Final

Page 1, Culture and Communication

   With constant advancements in communication and technology the planet and society itself is only going to continue to amaze. The beginning of efficient and mass communication was the ability to print. "In 1846, a rotary press was developed that could produce about 20,000 copies of a newspaper per hour"(Culture and Mass Communication). The ability to now get newspapers to everybody instead of only the wealthy changed communication forever because now everybody could receive information on a regular basis. Hundreds of years later the advancements in technology have made communication one of the easiest things for people to accomplish now. "We no longer require homes, offices, or cafes to stay in touch with people; we can do it wherever we happen to be"(Dont Fear the Network...). Peoples jobs and their way of life can now be carried out from wherever and they can even be doing all the work necessary from their laptop at home. Everyday our society thrives because of our abilities to use technology and using it to communicate. The advancements don't seem to be slowing down either which can only benefit society more. "In fact there's little to be afraid of, even for those of us over 35. The online world isn't supplanting the offline one; it's enhancing it"(Dont Fear the Network...). With things only continuing to get better this planet and our society has the ability to do amazing things. Communication is key in every aspect of life and with the help of technology it will only improve.

Page 2, Press Pause Play

   Along with people opening up to new and creative things technology has been able to alter and influence the art world. Art is no longer subjective to old school paintings and music and at this time it's changing more than ever. "50 years ago, people didn't make things. People would go to photography exhibitions. They would go to record fairs. They would watch movies. Now everyone is a photographer. Everyone is a musician. Anyone can make film."(Moby, Press Pause Play). Art and how it's expressed has taken a complete 180 and now anybody can make art and were seeing things we've never seen before. With new things constantly coming through its never been a better time to be an artist and show what you can do in this new art world. "This changes everything. The industry is dead. There has never been a better time to be an artist"(Seth Godin, Press Pause Play). The desire to an artist isn't about the money anymore either it's about the art itself and sharing a message. "People don't become artist because they want to become rich. They become artist because they have an idea to share. Or an emotion to share"(Seth Godin, Press Pause Play). People want to express themselves and art is becoming the newest and greatest way to do that. With creative minds continuing to thrive the art world will continue to change and better itself.

Page 3, 7 Pounds

     Some people will do whatever it takes to make up for the wrongs they've done in their life. In Ben Thomas's life comes beauty in his death. "The first time i ever saw a box jellyfish, i was twelve. Our father took us to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. I never forgot what he said... That it was the most deadly creature on earth. To me it was just the most beautiful thing i'd ever seen"(Ben Thomas). The box jellyfish is one of the deadliest creatures on earth and yet people are always amazed by its beauty. In order to preserve his organs Ben chooses the jellyfish in his suicide because its ability to attack the nervous system. Ben Thomas's story is revolves around the number seven. "In seven days, god created the world. And in seven seconds, I shattered mine(Ben Thomas). Ben killed seven innocent people in a texting and driving related car crash which started his journey to save seven lives. Ben could no longer live with himself, he was walking death and it was by design. One of the most important aspects of Ben's journey to save seven lives was making sure the people who were receiving his organs were good people and deserving. "I had to make sure you were a good person"(Ben Thomas). Ben finds genuine people who he will connect with for eternity because part of him is with them and people like Emily and Ezra cherish that. You can never truly take back an incident like Ben's but his journey and his ability to save seven deserving lives is one of the best stories you'll ever hear.

Page 4, PTS

     The affects of PTS will never truly be understood unless you've gone through them yourself. There is no experience like war, it's the most chaotic scenario someone could experience. "He wanted to go back to the hospital, right away. He had to get back where he could merge with the walls and the ceiling, shimmering white, remote from everything"(Ceremony). The things Tayo experienced at war led to his stays at the hospital and after returning from war the real world frightened him so much at times he'd rather be in the hospital. Society and the world away from war made Tayo feel so naked he just wanted to return to the hospital and escape everything. PTS also leads to alcoholism at times and in Tayo's position at the reservation he was bound to try and disguise his problems with alcohol. "Liquor was medicine for the anger that made them hurt, for the pain of the loss, medicine for the tight bellies and chocked up throats"(Ceremony). Alcohol if anything is a short and temporary solution that never turns out to be beneficial and Tayo found that out the hard way. For people with PTS the horrific stories they experience at war haunt them for years after. "He could hear Rocky's words, and he could follow the logic of what Rocky said, but he could not feel anything except a swelling in his belly, a great swollen grief that was pushing into his throat" (Ceremony). Tayo's experiences with war and Rocky's death haunted him until he managed to complete his journey and his own ceremony. PTS is such a difficult issue because unless the people giving help have experienced something similar it's so hard for veterans to get help. PTS is a growing issue and there needs to be more efficient programs and ways for veterans to receive help.

