Geoff- Post 8

This particular reading was filled with symbolism and messages the reader is supposed to infer. Betonie's prophecies will come true, and Tayo will come into his own. The passage opened with Harley unconscious and Helen Jean has run off with some Mexicans in the bar; I believe this scene is supposed to be evidence of the ephemeral happiness Leroy and Harley chase but never seem to achieve. "So they tried to sink the in booze, and silence their grief with war stories about their courage, defending the land they had already lost." (169). Pursuit of physical pleasure is not the key to happiness. Shortly after this, a long narrative myth about Gambler locking up the life-giving thunderheads; and Sun rescuing them. This is a story of rebirth and renewal (after all, the Gambler is vanquished and rain returns), and the story is supposed to be an analogy of Tayo's mental rebirth. The next part fulfills one of Betonie's prophecies; the woman. I'm not sure what this represents (or what it has to say about the author's views on promiscuos sex), but it seems at least plausible that the event isn't actually part of the story line; however, were it not, I'd expect it to be in verse. He sees the particular star pattern in the middle of this scene; another part of Betonie's prophecy. Shortly after this part, Tayo sings a little song when he sees the sunrise, which means he's happy tro be alive again. Then, the book takes a detour into a description of Mount Taylor: "All but a small part of the mountain had been taken. The resevation boundary included only a canyon above the Encinal and a few miles of timber on the plateau. The rest of the land was taken by the National Forest...It was then too that the holy men at Laguna and Acoma warned the people...droughts and harder days to come." (186). I'm getting impatient with blaming white people for everything...you know, it seems to be a recurring theme. "He knew then he had learned the lie by heart- the lie which they had wanted him to learn: only brown skinned people were theives; white people didn't steal...If the white people ever looked beyong the lie, to see thiers was a nation built on stolen land, then they would never be able to understand...white thievery and injustice...the colored against the white." (191). Tayo needs to get over the fact that he's an Indian; you have same opportunity as every other American (Rocky had it figured out). His lot is no worse than any white kid born on a poor farm. So, Tayo's searching for his cattle on Mount Taylor, which ties in nicely with Betonie's prophecy. Of course, it's only after performing the cougar ceremony that Tayo finds the cattle (big surprise). This passage is full of symbolism and fulfillment of prophecy, but the glaring "blame white people" parts are really grating me the wrong way.