Introduction
Leslie Marmon Silko, born on March 5, 1948, is an American writer who became one of the key persons in the first wave of the Native American Renaissance. The novel “Ceremony” is considered the best work of Silko, which tells about half-Pueblo, half-white youth Tayo (Silko, 2006). After World War II, Tayo suffered from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and tried to rethink their life principles and his views on life.
The Key Purpose
The novel does not have a sequential order from chapter to chapter, and the main idea is conveyed through the stories and dialogues of the characters. The key goal of the author was to depict exciting problems through the prism of a ceremony as a rite of purification. These issues include race problems, the struggle between good and evil, wisdom, and animal instincts. Moreover, the author raises the problem of attitudes towards the Indigenous people: it would seem that during the war, they were given the opportunity to fight on par with everyone. However, outside of the war, the attitude is not equal, the Natives are denied many social benefits.
The Connection with Nature
Similar to customary in Indigenous literature, the novel observes the theme of the connection between man and nature. The earth in the novel is Mother Nature, who, despite the constant trials sent to humanity, forgives them since being inextricably linked to them. In addition, Rocky, the protagonist’s brother, who tries to prove his loyalty to the imposed opinions, manifests himself as a conformist. Rocky’s death by a Japanese grenade is a symbolic act of punishment by nature.
Conclusion
Through the ceremony as a rite of cleansing, Tayo begins to understand that the world is not chaotic but is made up of an infinite number of interdependent bonds. The hero found himself somewhere between beautifulness (Betony’s wisdom, purity, nature) and the manifestation of evil (war, the law of individualism, the atomic bomb). To sum up, one may notice that the author’s main idea was to convey reflections on life through the prism of a post-war fate.
Reference
Silko, L. M. (2006). Ceremony. Penguin Books.