Leslie Marmon Silko-Anglo American, Mexican American and 1/4 Laguna Pueblo female author who writes about the Laguna Pueblo tribe. She is well-known for her poetry and award-winning novel,
Ceremony. As a younger female still bound to the rules of her parents, she wasn't allowed to particiapate in Laguna Pueblo rituals but managed to hear the traditions of her people through her grandma, aunt, and grandfather. In a interview with Alan Velvie, Silko described herself in the following: "I am of mixed-breed ancestry, but what I know is Laguna".
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...Wikipedia folks. Trust it.
Devices/Techniques:
Diction-Various forms of formality. At times vulgar, at times where's my dictionary, most times colloquial
Point of View-Mainly third person. Narrator sets the scene and brings us to Tayo's story.
Syntax-Sentence variation
Tone-Desperate, light(like smoke), angry, lost, remorseful, mournful.
Imagery-Descriptive. All senses tingling. Add to the intensity of Tayo's emotions.
Symbols-
Drought-punishment
Cattle-whats been lost
Belly-stories
Setting:
-Phillipine jungles during WWII
-Veteran's Hospital
-Laguna Resvervation
-1930s-1950s?
Characters-
Tayo-Protagonist who struggles and attempts to find a sense of community and family within his own blood relatives and the individuals who reside in the reservation. He upholds traditional Indian beliefs and senses the social imperfections and judgement of those around him, and due to his mixed blood(White and Indian), Tayo is able to cure himself and his community from the outside world that seeks to scoff at their ancient beliefs.
Betonie-Medicine man who leads/guides Tayo through his ceremony. Betonie is viewed as a bit eccentric and members of the reservation don't trust his methods and his communication with white people. He lives on the outside of the Navajo community and is a descendant of a line of medicine men and women who have teamed together in a long effort to bring about a new and successful ceremony in a changing world.
Auntie-Tayo's aunt who is a member of the Christian church. She seeks the pity and respect of her community to wear away the past gossip that surrounded her family with the betrayal of her younger siblings Laura and Josiah. Although Auntie manages as the leader of the house, she is quite proud and bitter against Tayo who she feels will never be a part of the Indian community. Her love aims straight and true for her deceased son, Rocky, who she was willing to let become more Americanized in order for success to shine down upon the family name. Her faith in the ancient ways have diminished.
Josiah-Tayo's beloved uncle who teaches Tayo about Indian beliefs and traditions. He falls in love/has a fling with a Mexican woman named Night Swan who introduces him to change in his purchase of a herd of Mexican cattle crossbred with Herefords(adapted to survive).
Harley-Tayo's boisterous friend with a constant hankering for beer. Harley served as a soldier in WWII, but he returned from the war less troubled than Tayo. His only issue seems to be that he has an addiction to alcohol and can't seem to function properly enough to take care of his family's sheep. He doesn't seem to care/feel anymore.
Rocky-Tayo's cousin and adoptive brother who represents the loss of faith and turn of traditional Indian to one who is an Americanized Indian integrating in to white society. As a youth, Rocky was popular and athletic. He served as a soldier in WWII but did not make it back alive.
Grandma-Tayo's grandmother who cares little for the gossip that spreads about her family. Grandma serves as the wise voice and matriarch of the family who suggests that Tayo be visited by a medicine. At the very end, Grandma is mature enough to recognize that the story that is being told has already been told before, the names have just changed this time around.
Night Swan-Josiah's Mexican girlfriend and former cantina dancer. Night Swan is a strong and independent women who allows for the observance of the contact that different cultures have with whites and Indians. She seduces and sleeps with Tayo near the middle or end(?) of the book to teach Tayo a lesson about change.
Old Ku'oosh-Traditional Laguna medicine man who is unable to treat the new diseases that the Indian soldiers have acquired. Though he is incapable of inventing a new ceremony, he has the wisdom and confidence to send Tayo to someone who might be able to cure this new world disease.
Emo-Tayo's enemy. Emo is critical of Tayo and the color of Tayo's skin that seems to present opportunities to Tayo that are otherwise with held from Emo and the other full-blooded Indians. Emo resents Tayo's criticism and sets out to destroy Tayo. He served as a soldier in the war and developed a stronger rage toward himself for not being able to keep the attention and respect of the white people after he war. He frequents bars and drinks, reliving the glory days when white women would fawn over him and he was buddies with the white soldiers. He is a twisted character who revels in death and carries the teeth of those he has killed in a bag.
