Prompt Revision #4

1980. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause, a love, a desire for revenge, a determination to redress a wrong, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and its significance to the work.

In Herman Melville's novel Moby Dick, Captain Ahab's passion to seek revenge is much more relevant to him than leading his crew at sea. Many characters will go to wits end to fulfill a desire, but in Ahab's case, he is willing to put the safety of his crew at stake. Ahab's strong desire for revenge shapes his character as he becomes obsessed and is willing to take outrageous measures in order to capture this life-threatening animal. Through the relationship between Ahab and Moby Dick, Melville makes it clear that one who has a strong desire to achieve something, will do so, irregardless of the obstacles present.

Captain Ahab's first encounter with Moby Dick is the main reason behind Ahab's motivation. In attempt to capture the great sperm whale, Ahab's leg was torn off by Moby-Dick, and ever since then Ahab has primarily focused on getting revenge on this beast. His selfish ways prevent the crew from going forth on the whaling mission, as Ahab knows he is only looking for one whale. The crew members, unsure how to react to their captain's absurd commands, go along with everything and try to avoid tipping Ahab off even more. Captain Ahab's job was to lead this ship, but he puts himself before the entire crew, pursuing his personal mission. 

Carrying out and completing the capture of Moby Dick is Captain Ahab's biggest dream. The inevitability to be reminded daily of the suffering and pain Moby Dick has brought upon would make one go insane, as Ahab did. The desire to avenge himself became his big picture, a life focused on getting even with an animal. Ahab's obsession caused him to disregard all other matters of importance, such as his family and the health of his crew. The obsession over Moby-Dick made Ahab into a new person. He was full of nonsense, anger and contradictions and none of the other characters knew how to approach Ahab's delicate situation. 

In conclusion, Herman Melville displays the power and influence of a desire on one's life, in which a person will be selfish and follow one's passion until he/she is contempt. 

Ceremony Summary/Analysis

Author: Leslie Marmon Silko

Setting: Southwest United States, the Laguna Pueblo reservation, the bars, and the most significant aspect- the landscape.

Point of View: third person omniscient. The narrator is very descriptive, and even more descriptive when it comes to landmarks and natural elements.

Style: at first it was very fragmental as were Tayo's thoughts, but as the novel progressed the flow did as well. A lot of very lengthy and over-descripted sentences, poems every so many pages that were always centered and often in multiple stanzas

Plot:

-Tayo has returned from a Veterans Hospital after WWII to his home at the Laguna Pueblo reservation. He is very traumatized by his experiences, especially loosing Rocky and “seeing” Josiah

-Tayo struggles adapting back into his life

-Copes with other veterans, Harley, Leroy, Emo and Pinkie, by going out to bars and telling war stories

-Tayo doesn’t think he can stand his sadness and confusion much longer so he wishes to go back to the hospital

-Grandma calls in the first medicine man, Ku’oosh, who performs an old ceremony on Tayo but its no longer applicable

-Ku’oosh’s ceremony helps Tayo, and initiates his reminiscence of his life, focusing on the summer before he left for the army

-That summer…

-Rocky and Tayo enlisted in the army after finishing high school

-Josiah fell in love with Night Swan

-Josiah invests in some Mexican cattle and Tayo helps care for them

-There was a drought and Tayo creates a rain ceremony to avoid the results of previous droughts

-Ceremony is successful and it rains the next day

-The rain keeps Josiah from visiting Night Swan so he gives a note to Tayo to deliver for him and then she seduces Tayo

-Ku’oosh sends Tayo to Gallup to see the second medicine man, Betonie

-Tayo is at first skeptical of Betonie and his odd ways but then he opens up

-Betonie tells Tayo that a new ceremony must be created and completed because of how the world is now

-Betonie tells him stories about his grandfather and why new ceremonies are now in need, then he sends Tayo home to finish his ceremony

-Tayo follows the stars to Ts’eh’s house and spends the night with her

-Tayo goes up the mountain in search of Josiah’s cattle. He finds the cattle on a white man’s land, breaks through the fence, which releases the cattle to who knows where

-He looks all night for the cattle until dawn when a mountain lion comes up and after the animal is honored, he follows its tracks to the cattle

-Two patrolmen find Tayo leaving the pasture and plan to arrest him for trespassing, but the white men notice the lion’s tracks and leave Tayo to go hunt the animal

-Down the mountain Tayo meets a hunter who lives with Ts’eh and they go back to her house where she has fenced Tayo’s cattle until Tayo and Robert return with a cattle truck

-Tayo returns home but knows the ceremony isn’t complete because of the drought

-Ts’eh and Tayo spend the summer together

-Robert comes to tell Tayo that Emo has been spreading rumors about him

-Ts’eh tells Tayo that Emo and the white police are coming after him, but she also gives Tayo advice on how to avoid them

-Tayo successfully avoids the police, then sees Harley and Leroy, who have joined forces with Emo too

