The Man to Send Rainclouds Essay | Critical Essay #4

The Man to Send Rainclouds Critical Essay #4

At the time that this piece was published, Ruoff was affiliated with the University of Illinois/Chicago Circle. In the following excerpt, she asserts that the story gives an example of the strength and adaptability of tribal traditions.

For Leslie Marmon Silko (Laguna), the strength of tribal traditions is based not on Indians' rigid adherence to given ceremonies or customs but rather on their ability to adapt traditions to ever-changing circumstances by incorporating new elements. Although this theme is most fully developed in her recent novel Ceremony (1977), it is also present in her earlier short stories, "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," "Tony's Story," "from Humaweepi, Warrior Priest," and "Yellow Woman," included in the volume The Man to Send Rainclouds: Contemporary Stories by American Indians [edited by Kenneth Rosen, 1974].

The history of Silko's own Laguna Pueblo, influenced by many different cultures, provides insight into why she emphasizes...
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