Plot & Events
Where does Tayo return after the war?
Laguna Pueblo
Who raised Tayo after his mother left?
Auntie and Uncle Robert
What does the drought in the novel symbolize?
Spiritual imbalance and disharmony
What must ceremonies do in order to remain effective, according to Betonie?
Change! Adapt to the person & the times.
Who cuts Tayo’s face with a bottle?
Emo
What war did Tayo fight in?
World War II
Who teaches Tayo about adapting ceremonies to changing times?
Betonie
What do Josiah’s spotted cattle symbolize?
A blending of cultures and new forms of survival
Who performs the first major healing ceremony Tayo undergoes?
Betonie
What does Emo keep with him?
Human teeth from his time in the war
What group steals Josiah’s spotted cattle?
A white rancher’s crew
Who does Tayo fall in love with during his healing journey?
Ts’eh
What does the mountain lion symbolize in Tayo’s journey?
Courage and alignment with natural balance
What does Betonie ask Tayo to track across the land?
The pattern of the stars
Who does Emo torture at the end of the novel?
Harley
What animal helps guide Tayo through the mountains while retrieving the cattle?
A mountain lion
What is Emo’s primary motivation throughout the novel?
Anger and hatred rooted in internalized colonialism (Also, angry at Tayo's mixed race identity)
What do Emo’s war stories represent?
Glorification of violence and deepening alienation as an indigenous person)
Why does Betonie’s hogan disturb some people?
Because it contains both traditional and modern objects
TWO PARTER!
1. What do you think the "witchery" is that's constantly reffered to in the novel?
2. Why do the elders fear the influence of "witchery"?
1. Colonialism, war, cycles of violence, addiction
2. It seeks to destroy balance by making people believe in stories of violence
Why does Tayo feel responsible for Rocky’s death?
He thinks the jungle rain was his fault
How does Tayo try to honor Josiah after his death?
By finding and returning the spotted cattle
What does the atomic bomb site represent?
The destructive impact of colonialism + cycles of violence
What must Tayo refuse to do to complete the final ceremony?
Kill Emo
Who hunts Tayo toward the end of the novel?
Emo and his group of followers