Page 5, Craigslist Joe

     Right now technology has enabled anything to be possible, even your ability to live and survive can be done through the internet. Joe Garner is a perfect example of how there are still great people in this world willing to rely and communicate with others. "Would you ever ditch your responsibilities to devote yourself completely to living off the kindness and generosity of the strangers you find on Craigslist?" (Behind the scenes with Craigslist Joe). Leaving your ability to survive up to a website like Craigslist was a real attempt to see if there were still genuine and understanding people on the internet and in society. People have began to believe society has crumbled due to the advancements and forms of technology now. "Some say we have lost the sense of community that used to carry us through tough times"(Joe Garner). With technology now people don't really rely on each other anymore and that has led some to believe that the sense of community and people working together is diminishing. Joe wanted to prove that this country was still the best country in the world and that although things may be negative at times with community and each other we can overcome it. "The country was falling apart around me, people losing their homes, people just out on their own. So I got to thinking: If I lost everything, what would happen? I'd probably be OK, because I have great friends and family. But what if I didn't? Who would I rely on?" (Behind the Scenes with Craigslist Joe). So he lost everything and lived off Craigslist and was able to show that there still are amazing and sincere people in our communities and on the internet. Craigslist Joe was able to show what it was intended to show and Joe Garner was able to complete his goal. 

Craigslist Joe and Jeremy Ruskin

  Craigslist is a very misunderstood website and tool that people of the up and coming generation are not experiencing. In the film Craigslist Joe the main character Joe attempts to live off Craigslist. Thirty one days, no money, and no contact except his ability to contact people through Craigslist. Joe's life now depends on the goodness of other people and their ability to accept and help others. The film is a real feel good movie and everything Joe wanted to accomplish was shown and more. People and Craigslist in general get a bad rep but some of the people and experiences Joe has during his journey will stay with him for the rest of his life. People can still work together and help each other out, "Some say we have lost the sense of community that used to carry us through tough times"(Joe Garner). Meeting a complete stranger and not knowing what's going to happen next has become such an issue now because of some disturbing people but what Joe proved is that this country is still filled with kind and helpful people. Craigslist Joe also does a really good job of showing the importance of technology and how we can use it to help ourselves and one another, "We can take care of each other"(Joe Garner). One of the most important parts of the film is when Joe stays and eats with the family from Iraq. These people have been treated like the worst of the worst since 9/11 and Joe was able to listen and understand what they have to deal with every single day of their lives. They are American citizens and were long before 9/11 and get told daily to return to where they came from and leave this country. Something they had no part of and are against makes them a target and Joe realizes that first hand and it definitely changes his life. Craigslist Joe is the best example of interdependence and how us and a country wide community and even world wide community in the big picture can all help each other.

Joe receiving an Iraq soccer jersey as a gift from the family

The idea of community and Joe being able to fit in with everyone

  "We are soft wired to actually experience another's plight as if we are experiencing it ourselves"(Jeremy Rifkin). If we watch a spider crawl up somebody's arm we will feel there same fear and this is because of our mirror neurons and our ability to be humans and feel for each other. When you really begin to learn about humans like this our ability to understand each other is something extremely underestimated now and technology is playing a role in that. Our frist drive as humans beings, "the drive to actually belong"(Jeremy Rifkin). We has human beings thrive to fit in and to be understood by others. After about two and half years of being alive you begin to possess mature empathy and that's when the very beginning stages of wanting to fit in occur. So if you think about it humans have been trying to fit in since they were two and a half years old. Our idea of our image to society is so controlled by others and social media now that the thrive to fit in has become more intense. Some people have even began to determine there social status just by how many likes they receive on a photo on Instagram or Facebook and that's insane. Technology has only increased the want to fit in for the human race and will only continue with the advancements in technology. 

