Reading Questions for Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko Pages 1-63
Pages 64-105
Pages 105-53
Pages 153-201
Pages 201-62
This is by far the most dense and complex of the books we will be reading and discussing this semester; we are taking it slowly but it will be imperative to stay current with the reading. Read through each section first, note any puzzlements (and there will be!) and then go back to see if you can sort it out using the following as a guide. The handout on the Ceremony will help keep characters, and chronology of the first 100 pages straight; note also the list of narrative threads you will see throughout the novel.
1. Read the poem about creation; who are the creators? How? What seems to be the connection between the deities and humans and storytelling?
2. Page 2 is another poem entitled "Ceremony"; why? Note gender designations.
3. "What She Said:" follows; any ideas about why it would come now?
4. Then, the word "Sunrise" "(with the punctuation for a full stop, a whole sentiment, a complete syntactical unit); note that on page 182, it appears again with an exclamation mark and at the end of the book itself.
5. These first 63 pages are a swirl of past and present; don't get bogged down–just keep on going and note the points that puzzle you. How is the book structured? what is the point of view? who are the characters? what are their relationships? What themes and motifs can you detect in this first fourth of the novel? Where and when is the speaker located at the time of the telling of the story? The verse pieces (pages 13-14, 37-38, 46-49. 53-5457-59) also tell stories; what kind? We will discuss these as a group at the end of our discussion about Ceremony.
6. How would you describe the language? tone? plot line? imagery? compare with Hogan, Welch, Momaday and Harjo.
7. What about memories in this text? What are they like and whose do we hear?
8. This is obviously a book about stories as well; whose stories and how would you describe them?
9. The first section runs from page 5-12; note in the margin where "now" is and when we are hearing the past.
10. What is Tayo's "sin"? (Remember in SS, it was said that "true sin" "consisted of crimes against nature and life").
11. Pages 14-18 are about his experience in the hospital in LA, in the train station with Japanese-Americans returning to their homes from the internment camps; what connection does he make?
12. His confusion about traditional beliefs and contemporary non-native culture is evident in the statement that "[d]istances and days existed in themselves then; they all had a story" (19). What does Tayo believe in now?
13. Harley arrives; Tayo remembers a specific incident about the first beer and notes the silence possible; but his friend is restless, we are told. And, he "didn't seem to feel anything at all"; familiar?
14. What is Emo's point of view? Why do you think Tayo thinks he is wrong?
15. Note the remarks that "it takes a great deal of energy to be a human being" and "he was tired of fighting off the dreams and voices"; what is Tayo's mental state?
16. We meet another grandmother; what is she compared to?
17. What relationships with animals do we have?
18. We gradually hear the story of Rocky's death through flashbacks that Tayo experiences and through memories; he is sick on the way with Harley after having a flashback about the war and we are transported to his arrival at New Laguna Pueblo after he comes back. What welcome does he get?
19. While the army doctors have diagnosed Tayo with battle fatigue, what does Grandma think? What steps does she take?
20. Ku'oosh comes and speaks; on page 34-39 tells of his coming, his words to Tayo and the young man's first meal that he did not vomit-what did this meal consist of?
21. He says that now that he does not care whether he lives anymore, he can sleep without the dreams sometimes, seldom vomits and is compared to what? (we'll also meet a way to survive compared to animals later on).
22. We now meet Emo; as he drinks with them at the Dixie Tavern, he feels something inside; there is mention of a storm here, as well. What's the story with uniforms and Indians?
23. How and what do we find out about Emo's feelings toward Tayo?
24. Ritual is mentioned; what is the ritual and what is it supposed to accomplish?
25. Josiah tells Tayo about their origins on a trip to get water; what are we told of the older man's philosophy? does the last part of this paragraph on page 46 take place in "present" or in the past, at the time of getting the barrels filled? how can you tell? What kind of markers does Silko use then to guide us through this narrative?
26. To whom is Tayo referring when he wishes that "they" had taught him more"?
27. Pages 50-52 tell the story (and ritual) of the deer and the meeting of two traditions, two perspectives; do there seem to be any resolutions at this point? is one "bad" and one "good" in this telling? why do you say that?
28. In the hospital after Tayo's attack on Emo, Tayo tells the doctor "[i]t's been going on for a long time." What does "it" seem to be and what does Tayo mean?
29. Emo keeps teeth in the tobacco sack; Tayo's response to the sound of the teeth rattling is nausea; then, Emo tells a story–in verse form. How is his story like and how different than the other verse form "poems"? There is a story and set actions–a ritual, we are reminded. Leroy, Harley and Pinkie laugh uproariously while Tayo does what? Is the picture we are given of Emo smashing melons, trampling ants and "underst[anding]" what "they" showed him from Tayo's point of view–or the narrator's? What difference would it make who is telling us?
30. As well as loosening him up, Tayo feels the liquor loosening up something else; what do you think is happening to him? What happens in the fight? What can Tayo say he can believe in now? Is he different, do you thin, than when we met him at the beginning of the book?
1. There is talk of distance here, too; what is it? What strategy does Auntie use and why does she exclude Tayo? There is an explanation of "old ways"; how do you feel about her?
