

...his friends. He is troubled by how unfair it was that Narciso should die and Tenorio should live. Antonio starts praying after school for answers, and he prays to the Virgin... (full context)

One day on the way home from school Antonio sees Tenorio under the juniper tree where he killed Narciso. Tenorio sees Antonio and curses at him,... (full context)

When Antonio gets home and tells Ultima what happened, she makes sure Tenorio didn't hurt Antonio in any way but assures him that she is not afraid of... (full context)

Antonio spends more time with Ultima and worries that Tenorio is still after her. Téllez, one of Gabriel's old friends, comes to visit and complains... (full context)

...she dies, and she tells Téllez the curse is lifted, but to stay away from Tenorio. Téllez remembers that Tenorio had insulted him a while ago, but did not realize the... (full context)

...pouring pigeon blood on it, Cico defiles the river by spearing the golden carp, and Tenorio murders Ultima by killing her "night-spirit." Antonio cries out "My God, my God, why have... (full context)

As Pedro is speaking to Antonio, Juan approaches with the news that Tenorio's second daughter has died, and that Tenorio is again drunk and after Ultima's blood. The... (full context)

Antonio is walking Tenorio suddenly rides up, cursing, and tries to run him over with his horse. Antonio grabs... (full context)

...dream his life will follow. He reaches his home and everything seems calm, but then Tenorio appears with a rifle. He points the gun at Antonio, but Ultima commands the owl... (full context)

Tenorio finds the owl's body and holds it up triumphantly, howling that he has had his... (full context)

...spirit. She has done good in the world, but also meddled with destiny just like Tenorio. Now that they are both dead it will bring balance. She asks Antonio to burn... (full context)

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Tenorio Trementina Character Analysis

Tenorio Trementina Quotes in Bless Me, Ultima

Tenorio Trementina Character Timeline in Bless Me, Ultima

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