Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

Ceremony takes place in the drought-stricken Laguna Pueblo of New Mexico after World War II. Influenced by the presence of Vietnam veterans from Laguna Pueblo, Leslie Marmon Silko writes about the return of Tayo, a young man who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. The combined effects of war, racism, and ecological disaster affect the young hero Tayo. He draws on the spiritual resources of his culture to begin the healing process.

The novel addresses atomic weapons development and testing, strip mining, alcoholism, the at-risk family, assimilation, alternative medicine, poverty, Indian reservations, post-traumatic stress syndrome, pacifism, and more. It is a tale of physical and spiritual healing, a story of the interdependency of human persons and nature, and a commentary on spiritual presence in the natural world. Silko tells the realistic account by mixing genres, voices, and time periods thus creating a challenging text suitable for students with above-average reading skills.

About the Series:

Novel/Drama curriculum units contain complete lesson plans with preliminary and follow-up work, teacher notes with plot summary, background, and rationale, ready-to-use worksheets, and suggested answers for student questions. These study guides encourage the development of thinking, reading, speaking, research, and writing skills as well as critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.