Spirituality

Several forms of spirituality are highlighted in the story, including Catholicism, mythology and communing with nature. Antonio is exposed to several types of spirituality throughout the book and sees each one played out in the life of another character. From Ultima, he learns a religion of treating others with goodness and being in tune with the ways of the earth. She shows him the proper way to pick herbs without harming the land and how to listen to signs of warning and goodness in nature. Before she dies, Ultima asks Antonio to bury the owl respectfully under a tree and hints that just as the owl is returning to the earth, she will too. She encourages Antonio to be accepting of this circle of life and not grieve the loss of life for too long.

Antonio learns about local mythology from his friends Samuel and Cico. They know...