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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What are the two names that all of creation is said to have in modern times?

2. Where do Josiah and Tayo fill up their water barrels?

3. Who does the woman tell Josiah she dances for in the present?

4. What does Shush, the name of the medicine man’s helper mean in English?

5. What does Tayo tell Betonie about the Ceremony Betonie has performed?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is hired as a shepherd after Harley and how does that go?

2. Who are the family members who are kind to Tayo?

3. How does Tayo prefer to sleep and how does Old Grandma and Robert feel around Tayo?

4. What do Tayo’s friends do when they come again and what does he do first?

5. Where does Tayo end up finding the cattle again with the man’s help?

6. What is the difference between Tayo’s life as a soldier and his life as a civilian on a reservation?

7. Why does Tayo attack Emo?

8. Who is Night Swan and how does she know Josiah?

9. Where does Robert take Tayo at Ku'oosh’s suggestion and how does Tayo feel when he gets there? How does Tayo’s feelings change?

10. How does Josiah’s sister feel about Night Swan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the themes of the story is that white people are alien, they are not superior, as is commonly thought, and do not dictate cultural morés to the Native Americans.

Discuss the reasons the Indians might have viewed white people as alien or strange and how some of that viewpoint changed during the course of Ceremony. Use examples from Ceremony to support your response.

Essay Topic 2

One medicine man also talks about the fragility of the world, something that Tayo understands intimately. He knows all too well how difficult it is to maintain balance in a hostile, chaotic world.

Why do you think Tayo sees the world as hostile and chaotic and what do you think Tayo means by balance? Use examples from Ceremony to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

In the various sexual encounters in the story, we see that Indian attitudes about morality and behavior that are different from that of the white culture.

Compare and contrast the differences between Indian and white culture’s attitudes towards morality and behavior. Use examples from Ceremony to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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