Curated set · answers marked
Which of the following best describes the central conflict Tayo faces when he returns home after World War II in Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony?
AHe fights to reclaim his land from a rival rancher who took it during the war.
BHe is tormented by survivor's guilt and a fractured spirit, needing to participate in a traditional Laguna healing ceremony to regain his identity and sense of belonging.✓
CHe gets caught up in a political conflict between the U.S. government and the Laguna Pueblo tribal council.
DHe falls for a woman who is off-limits due to tribal law, forcing him to choose between tradition and his own happiness.
Rationale
The novel explores Tayo's psychological and spiritual trauma from the war and his mixed-race heritage. His journey to healing involves reconnecting with Laguna Pueblo traditions and participating in a ceremony led by the medicine man Betonie, which helps him regain his sense of wholeness and reconnect with his community and the land.
Question: In Leslie Marmon Silko's novel Ceremony, what is the name of the mixed-heritage (Laguna Pueblo and white) protagonist whose healing journey forms the center of the narrative?
ARocky
BTayo
CBetonie
DJosiah Correct Answer: B) Tayo
Rationale
Tayo is the main character in the novel — a World War II veteran with a mix of Laguna Pueblo and white ancestry who comes back home deeply affected by trauma. The story explores his path to spiritual and psychological healing through traditional Laguna Pueblo ceremonies and storytelling.