2. We started this section at the Army recruiter's office, segued into the incident with his mother and Auntie and now, back at the recruiter's office with the cousins; what happens here and what is the family's attitude about them leaving to fight?
3. What is Josiah's business idea? And what is Auntie's response? What do we learn about Auntie?
4. The cattle arrive; Josiah goes to see Night Swan (Lalo)–what's the problem with that? (Notice colors and eyes)
5. We then get the story of how she and Josiah met in Cubero; we also find out her story–what is her history? On page 87, there is mention of drought and the "woman veiled in clouds" in relation to Night Swan–the reference to this mountain is one of several.
6. In her disgust at the affair between Josiah and Night Swan, Auntie refers to the gossip of the people; Grandma also responds to the affair and to Auntie–how?
7. We learn in the next few pages how Josiah learned about these cattle–something to remember.
8. Pages 93-100 tell of dry spells and holy men, of the spider at the canyon pool, of the "rain's children," of the dragonflies, the hummingbird and a "world made of stories." The mountain is mentioned on page 96 and we hear of Tayo's encounter with Night Swan. These are important pages and we'll spend some time on them.
9. When Tayo returns to Cubero after the bar, he finds Night Swan gone; what is his experience there? What is happening to him? Is the "old feeling" gone permanently (105)?
1. The short passage on top of page 107 is unusual: why and who is telling us this? when?
2. When he and Robert arrive in Gallup, what happens? there is another embedded scene–what do you make of this?
3. Describe Betonie and his hogan; is this what you expected? why? in the middle of page 120, the old medicine man says to Tayo "[w]e've been gathering these things for a long time–hundreds of years. She was doing it before I was born and he was working before she came." As you probably realize by now, we learn things differently than in most novels we are use to; this novel takes patience. Just keep on reading–you will find out what is going on. note references to stories, to the fear he talks about.
4. Tayo tells Betonie about his hospital experiences pages 123-26; what is Betonie doing, do you think? What does Betonie tell Tayo on page 125; this conversation holds many ideas-- one of them is that of community and tribal society.
5. Page 126 gives us Betonie's reasoning about ceremonies and what change is, can accomplish. What is Betonie's answer to the anger and frustration "Indians [must] wake up [to] every morning" (and it sounds to me like Emo's, Harley's, Pinkie's and Leroy's feelings)?
6. Who is Shush? Why? What is the passage at the top of page 131 doing, anyway?
7. What is "witchery"?
8. Betonie talks about his family as Tayo tells him about Rocky and Emo; the old man also goes on about witchcraft and we meet a much anthologized "poem" entitled "Long Time Ago" in most of the collections. Here, it is part of the story.
9. The ceremony takes place (read the handout on the Red Antway ); on page 145, the results of the ceremony are given.
10. Now, Betonie tells Tayo about his grandfather, grandmother and the grandfather's words about the larger ceremony that Tayo is a part of. There is more explanation about witchery.
11. What three things is Tayo to watch out for?
1. We now have another story starting on page 153; we hear another voice–is Tayo aware of this information? is anyone besides the reader? What is her story? Do you believe her ?
2. What is Tayo's "story" in this episode?
3. What does the Scalp Ceremony accomplish? Is the ceremony completed? What do you think still has to be accomplished?
4. Explain the meaning of the paragraph on the top of page 170? How can we tell his mind is clearer now? Why do we think it is?
5. After the long verse narrative on pages 170-76, we hear a new voice; pay close attention to her appearance and to her blanket–what should the presence of 4 colors alert us to? What does he see? What had Betonie told him about these three things?
6. This is the one picture in the novel; why is it here? any comparison to the Kiowa interest in stars from WRM?
7. What happens between the woman and Tayo? (Before we lay a moral judgment on them from our cultural assessments of what is right and what is wrong, we need to consider Hogan's character Angel's lesson about what "true sin" is; different groups of people will have different moral codes, but Angel's northeast people offer one besides the one we are taught).
8. He dreams that night; and he talks about breathing, as well. Here we have the Sunrise! song; there is the mention of power–what is power?
9. Note the description of the house; what is she working on?
10, After he leaves, he rides and we hear of what he sees–the mountain veiled with clouds. we hear a story of Josiah and a lion cub and butterflies; he understands something vital to his role in this "ceremony" Betonie has told him about (186).
11. What is Tayo going after? What does he run into and what is the significance of the "wolf-proof fence"?
12. Where are the cattle headed? Why?
13. Page 190 raises the issue of guilt, of the lie. What is the lie? What is the damage it does? Why do you think the narrative includes the detrimental effect on non-natives (particularly whites) along with those to natives? What would the story be without this? (I think there is a philosophical view as well as a more cynical one–what do you think? )
14. Note pages 191-92 especially!!
15. What was the lesson Josiah had taught Tayo about anger?
16. Just as he starts doubting what he has experienced, he has another experience with a mountain lion–what is it? What does it mean? At the bottom of page 196, the word "restoration" is mentioned–what is this, how does it happen? what does memory have to do with it, do you think? (what would Momaday say?)
