Saturday, May 16, 2009

Maura's Blog #6 - 108-139

Okay so these 30 pages right here have probably been the most interesting bunch so far, based on the storyline. It took me a little while to figure out that 'he' was Tayo, but it was the most interesting part of the book when Silko described Tayo's childhood. It's so sad how rundown this town seems - what I thought of was that the reservation was the 'halfway home' of sorts for Indians, and when they were released into towns that were not on their reservation, they kind of just failed at life. So maybe it wasn't a good halfway home. How Silko describes the scene of the riverbank is so depressing, and how Tayo's mother doesn't care for him is just inhumane. Maybe she is stuck in this prostitute way of life now, but she didn't have to resort to it in the first place. When Tayo got left in the bar was really suprising, and pointed out that it was a good thing that his mom brought him to Auntie, because she was NOT fit to take care of him. These must be super damaging memories for Tayo, I can understand why he's so messed up!
It was very new to me, the introduction of 'bear people' and 'witchery'. Do Bear People decide to go with the bears, or their conscience decides for them, or something? I got kind of confused there. But other than that, that was really interesting as far as Native American ancestry goes. Before reading this, I also thought that witchery was like witches with a boil and a pointy nose and potions and stuff.. Or Hermoine. But I guess their definition is something that steals an animals skin, and does some evil stuff! As I said before, all new to me.
This medicine man is also pretty weird, I disagree with his whole 'modernizing' his medicine man practices. These are ancient practices, there's no need to modernize them. He is very concrete on his beliefs though, which makes the reader trust him a little more. Oh and I loved the myth on the creation of white people! Hahahahahahaha. Man we suck.
"THen they grow away from the earth
then they grow away from the sun
then they grow away from the plants and animals.
They see no life
When they look
they see only objects.
The world is a dead thing for them
the trees and rivers are not alive
the mountains and stones are not alive.
The deer and bear are objects
They see no life.
They fear
They fear the world
They destroy what they fear.
They fear themselves." (Silko 135).
As I said before, we suck, and for any of you that are Native American, I'm rooting for you. I love the last three lines, because it completely explains everything, in a different sense.

1 comment:

  1. What do you mean "we suck"? What does race have to do with anything, and why am I responsible for the actions of men two hundred years ago who happen to share my complexion?

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