Ceremony

## Discussion Questions: *Ceremony* by Leslie Marmon Silko 1. **Identity & Belonging:** Tayo has a mixed Native American and white background, which places him in a challenging position between two cultures. How does this blend of identities influence his self-perception, and in what ways does the novel imply that belonging is more of a social construct than something we simply inherit? 2. **Healing & Trauma:** The story intertwines Tayo's personal struggles (his PTSD from World War II) with the broader trauma experienced by his community. How does Silko link individual healing to the restoration of the community and its spiritual well-being? What does this reveal about the nature of trauma itself? 3. **The Role of Storytelling:** Silko incorporates traditional Laguna Pueblo myths and narratives throughout the story. How do these tales function in the novel—are they just background elements, or do they play an active role in shaping the plot? What does this narrative structure indicate about the power of storytelling? 4. **Ceremony as Resistance:** In what ways can the novel be interpreted as a ceremonial act? How does Silko leverage both the form and content of the book to push back against colonial narratives and reclaim Indigenous knowledge systems? 5. **The Land as Character:** The Southwestern landscape is depicted with rich, almost living detail. How does Silko illustrate the connection between people and the land, and what is lost—both for Tayo and his community—when that connection is severed? 6. **Witchery & Evil:** The novel presents the idea of "witchery" as a destructive and dislocating force. How does Silko characterize evil within this framework, and how does it contrast with Western moral perspectives? Who or what becomes associated with witchery by the story's conclusion?

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## Discussion Questions: *Ceremony* by Leslie Marmon Silko Use the following questions to guide your close reading and class discussion of *Ceremony*. Support your responses with specific evidence from the text. 1. **Identity & Belonging:** Tayo, who has mixed heritage, grapples with feeling fully accepted by both white American and Laguna Pueblo societies. How does his experience of being caught between these worlds influence his psychological wounds, and what does the novel suggest about the possibility of healing through that hybridity? 2. **The Power of Story:** Silko incorporates traditional Laguna oral narratives and poetry throughout the novel. What role do these stories play in Tayo's healing journey? What stance does the novel take on the connection between storytelling and survival? 3. **War & Trauma:** How does Silko link Tayo's World War II trauma to the wider historical trauma faced by Native American communities? In what ways does the novel challenge or complicate typical war narratives? 4. **Nature & the Land:** The drought, the cattle, and the Southwest landscape are key elements of the plot. How does Silko utilize the natural world as both a literal and symbolic space? What does Tayo's connection to the land reveal about the values of the Laguna Pueblo? 5. **Evil, Witchery & Destruction:** The novel presents "witchery" as a destructive force that transcends cultural and racial boundaries. How does this concept challenge simplistic distinctions between good and evil or Native and white? How does Tayo's ceremony counter witchery? 6. **Gender & Healing:** Several women — including Ts'eh and Betonie's grandmother — play crucial roles in Tayo's recovery. How does Silko depict feminine knowledge and power? What implications does this have for gender roles in the novel's perspective on healing? 7. **Form & Structure:** The novel's non-linear narrative reflects the circular, ceremonial nature of Laguna storytelling. How does this choice in structure shape your reading experience? What is gained — or lost — by presenting Tayo's story in this way?

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## Discussion Questions: *Ceremony* by Leslie Marmon Silko Consider these questions as you reflect on the novel. Be ready to share your thoughts and listen to your classmates' perspectives. 1. **Identity and Belonging:** Tayo's background is mixed — he's half Laguna Pueblo and half white. How does this dual heritage influence his self-perception and his role within his community? In what ways does the novel suggest that identity is more fluid than rigid? 2. **Healing and Trauma:** After returning from World War II, Tayo experiences what we might now recognize as PTSD. How does Silko depict healing? What role do traditional Laguna ceremonies and storytelling play in Tayo's recovery, and how does this contrast with Western methods of addressing trauma? 3. **The Power of Story:** Throughout the novel, Silko blends poetry, myth, and prose. Why might she have opted for this mixed narrative style? How does the structure of the novel itself reflect the themes of ceremony and healing? 4. **Connection to the Land:** The descriptions of the Laguna landscape are vivid and almost spiritual. How does Tayo's connection with the land change throughout the novel? What does the land symbolize for the Laguna people, and how is that significance either threatened or preserved? 5. **Us vs. Them — Witchery and Destruction:** Silko introduces "witchery" as a destructive force that goes beyond racial divides. How does this concept complicate simplistic narratives of Native versus white, or victim versus oppressor? What seems to be Silko's message about the nature of evil? 6. **Women and Healing:** Characters like Ts'eh and Betonie's grandmother play crucial roles in Tayo's journey. How does Silko depict women in the novel, and what is their connection to knowledge, power, and ceremony? 7. **Tradition and Change:** Old Betonie believes ceremonies need to adapt to stay relevant. Do you share his perspective? How does the novel navigate the balance between honoring tradition and the necessity for change in a dynamic world?

ap_lit · common_core_ela · ib_lang_lit · native_american_lit