Robert-Auntie's mild mannered husband who adheres to the old ways. He is the first to tell Tayo that he is glad that he made it home from the war. Robert warns Tayo of Emo's attack even though he tends to mind his own business.
The Woman-Sacred figure of Laguna history who is reincarnated as Ts'eh to help Tayo progress through his ceremony. Ts'eh helps Tayo with the lost cattle and teaches him about wild herbs, love, and what to do about those who pursue him.
Descheeny-Betonie's grandfather. Began the creation of a new ceremony(Mexican woman too) to cure the world of the destruction brought on by white people and he was the first to recognize the need for Indians and Mexicans to be able to stand together and defeat the evil of the world.
Mexican Girl-Betonie's grandmother.Represents the interbreeding of races(Indian and white culture). Helps begin the new ceremony and raises Betonie with the information and tools to continue the ceremony.
Hunter-Animal spirit important to Indian belief who appears as both a man and lion in front of Tayo in order to help lead Tayo to Josiah's lost cattle.
Laura-Tayo's absent/deceased mother. She couldn't handle the mixed messages and conflicting beliefs that were presented to her at home and at school.She is a victim of the contact between white and Indian cultures. Laura went wild, turned to alcohol and fled from her beliefs and the responsibility of raising her son.
Helen Jean-Woman Harley and Leroy pick up at a bar. She represents all the young Indian woman who went searching for identity in the white towns but were pushed into prostitution and alcoholism.
Plot-
Acknowledgements-I couldn't have done it without Sparknotes and Ana Williams
* First poem introduces Thought Women(Ts'its'tsi'nako-spider) who prepared this story for our ears. Whatever she thinks appears and brings to life this story. The narrator is preparing us and telling the audience the story Thought Women is thinking.
*Second poem-stories are powerful(rituals/ceremonies included)
* Third poem-"What she said" Thought Women? Brief, but message, only good cure is a ceremony.
*Tayo is experiencing a fitful sleep. Nightmares lead him to the memories of his home and the time he spent in the Philippines as a soldier fighting against the Japanese. He wakes up confused and his memories and thoughts are scattered. Tayo attempts to calm himself thinking about a deer but he is unable to keep the image of the deer in his mind. From his futile effort to calm his mind, Tayo remembers the jungles of the Philippines and the pained moment where he thought he saw Josiah in the face of one of the Japanese soldiers he was ordered to shoot even after Rocky rolled the dead Japanese man over.
*Tayo eventually gets up and moves about his house, but in the kitchen he sits and misses Josiah. During this moment, the region Tayo lives in is experiencing a severe drought, similar to one that occurred in the 1920s. Tayo remembers helping Josiah hydrate the animals back with the first drought, but now with this second drought, Tayo has fewer animals and Josiah and Rocky are no longer with him.
*Tayo spent six years at war and remembers carrying Rocky's wounded body through the rainy jungle with the help of a corporal. A flood knocked them down though and Tayo prayed and cursed against the rain that took more than it gave.
* Tayo spent time in a Veterans' Hospital in Los Angeles after he returned from the war. Although his physical body made molds on the bed, Tayo felt invisible. Like white smoke. Whenever the doctor asked him questions, Tayo would refer to himself in the third person. Eventually after he vomited less from his tears and began to feel less like smoke, Tayo was released from the hospital. At the train depot, upon descending, Tayo collapses and when he revives a Japanese family hovers over him and leads Tayo to think that he is back in the Philippines. A depot man helps Tayo and explains to him that the Japanese-Americans are accepted. Times have changed. Tayo vomits once the guy leaves him.
*Tayo remembers his childhood. Remembers the Indian stories that he was told and even after everything, he still believes them even though others have tried to convince him otherwise.
*Harley arrives on his burro and invites Tayo for a long ride to the reservation line and the bars. Tayo notices the differences between himself and Rocky, but also the differences. They've both been left in the desert away from their families because of their problems, but Tayo still feels even after the war.Rocky feels nothing but the desire to chug back another beer.
