An Analysis of White People in "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko

 Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko allows readers to experience a perspective of white people from the Native American perspective, which is not often portrayed in most novels on the subject. The main protagonist, Tayo, and the old medicine man, Betonie, offer unique views on the relationship between whites and Native Americans.

As the novel progresses, Tayo's view of whites grows increasingly cynical as he begins to see them as destructive beings that have a "master plan" to destroy humanity. Initially somewhat indifferent about the malevolence of white people, his relationship with Betonie causes him to start seeing them in a very negative light. During part of the "ceremony", Betonie informs Tayo that white people were invented by Native American witches and play a role in the grand scheme of life. From this point on Tayo has multiple pessimistic revelations regarding the role of white people in life.

On page 189, the narrator states, "He [Tayo] lay there and hated them. Not for what they wanted to do with him, but for what they did to the earth with their machines, and to the animals with their packs of dogs and their guns. It happened again and again, and the people had to watch, unable to save or to protect any of the things that were so important to them." Tayo continues to rant about how he despises white people as he believes that they were created for the purpose of destroying the world. He is angered how whites could steal all the land and resources from Native Americans and still be seen as "the good guys" in the world. As a reader, one truly sympathizes with not only Tayo, but the entire Native American population during this paragraph. As a white person, one wants nothing more than to apologize and beg for forgiveness for the atrocities that have been committed. And it is not as if I had not known about the horrible things that white people have done to Native Americans, but the eloquent manner in which Tayo expresses his feelings offered a new perspective that I have not heavily considered.

An even more startling revelation from Tayo comes towards the very end of the book. He believes that white people will carry out their prophecy of destroying the world through the invention of the nuclear bomb. On page 228, the narrator states, "There was no end to it; it knew no boundaries; and he had arrived at the point of convergence where the fate of all living things, and even the earth, had been laid." In this quote, Tayo is referring to the fact that with the invention of the nuclear bomb the fate of mankind has been sealed. Although I don't agree that white people were created by Indian witches to destroy the Earth, I do agree with Tayo that the nuclear bomb will be the end of mankind.

In the book Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko readers are offered the seldom-seen perspective of white people from native Americans. Throughout the novel, Tayo grows increasingly distrustful and begins to view them as "the destroyers of humanity" after speaking with Benotie. Tayo raises interesting points about white people's effects on humanity, one of them being the issue of nuclear warfare.

Role of Race in the Novel "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko

It is worth noting that I have only read up to pg. 97 at the time of this post.

The role of race is an important topic in the novel Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko. There are three main races in a metaphorical conflict throughout the novel: whites, Native Americans, and Mexicans. The novel takes place from the perspective of the Native Americans, who are trying desperately to save their cultures and traditions, which they feel are going the way of the Dodo Bird. The main protagonist, Tayo, is half white and half Native American and often struggles internally to abide by the Native American traditions or embrace white culture.

Tayo speaks of how his Grandma used to reminisce about the times when humans and animals could speak to each other and how the Native American stories could explain all the workings of this Earth. Tayo continues, remarking how in his white schooling, the teacher told him that the Native American stories were false and the science textbook gave the true explanations for Earth's mysteries. Tayo often receives hate from full-blood Native Americans for being mixed race, as indicated by his green eyes. After Tayo sleeps with Josiah's girlfriend, Night Swan, she gives him advice on how to deal with being mixed race. She says, "They are fools. They blame us, the ones who look different. That way they don't have to think about what has happened inside themselves." This quote resonates with Tayo as it offers an explanation as to why people criticize him for being mixed race.

It is critical to analyze  race in the novel Ceremony as it plays an important role in the decision-making of the characters. I am anxious to see if Tayo will continue to embrace white culture or if he will become a strong believer in Native American traditions.