Ethnic American Literature, fall 2007
Essay #6
Due in class Nov. 30

Choose one.

Option 1:
In “Special Problems in Teaching Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony,” Paula Gunn Allen writes of her discomfort with the use of sacred materials in the novel, arguing that “the long poem text that runs through the center has always seemed to me to contribute little to the story or its understanding” (87). Do you agree or disagree with Allen? Could the novel be written effectively without including sacred materials?

Option 2:
We are all familiar with numerous popular stereotypes of Native Americans, from spirituality to aggression to alcoholism. What is the relationship of Ceremony to such stereotypes? Does the novel reinforce them or refute them, and in what ways? (Note: You may want to focus on just one stereotype, rather than addressing many.)

Option 3:
Ceremony portrays not only Native Americans, but a complex network of ethnicities, including multiple tribes, Mexicans, Japanese, “half-breeds,” and whites. Discuss some aspect of the multiple ethnicities in the novel. (Some possible angles on this topic might be: What role do Mexicans play in the novel? What is the significance of Tayo’s being half white, as opposed to fully Laguna?)

For all questions:
This essay should be 2-3 full pages, double spaced, paginated, with normal margins and font (Times New Roman, size 12, is standard). Do give your essay a title. Document all sources (including the primary texts) in accordance with MLA style. Keep in mind that I do not accept late papers, and plan accordingly.