* While the two men ride towards the beer, Tayo feels guilty. His aunt and grandma talk about Rocky so much that Tayo feels as if the life he breathes is a mistake and Rocky is the one who should have survived the war. He begins to cry and then lost as he is in his misery, he falls off his ride.
*Auntie takes care of Tayo when he returns home from the hospital. Tayo is still depressed and enjoys the dark shadows of his old room that cover the mementos of Rocky's life and the permanent mold of Rocky's body on his bed. Tayo feels sick when Auntie has him lie on Rocky's bed while she cleans Tayo's dirty one. Grandma sits in the dark and listens to Tayo cry.
*Tayo feels as if he is worsening and wants to go back to the hospital but Grandma claims that what he really needs is a medicine man instead. Auntie refuses because she doesn't want the rumors to start up again about their family especially after Josiah and Laura. But she agrees in the hope that she will be one day be able to say "I told you so" if the medicine man doesn't work.
*Ku'oosh arrives and speaks in the old dialect and reminds Tayo of the sacred places on the reservation. He explains the old ways to Tayo and alerts Tayo to the fragile intricacies of the world. Tayo is certain that he didn't kill anyone, but Ku'oosh informs Tayo that one cannot kill without knowing it. Tayo sees this thought as a deeper understanding that cannot account for modern warfare. Ku'oosh prepares Tayo for an ancient cleansing ceremony that involves a poem and is meant to be completed after killing individuals in battle. No rituals=terrible dreams.
*Ku'oosh warns Tayo that the old ceremonies haven't been working as well with the changing times since the white men jumped into the scene. Ku'oosh is fearful of what will happen to Tayo and the others if the ritual does not work. The medicine man leaves and Tayo sits in his bed and considers the man who cursed the rain and suffers bad dreams. Auntie comes in and feeds him blue mush(a must) and Tayo does not vomit. Tayo is indifferent to his survival and lives without truly living.
* Tayo goes to the Dixie Tavern and discovers that alcohol dulls the pain in his belly. Stories are told.
*Tayo flashes back to the memory of stabbing Emo in the belly...evil in Emo's belly. The stories of blood and women do not sit well with Tayo.
*Tayo sleeps with Night Swan
*Homeless memories of him and his mom resurface
* Ceremony begins at Betonie's house and continues with the interactions with Ts'eh , followed by Tayo following the lovely stars and a mountain lion to save/reclaim Josiah's lost cattle.
*Tayo is captured by rangers in his effort to release the cattle, but the mountain lion leads Tayo back to the animals and Ts'eh and her husband. Tayo leaves but later returns for the cattle. Ts'eh and the hunter are gone.
*Tayo volunteers to watch over the cattle in the next spring.
*Ts'eh returns to the mountains where Tayo is watching over the cattle. Robert comes and warns Tayo about Emo crazy antics.
* Tayo retreats further into the mountains. Harley and Pinkie come to collect Tayo, betraying their childhood friend by getting him drunk and dropping him off abruptly. Tayo, mindful of the suspicious behavior, runs off.
* Tayo finds water and then hears the loud drunken behavior of Emo, Pinkie, Leroy, and the shrill screaming of Harley. Emo is abusing/slicing at Harley. Tayo is frightened and frozen behind his rock. He contemplates interring for his friends beneifit but figures his intrusion on evil would be exactly what the witches want(cause more caos). Tayo remains in his hideout but later returns home. Ceremony complete.
*Harley dies. Emo kills Pinkie. Leroy dies in a fight between him and Pinkie. Emo is shunned and forced off the reservation.
*Grandma has heard this all before.
Quotes:
"But as long as you remember what you have seen, then nothing is gone. As long as you remember, it is part of this story we have together" (215). Everything is connected and affecting in a twisted web that is sometimes quite incomprehensible. We are a part of the world we live in and our duty is to remember what transpires in the space around us so that life continues.
"That was the responsibility that went with being human, old Ku'oosh said, the story behind each word must be told so there could be no mistake in the meaning of what had been said; and this demanded great patience and love"(33).
Messing up our words messes up the story. Our lessons are born from our words and they travel as stories to give life and meaning to others.
Theme:
In her novel,
Ceremony, Silko suggests that the existence of good and evil impact everything and when one recognizes that these aspects are meaningless classifications, their knowledge allows them to both seek and achieve personal and commercial balance.