The desire to fit in

Social media beginning to take over our lives

Music Video/Image

Blink 182- I miss you

The colors are all darker and mainly black. The focus in really unpredictable and always changing throughout the video. The costumes are all bizarre and really throw off the video. Wedding dresses and other bizarre costumes. The story and the plot resemble his feelings for a woman and missing her. The quality of the video isn't that good and part by design but also because it's an older video. Constant styles and transitions from the band and all the bizarre images of spiders, forest and other images. The angle of the camera is always changing in order to create different perspectives. The video in itself tells a story throughout the video. The combination of dark images and bizarre animals like shaved cats and spiders. The movement is all over the place because things are constantly changing in the video. Some images dissolve and seem to fade away. Uses a lot of low-key lighting because a majority of the video is darker and more depressing. The acting is bizarre and the characters are always doing weird things to help make the video flow. Uses both deep and shallow focus within the video. Things are always moving in the video and makes the movement throughout very interesting. They use iris in the film and the camera zooms in and only focuses on one thing and blacks out the rest of the image. 

Beastie Boys- Intergalactic

The camera angles were constantly changing and it's an older video the the images aren't that good but still efficient. The costumes are really odd but they fit the video because the video is odd itself. Tons of transitions from the characters and scenes in the video. Some images and scenes in the video dissolve and seem to fade away. Iris is used to zoom and and center on one character or scene in the video. Some shots have long durations and seem to extend a image or scene. Montage of tons of images and mixture of images that may not make sense or fit together but the mixture of scenes fits the odd video. Some images are focused and some are completely the opposite which fits how odd the video is. Has an effect of fantasy and imagination with the giant robot fighting the huge monster in the city like a godzilla feel. Meant to be an odd video, it's called intergalactic for a reason. Tons of colors too with the characters and images in the video. All kinds of colors and everything is constantly changing. Video follows a sequence in a sense because the robot defeats the monster in the end. Some parts are darker and some are lighter, the lighting is changing a lot because that's how the video flows. Video uses more shallow focus and images that focus on the characters and scenes in the close up but not as much in the background. Some sections of the video are in close up which really shows the characters or scenes. 

Picture from Miracle

The U.S team is in focus and the Soviet player is blurred and in red. Colors of the team and fans represent the U.S in a sense. Ton of emotion. 

Photo from Old School

Really symbolic part of the film. Really lit up and a lot of blue. Positioning of the characters. All part of the storyline and fits the plot of the movie. 

Joker from the Dark Knight

Lighting is darker resembling the joker more. He's the main focus of the image. The Batman off off to the side making sure the focus in on the joker. Supposed to make the viewer feel fear and uncomfortable. 

Chapter 2 and More Press Pause Play

     Our society thrives off the internet and most the people in this country would feel naked without it now. The internet involves a source of communication and information for everybody and most peoples jobs and lives rely on being able to use the internet for communication and information. "The mass media, media technology, and our culture all interact with one another"(Culture and Communication 22). Our society and the internet go hand in hand now and ely on each other to continue our efficient society. The beginnings of mass communication began in the 15th century with the movable type. Being able to type instead of everything handwritten was a huge breakthrough at the time and allowed writing to be spread out more efficiently and quickly. Prior to the movable type this handwriting and books were limited to the elite, "Because of this, reading material was scarce and limited to those in the elite culture- the clergy and the nobility"(Beginnings of Mass Communication 22). Now the middle classes and the normal folk could now access writing and this was monumental in mass communication at the time. Later on what became a real game changer in mass communication was the ability to print. The first things to be mass printed were pictures and more accurately Albrecht Durer, one of the most successful renaissance artist. His portraits were limited until they began to be printed. This allowed everybody to enjoy the portraits and things only advanced from there. Later on in our constantly growing industrial society one of the most influential inventions in mass communication was the metropolitan newspaper. "Although newspapers had existed since the late 17th and early 18th centuries, they had been read by the educated elite, not the general public"(Culture and Communication 26). Like earlier these forms of communication and information were limited to the wealthy elite but once they evolve to the majority of the people they change the whole world of mass communication. Technology and communication only improves and advances and that builds our society.

