Tuesday, 14 February: American Indian Minority vs. the immigrant narrative. Leslie Marmon Silko, “The Man to Send Rain Clouds” (IA 205-209); Louise Erdrich, "American Horse" (IA 210-220); Mei Mei Evans, “Gussuk” (IA 237-251)

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Laura Guerrero

“The Man to Send Rain Clouds”

by

Leslie Marmon Silko

Biographical Information:

Leslie Marmon Silko was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1948. Her mixed ancestry included Laguna Pueblo Indian, Mexican, and white, but she grew up on the Laguna Pueblo Reservation where part of her family had lived for generations. After attending Indian Affairs schools in Laguna Pueblo and Catholic schools in Albuquerque, Silko graduated from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque in 1969. She briefly attended law school before deciding to de-vote herself full-time to writing. Silko first be-came known as a poet with Laguna Woman (1974). Her first novel, Ceremony, was pub-lished in 1977 to critical acclaim. Her second novel, The Almanac of the Dead, an apocalyptic view of the American future, appeared in 1991. Silko has also published Storyteller (1981) which includes poetry, short stories, family history, myths, and photographs. She currently teaches at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “The Man to Send Rain Clouds” originally appeared in Storyteller.

Objectives:

Objective 1. To identify the immigrant narrative as the fundamental story-line of the dominant or majority culture in the USA and identify its relations to "the American Dream” and other essential American narratives.

1b. No single text tells the whole story, but the whole or larger story is always in the background.

As the story begins, you believe that the death of Teofilo is the main idea of the story.  Though the family is sad for the death of Teofilo, the underlying meaning of the story has to do with traditions and rituals. 

Objective 2. To chart variations and stages of the immigrant narrative.

2b. narrator or viewpoint: Who writes the immigrant narrative?

·       Second-generation? (standard: the children of immigrants learn English and explore the conflict between ethnic and mainstream identities)

Leslie Marmon Silko grew up on a Reservation where her family lived there for generations.  She also attending Indian Affair schools as well as Catholic Schools. 

2c. setting(s): Where does the immigrant narrative take place?

·        Homeland? Journey? America? Return to homeland?

The setting takes place at the Laguna Reservation of New Mexico.

Objective 3. To compare and contrast the immigrant narrative with the minority narrative—or, American Dream versus American Nightmare: 

·        Differences between immigrants and minorities:

African Americans and Native Americans were not immigrants, at least in any normal sense. (Native Americans were already here, and immigration meant bad news—the “American Nightmare” rather than the American Dream. African Americans, unlike traditional immigrants, did not choose to come to America, but were forced; when they arrived, they found slavery instead of opportunity.)

As a result, the “social contracts” of immigrants and minorities may differ. Since immigrants voluntarily chose to come to America, they can be told to play by the rules of the American Dream. Minorities may have been denied the opportunity for the American Dream, and minorities may speak of exploitation instead of opportunity.

Immigrants typically assimilate and lose their ethnic identity within 1-3 generations. Minorities remain distinct or maintain distinct communities.

·        Similarities between immigrants and minorities:

Immigrants may experience problems of “minority” cultures in the first generation(s). Immigrants may suffer discrimination and marginalization by the dominant culture on account of racial and cultural differences as long as those differences are visible or audible. With a few exceptions, the only immigrants who are treated as minorities are immigrants who are not yet assimilated.

This Native American Family is not concerned with Teofilo’s death, but by the traditions that must be carried on for generations.  Leon felt that it was his duty to his Grandfather to perform rituals such as putting a small gray feather in his Grandfather’s long white hair and painting his Grandfather’s face.  Leon performed rituals to bring peace and rain.  

Passages:

Pg. 205

Leon and his brother-in-law…  (Shows that Leon and Ken were more concerned with the gathering of the sheep)

“Before they wrapped…  (Performing rituals for Teofilio and his tribe)

 “Send us rain clouds, Grandfather.”  (After Leon and Ken perform rituals) 

Pg. 207

“About the preist…

Pg. 208

“It’s OK, Father…

“He sprinkled the grave…

Pg. 209

“He felt good…

Questions:

What is the corn meal used for?

Why did Leon ask the Priest to bring Holy Water?

Why do you think Silko describes the empty sheep camp as “sandy” “crumbling bank” of the “arroyo” to paint a picture?