-Tayo continues to run from these things that Betonie warned him would occur during his ceremony and he ends up at an abandoned uranium mine

-He realizes this is the final stage of his ceremony as he looks down to see the gaping hole left in the earth

-Pinkie and Emo arrive and unknowingly to them, Tayo watches Harley get tortured

-Because of the wind, Tayo makes it through the night

-Goes home, then to see Ku’oosh who tells him the drought has ended as well as the destruction of the whites

-Tayo spends the night at Ku’oosh’s house to officially complete the ceremony then he returns home

Significant Characters:
Tayo- half white, half Laguna Pueblo, PTSD after WWII, must complete his ceremony
Grandma- helps Tayo, a lot of knowledge on the stories
Auntie- takes Tayo in as an orphan, rude, selfish, and consumed with aspects of the white culture
Rocky- son of Auntie, had a lot of potential, best friends with Tayo, dies in the war
Josiah- Tayo's uncle, Tayo looked up to him alot, loves Night Swan
Emo- drinks a lot, talks about the great memories from the war, hates Tayo
Night Swan- Mexican, Josiah's girl who suggests he raise cattle, self-aware woman
Old Ku'oosh- Laguna medicine man, very traditional, sends Tayo to a medicine man that can create new ceremonies
Betonie- half breed like Tayo, creates a ceremony for Tayo, very wise and patient

Quotes:
"Next time, just remember the story (Silko 94)".

Josiah gives Tayo this advice as he reassures him that everybody makes mistakes which disrupt the order, but without the common mistakes there would be no order in place, or needed. I think this quote is important to Tayo's character and the novel as a whole. Initially, Tayo struggled remembering important things as a result of the war, and now Tayo is reconnected with the Earth because of his ability to remember the stories which make up his culture. Throughout the entire book, Silko keeps coming back to her stories. Remembering bits and pieces of the stories will help as those same aspects show up again and a connection is able to be formed.

"Indians or Mexicans or whites--most people are afraid of change (Silko 92)".

This quote comes from Night Swan when she comforts Tayo about his half-breed insecurities. I think this quote is important, especially coming from Night Swan, because it just shows how alike everyone truly is. Just because one's appearance may be different than others, that doesn't mean one's actions and emotions operate differently. All people of all races are still people, irregardless. I like this quote because it highlights the strenghts of Night Swan as a person and I bet Tayo really needed to hear something like that.

Theme: It's never too late to fulfill one's purpose

I thought this theme was appropriate for Ceremony, because like a circle there is no end or beginning, so it is never too late to hop on track. In Ceremony, Tayo starts off very troubled and has little faith in himself that he will ever be able to recover and live a normal life. With determination and help from others, Tayo finally has the to heal- and he does! Little by little as Tayo rebalances the elements in his life and he realizes he is headed in the right direction. Sometimes, when the balance of order is disturbed and everything is spiraling downward, even then it's not too late. There is always a way to balance everything back out by fulfilling one's purpose.

Response to Course Material #8

I initially thought that reading Ceremony would be relaxing, and a nice fresh breath from all these plays. And initially it was, until I found myself reading the same story over and over and over again! Or at least that's what it felt like. I found the Laguna Pueblo stories to be very interesting, and it was cool to see each aspect interconnect with each other, but after a while it got very repetitive and boring. There were several spots in the book where I had to re-read to assure myself it was indeed the exact same story with the exact same theme, only with different animals and a new setting! I eventually found these little stories pointless and annoying. Overall, I thought Leslie Silko did an outstanding job with the novel and it was nothing like I had ever read before. I enjoyed learning about a completely new culture and especially comparing their lifestyle to ours.

Finally... we have begun with our very last work! Our fifth (if you combine Hamlet and R&G are dead) piece- Fifth Business. The only reason I am gleaming with joy discussing Fifth Business is because it means we are that much closer to being done with school! However, summer isn't the main focus here, hence the assigned blog post, but reading Fifth Business outside in the summer would be a great focus. Well, time to actually talk about Fifth Business. I'm definitely intrigued by it to say the least, in my opinion writing 250 long pages in teeny tiny print about one's life story to defend one's reputation (which isn't even at stake) because it was trashed by a meaningless individual, is a waste of time. That is my personal opinion and others could really like this plot line, who knows. Anyway, I'm enjoying Fifth Business, definitely an easy read which is nice every now and then.

Lastly, it seems as if the AP has swooped in out of no where, and I'm here... unprepared, waiting for the attack. As painful as it is, I have to accept that the AP is coming and it's coming fast.  In class recently, we've spent time looking at intro's and open prompts. I like reviewing and learning different helpful techniques and tips to remember on test day. Sometimes I feel like it may be more of a review to the rest of the class, but to me whenever Ms. Holmes talks it's pure genius and essential for the AP. I should probably start reviewing the terms each day. I think a little bit at a time will help and I know those words are critical to know for the test.