Albrecht Durer's, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 

The New York Sun, the first paper in the United States

        

          The film Press Pause Play gives the viewer a deeper understanding of numerous forms of art and what they have become today. Press Pause Play gives the sides of both the positives and the negatives of the art world and whether or not things are improving or getting worse. "This changes everything. The industry is dead. There has never been a better time to be an artist"(Seth Godin, Press Pause Play). Some experts believe the time period we are in now is better than ever because art can go ay direction and people are understanding and acceptable now to new forms of art. People have changed and so has art in general. "50 years ago, people didn't make things. People would go to photography exhibitions. They would go to record fairs. They would watch movies. Now everyone is a photographer. Everyone is a musician. Anyone can make film(Moby, Press Pause Play). Now every form of art there is most people can create it and enjoy all themselves, they dont need someone else to do it for them anymore. The film just reassures the viewer that art is now more accesible than ever now and it's never going to slow down and will only continue to evolve.

Moby, an extremely influential figure in the film

An idea that art will continue to evolve and it will be never ending

Intro to Edentity

   Knowing your identity and figuring out who you are can be a major struggle for some people and it can take them several years. How you want to be viewed by others and how you define yourself is your identity. Within the last ten years the idea of edentity has surfaced and that's because of the advancements of technology and how it's affect the planet and the people on it. Our edentity is composed of, "an electric identity composed of the digital traces left behind as we participate in virtual worlds". Our edentites have already been created whether you realize it or not when you interact with technology. Things like sending an email, or watching Netflix involve your edentity and people won't even think twice. People can see everything though, "yet those actions leave digital footprints that can be mined for data by various companies and corporate entities". Pretty much everything on the internet is trackable and it's overlooked by everyone who used the internet and doesn't think about the affects of their edentity. Something else that could be one of the most interesting things about our edentites is what happens with death? The internet and the social world has no set lifespan, "Even after our deaths, our online identities may still be visible in our social networking profiles that remain online". Our generation is going to have to experience this never ending edentity that stays with everyone. It's sounds a little freaky to some but to others it can be a great way to remember somebody who's gone. At this moment in time social networking seems never ending which means your edentity will be never ending. It's interesting to think about and will be even more interesting to see what happens in the future. 

The idea of an Edentity

Social media is never ending and edentities will carry on

      

          Another important aspect of this idea is through film and music. Our world is changing and it has been changing rapidly for years now. Technology never sleeps which means our world and the changes occurring in it cant either. Our universe is unique, like Neil De Grasse tyson said, "The most astounding fact is the knowledge that the atoms that comprise life on earth, the atoms that make up the human body are crucibles that cooked light elements into heavy elements in their core under extreme temperatures and pressures". Basically everything on this planet can be traced back to the human body and the human race. Everything that's happened in the past and the existence of this planet is within us and can be traced back to us. This includes technology and internet and the more recent discoveries made by human beings. Technology and science are never going to slow down which is why literature, film, music, poetry, etc. is never going to settle down and will be constantly changing. The technology advancements are good but we can't get carried away, Jason Silva said, "The scientist and engineers who are building the future need the poets to make sense of it". This is a really cool quote because it applies to everyone. People enjoy the technology and always having new and unique "toys" but we need normal people and people like Silva to help us understand why and help keep a source of balance and equilibrium. 

Jason Silva

Neil DeGrasse Tyson and the Most Astounding Fact

Smoke Signals

   Smoke Signals just like Dances With Wolves really gives the viewer an idea of what most people think when they think of Native Americans. They both can be very stereotypical and you see this all the time with movies and cinema regarding Native Americans. With help from movies and cinema the Native American has been portrayed to be a fierce and fearless warrior and in most cases is meant to be the "bad guy". With all the stereotypes there are some facts and honest parts of Smoke Signals as well. Throughout history Native Americans and their land as well as the aspect of being American citizens has always been a tricky conflict. From the film Smoke Signals, "You know how Indians feel about signing papers". Deciding who's land is who's is still a a significant issue today and most likely always will be. The film is also represented with the colors red, white, and blue a ton and that has some significance. The colors blue especially show the conflict of becoming an American citizen. The colors of the American flag also represent freedom and that's something Native Americans never felt like they've had much of. The combination of cinema and the stereotypes it brings for Native Americans only brings that opportunity of freedom and a different opinion down. Thomas builds-the-fire said, "You know there are some children who aren't really children at all, they're just pillars of flame that burn everything they touch. and there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that fall apart when you touch them... Victor and me, we are children of flame and ash". These kids experienced the fire when they were young but there is a deeper meaning here. They feel like because of the past and what has happened to them in there lives that they can't amount to anything or they are set up for failure. It seems most things regarding Native Americans has them failing which is something extremely difficult to grow up in.

