Ceremony's Auntie

A detailed Summary of Ceremony's Auntie

Native American women were traditionally expected to fulfill the needs of a society of hunters. Their purpose was to help the men in their tribe to make use of the land, including tasks such as gathering and preparing food, cleaning, and caring for their young. These roles were passed down through the generations from mother to daughter. When Native American land was taken over by white settlers the boundaries outlining the role of women began to blur. Silko's Ceremony, demonstrates this change with the character Auntie. She finds herself caught between her traditional role and the need to find a place in the modern world which now surrounds her.

Auntie has several conflicts in the novel. The first conflict is that of religion. The traditional Native American beliefs are contrary to the beliefs of Christianity. The second is between her current desires and her traditional sense of duty. The final conflict is caused by her need to have her son, Rocky fit in with the modern world. This need is in conflict with her desire to keep him close to her by keeping him on the reservation. With theses conflicts Auntie shows the struggles that many Native American women went through.

Because of this Auntie separated herself from her own family. She was trying to avoid contaminating herself with the sins of her family. Auntie was constantly reading the Bible and going to church. She always went to church by herself so "she could show the people that she was a devout Christian and not immoral or pagan like the rest of the family" (77). In these ways, Auntie could not maintain a peaceful coexistence between the Christian view and the traditional beliefs of her people.

The communal beliefs of the people were also contradictory to Christianity.

"Christianity separated the people from themselves; it tried to crush the single clan name, encouraging each person to stand alone, because Jesus Christ would save only the individual soul; Jesus Christ was not like the Mother who loved and cared for them as her children, as her family" (68).

By the end of the novel, Auntie was separated from those she loves. Tayo, was emotionally distant because of her inability to show him the love and support he needed. Her mother was blind and mostly silent. Her son and only brother were dead. She was left with the separateness of her religion and the idle gossip of the town. By highlighting her isolation at the end of the novel, Silko seemed to be commenting on Auntie's rejection of traditional Native American teachings. The traditions, rituals, and ceremonies of the people bind them together. Auntie must embrace her past in order to be successful in her future.

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1039
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels