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Symbolism In Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony

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Have one ever wondered what his or her life would be like if one loses their only family members? The author Leslie Marmon Silko grew up on a Laguna Pueblo reservation. She is mixed with Mexico and Laguna Pueblo. Silko has lived and taught English in New Mexico, Alaska, and Arizona. Ceremony is about a man named Tayo who has been experiencing loss and depression because of his uncle and his cousin’s death, but then later he stops worrying and being depressed. In Ceremony there are lots of symbols that helped him get better, symbols such as a ceremony, Ts’eh, and the cattles. Ceremony is a big part of Tayos’ tradition and healing. In the book, Tayo is in Gallup under ceremonial grounds where Betonie is performing a ceremony based on a story. In the text, it states that, “They finished it together, with a big rainbow arching wide above all the mountain ranges. Betonie gave him a basket with prayer sticks to hold.” (p. 131). In other words, Betonie and his helper, Shush, are finishing up a painting of the ceremony to perform for Tayo. This conveys that in order for Tayo to get better, he had to take his tradition rituals and practices for medicine. This also illustrates that it was the one thing that was to help Tayo get well with his condition or sickness. …show more content…

She teaches him about love, and wild herbs, and to avoid his pursuers. After Tayo has spent the night with Ts’eh, Tayo woke up and feeling better than ever. In Ceremony it states, “Being alive was all right then: he had not breathed like that for a long time.” (p. 168). In other words Tayo was feeling very good than ever before he has been living. This indicates that Tayo’s love for Ts’eh comes to replace the pain and guilt he had felt at losing Rocky and Josiah. This also illustrates that Ts’eh is much more than just a lover to Tayo; she is like his happiness that he

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