The American flag and freedom

One of the many examples of how Native Americans have been inaccurately portrayed

       Another huge aspect of Smoke Signals and Native American culture in general is storytelling. Every story has the ability to heal and sometimes that's what makes them so important and special. Smoke Signals and Ceremony both portray characters with troubled pasts and storytelling allows them to overcome the past and heal. Thomas build-a-fire said, "Hey Victor! I remember the time your father took me to Denny's, and I had the grand slam breakfast. Two eggs, two pancakes, a glass of milk, and of course my favorite, the bacon. Some days, it's a good day to die. And some days, it's a good day to have breakfast". Even though this quote from Smoke Signals isn't a traditional Native American story or anything like that but it can get to you and that's what storytelling is all about. Even a small story like this can bring back old memories good or bad and have a significant impact on anyone. Something else very evident in Smoke Signals is racism and how the Couer D'Alene are treated. Victor said, "You gotta look mean or people wont respect you. White people will run all over you if you don't look mean. You gotta look like a warrior! You gotta look like you just came back from killing a buffalo". Cinema and society in general has discriminated Native Americans to the point that things like this have become acceptable.

An idea of what everyone expects of an Indian

Storytelling being so important in the Native American culture

Ceremony Conclusion

   The Ending of Ceremony is all about Tayo's realization of what his life has become and looking back and realizing the reasons for every setback or mishap in his life. Tayo discovers what western medicine and the western lifestyle ended up doing to his life. At the time Tayo believed western medicine was helping him and allowing him recover from things like PTS and his childhood but it was only disguising it. Tayo is constantly throughout the book being pulled back into his old lifestyle but at the end of the book it seems as if he will do anything to escape that lifestyle and complete his own ceremony. You begin to realize just like Betonie has explained to Tayo that in order to cure new illnesses, new ceremonies were needed to overcome these illnesses. In order to cure these illnesses for Tayo he needs to heal and T'sheh is able to begin that process for Tayo. T'sheh brought new hope for Tayo, Silko said, "But his room was the same, the creaking bedsprings and frame pushed into the southeast corner below the small window. The terror of the dreaming he had done on this bed was gone, uprooted from his belly ; and the woman had filled the hollow spaces with new dreams". the healing process is in full affect from this point on because of the help Tayo receives from T'sheh. Tayo's not just healing with himself but with every aspect of his life. He's healing with the earth and becoming content with life. Another important part of Tayo's healing is the changing of seasons. Silko said, "Only the sky had changed, washed clear of the dust and haze which had swirled off the red clay flats that summer before. He could smell wild flowers growing in the weeds and grass besides the road, and he heard the big bumblebees and the smaller bees sucking the blossoms". With the beginning of Tayo's change and healing the season change is extremely important.

Tayo and the healing process

The changing of seasons

        Another extremely important part of the ending of the book and understanding of Tayo is witchery and its use in Laguna Pueblo tradition. Throughout the entire book witchery is expressed through poem or saying and it affects Tayo greatly. Whenever you think of witchery you think of evil and that's exactly what witchery is with the addition of manipulating people like Tayo throughout the entire book into loss. Tayo ultimately loses everything and in the end of the book he figures out how to get himself back. an example of witchery near the end of the book is when Tayo sees Leroy and Harley and thinks he's going to be getting a ride but in fact they were just trying to give him up to Tayo. These men were his friends but the witchery had consumed them too and Tayo had to overcome that. Silko said, "He looked down at them. If he had not known about their witchery, they might have fooled him." This is a perfect example of how Tayo has changed. He can sense and realize the witchery now and it becomes extremely beneficial for him and his ceremony. There is a poem at the end of the book that says, "Every evil which entangled him was cut to pieces". All the witchery and evil that was with Tayo for his entire life was being lifted and it seems as if his ceremony was becoming complete. 