17 "It was changing, unraveling"–what is "it"? What happens then?
These last 60 pages pull it all together–Tayo's childhood, his experiences in battle, his homecoming, his healing, his role in the healing of the land itself, one could say.
1. As Tayo is coming to, he is aware of what? what does this mean–the term itself, to him and to the whole text?
2. He realizes that he has a choice; what is it?
3. The white ranch hands leave and the sky is full of storm clouds. Pages 203-204 tell of his response to the men and to what is happening inside of him as well; who is to blame for the situation of the land and who is suffering?
4. What do the snow and the mountain lion accomplish for him?
5. He meets a man singing a chant; note how he is dressed, what he is singing, and then, a woman with a blanket. What do you think is happening?
6. What has happened to his horse and to his cattle? What happens to the woman?
7. When he comes back with Robert to the woman's house, what do they find?
8. We read a short segment relaying Grandma's and Auntie's response when he gets back; why do they respond in these ways?
9. At the bottom of page 215, the sentence reads "[h]e dreamed with her"; why not use the word "about"? What is his response and what does it mean?
10. When is it when we see Tayo and Robert next?
11. Anther dream–and then it's May; what message does Grandma relay to him and what could it mean?
12. Page 219 tells of the land and the changes since we met Tayo; what are these? He makes the comment that the "fifth world endured"; what does he mean?
13. Pages 221-27 tells of Ts'eh's and Tayo's time together in the summer; what happens? what do you expect of their relationship? In the middle of page 226, we read "he could see the story taking form in bone and muscle"–think about what we've been reading about stories and ritual, about "real" life and that that seems not quite "real."
14. What is Robert's message at the end of the summer"?
15. Ts'eh's words to Tayo are about death and about the destroyers; what's the difference and why is death not "much" and the destroyers that must be stopped?
16. On page 230, she asks "[h]ow far are you willing to go?" Do you think he understands what she is asking him? Do you understand what she is asking? Note her gazing at Pa'to'ch. Mountains are important here as the land is central to all issues Native American. You may find out why if you check a website about Navajo or Pueblos peoples.
17. Of what significance is the painting of the she-elk on the cliff? (A'moo'ooh is a term of endearment–and respect–to an older woman in the language spoken at Laguna Pueblo–check out Silko's Storyteller).
18. Pages 230-31 continue with their protecting the painting; she remarks that "[t]hey want to change [the end of the story]" and goes on in the next 4 pages to tell of the last of their conversation. Note her explanation of what has happened.
19. She remarks that Emo and "the others" are left and that "part won't be easy"; tension seems to be building–how would you describe the tone, imagery, language here?
20. What is "almost completed"? She tells him to remember–interesting juxtaposition of what he has been thinking about and what she says–why "interesting"?
21. Page 235 he wakes up in a cave and is confused about where he is; he thinks that he "has to bring it back on them"; who is them and what is it? the dry wind? the evil? the past? the emptiness? the loss?
22. Page 237 speaks of a balancing and of convergence; what has happened to Tayo in the year he's been back home? Where is he?
23. He "feels" the vibration the truck makes before he hears it; when it stops, he gets in with Leroy and Harley and Harley says that they are celebrating the day of their enlistment.
24. What does Tayo figure out and what does he realize he is going to have to do? Who is the enemy here? (This strikes a cord because he had difficulty figuring this out in the jungles of the Philippines, also).
25. When he wakes up, the two friends are gone and he again struggles to not swirl in the confusion. What is your reaction to Tayo at this point? Do you just want him to get on with it? or do you sympathize with him? or what—?
26. He says some intriguing things about fear; instead of paralyzing him, it proves his life-saver. They are at the mine, a mine that exists and is one that still causes cancer and stillbirths among all animals–since the mine was dug and used in the 1940s. We hear of the atomic bomb testing, as well.
27. On page 244, we read that "only his memory of running and breathing kept him moving and alive"; intriguing words and idea.
28. We read of Grandma's words to him and he now realizes what she was talking about; he speaks of the inevitable connections that laugh at any ideas of neat compartmentalizing of time or space, of the spiritual and the physical. Pages 246 and 247 pulls a lot of the motifs implied at before or mentioned in the style that reminds me of peeling an onion–bit by bit. He notes the constellations above him and there is a story of Arrowboy and the witchman.
29. What does he witness at the mine? again, we read of the destroyers and how the spiritual leaders themselves are fooled; direct mention of the ceremony is made on page 250. How does Tayo almost get fooled himself and entered into the "deadly ritual"?
30. Mention of the stars, memory, stories and the fifth world again; what happens after the others leave? Note on page 255 his use of the pronoun "we"; who is "she"and why is the time of day auspicious?
31. We next see and hear Tayo in the kiva at the pueblo and he tells them the story; note the verse on page 258.
32. After Harley and Leroy are found; what is Auntie's ironic (humorous to us?) reply to the church ladies? What is Grandma's?
33. Note the verse on pages 260-61 as a unit; what is it saying? how is this different than the non-native ideas?
34. On page 262, we have three lines; what do they "do"?