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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 does the medicine man say about living so close to Gallup?

2. What is painted on the war shield that is at Tayo’s house when he returns from finding the cattle?

3. Why does medicine man say deeds and titles mean nothing to Mount Taylor?

4. Why does Helen Jean go to the bars and hang out with the Indian men?

5. Who bootlegs beer to the Indians?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Tayo’s aunt dislike Tayo and Tayo’s mother?

2. What does Ku'oosh talk to Tayo about?

3. How does Tayo free the cattle and what kind of animal does he see when he is freeing the cattle?

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

5. Why do the two ranch hands leave Tayo alone?

6. What does Tayo think about the cattle in the book compared to his uncle’s cattle?

7. What does Josiah tell Tayo about the spring and how does Tayo feel about the story?

8. What does Betonie tell Tayo about why Tayo saw Indian faces in the Japanese?

9. What does Old Grandma do with Tayo, what does he think he needs to do and what does she want him to do?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tayo must deal with a lifelong self-concept fostered by Auntie and both the Pueblo Indians and the white people that he is somehow an outcast and unfit because he is neither white nor Indian.

Discuss the ways in which a person might be affected by feeling like he does not fit into any group or culture. Include in the discussion reasons the Indians and the whites might view Tayo as not belonging to their group. Use examples from Ceremony to support your response.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about what they know, and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting.

Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Leslie Marmon Silko. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Silko's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Silko's probable agenda concerning that idea.

Essay Topic 3

The medicine man's voice of reason, enlightenment and healing makes a very powerful statement.

Discuss the ways in which the medicine man’s talks with Tayo helped Tayo to heal. Use examples from Ceremony to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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