Ceremony essays

Ceremony essays The protagonist of the story, Tayo, is struggling to keep balance in his life. He has difficulty maintaining a consciousness of what is dream and what is memory. He is torn by feelings of divided loyalty due to his mixed parentage and the loss of his "brother" and friends. In order to portray this sense of confusion between dream, myth, memory, and reality, the author combines prose and poetry throughout the book. Ceremony is not only a story about Native Americans; it is a Native American story. The younger Native Americans are caught in a conflict between their Native values and traditions and those of The United States. Tayo's case in particular serves as a perfect example. Auntie, Tayo's "foster" mother, and all of Tayo's friends experience similar conflicts. The Auntie character demonstrates that the conflicts between Natives and non-Native peoples are not the only source of confusion nor are they the sole division between right and wrong. While some of Auntie's problematic behavior originates in her attempts to negotiate between the two cultures, her longing for her dead son and her subsequent mistreatment of Tayo are also sources of her own conflict and confusion. While the novel supports and respects Native American views and morals, it does not glorify the race as superior nor perfect. Native American tradition includes some practices that some people of the United States cannot understand. However, the reverse is also true. One difficult struggle on the reservation is due to the fact that the old Native American medicine and ceremonies are less effective given the influences of American culture. However, some beliefs and practices endure but may be confusing when only partially understood or observed. For example, Tayo is influenced by the story of Pa'caya'nyi in which the people were tricked by his witchery into abandoning their mother corn, resulting in a great drought. In this poem, the people look for a way t...