Tayo finally overcoming his past life and being content

Tayo is betrayed by Harley and Leroy who were his friends but they were taken over by the witchery

Ceremony 177-201

   This section of the reading explains Tayo's journey in search for the cattle and everything he experiences along the way. One of the most important parts of this reading is the proof that Tayo is beginning to open up and believe in Betonie and his ideas. Tayo never believed in medicine men and thought they were a joke but Betonie's visions were beginning to come true for Tayo. Silko said, "but suddenly Betonie's vision was a story he could feel happening-from the stars and the woman, the mountain and the cattle would come". Everything Betonie predicted to happen was coming true for Tayo so he begins to believe the mountain and the cattle will come as well. When Tayo reaches the Texans land in search for the cattle he discovers the horrors of how the white man was using the cattle and there ways of hunting and maintaining the cattle as well. The barbed-wire fences that keep the cattle in play a huge role in the reading and have a much deeper meaning. Silko said, "The barbed wire fence paralleled the rim, and he could see bits of belly hair the deer left on the barbed wire where their trails crossed the fence." These fences dont allow for the animals to be free and in Tayo's mind it was completely wrong, especially them being barbed wire and able to hurt the cattle. The fences were the only thing from keeping Tayo from the cattle and he wasn't about to let the fence get in his way. Silko said, "Fences had never stopped the speckled cattle either, but there was no sign they had been there. so he rode north, looking for another fence that might be holding them." A fence had never stopped the cattle in the past and it wasn't about to stop Tayo either. This search for cattle was able to help Tayo get his mind off everything that has happened to him in the past and help begin to move forward which was also on the most important sections of this reading.

What the barbed wire fences would look like in this reading

Tayo finally beginning to believe in Betonie and it's starting to really help Tayo

      Another important part of this reading is how Tayo begins to express how he as an Indian has been mistreated and stereotyped his whole life by the white man and most importantly how he begins to blame the white man. Silko said, "Why did he hesitate to accuse a white man of stealing but not a Mexican man or and Indian?" The white man has to be held responsible too and isn't above the law and Tayo is beginning to realize that. Not just the Indians or the Mexicans anymore, but the white man has to face judgement and consequences as well. This trip for the cattle wound up to be one of the best solutions for Tayo and his PTS. Silko said, "Hes topped on the edge of the clearing. The air was much colder. He had been so intent on finding the cattle that he had forgotten all the events of the past days and past years. Hunting the cattle was good for that. Old Betonie was right. It was a cure for that, and maybe for other things too". Like stated earlier Betonie's visions begin to become a reality for Tayo and even Tayo sees them start to help with things like his PTS. Silko said, "It was changing, unraveling like the yarn of a dark heavy blanket wrapped around a corpse, the dusty rotted strands of darkness unwinding, giving way to the air; its smothering pressure was lifting from the bones of his skull". Just in tis quote there is proof that Tayo's PTS isn't as strong anymore and things are beginning to change. This search for the cattle is what really turns Tayo in the right direction and sets the tone for the rest of the book.

An idea of something veterans do to help support there PTS, just like Tayo with the Cattle hunt

Shows everyone is equal and the white man is responsible too and it's not always the Indians and Mexicans

Ceremony Continued

  This section of the book begins with Tayo and his experiences with Leroy and Helen Jean. Right away you can tell Tayo cares for Helen Jean when he becomes very protective over her with the Mexican men in the bar. Tayo was too drunk and Harley and leroy didn't even notice Helen Jean leave but she left the bar that night with the Mexican men. Helen Jean then decides she's done with the men in Gallup and the one night stands, she wants to move on to better things. The way of life in Gallup for woman is a never ending trap and she knows that. "You can start today, but you might want to change your clothes." She went in looking for a desk and office job and was offered the janitors positions which shows how woman in Gallup were treated. These woman get hit on and mentally abused by most men because the men are desperate and usually drunk because they're always at bars. Something that really catches the readers attention is when Helen Jean decides not to leave with Isleta and Isleta says "You bitch! You think you're better than a white woman?" Thankfully the Apache at the bar stands up for Helen Jean but this part was really important. Isleta is still living in the past and his experience with Doreen when he was still a soldier and had a uniform. His PTS is making him treat Helen Jean this way because he still thinks that he's superior and can get any woman with his uniform but that uniform is no longer there. This is what happened for most Indian vets returning from war. They struggled to succeed in white america without there uniforms and that led to anger and outbreaks.

Alcohol abuse because of PTS is still very evident in this reading

Indian woman struggled even harder with equality and equal rights

   Another one of the most important parts of this reading is the story at the end. The story about the gambler is full of deeper meanings and is crucial to this book. This most Native stories it has to do with the weather and in this case the gambler kidnaps the clouds which over the years leads to drought and they get freed. The story reminds you of The Boy Who Cried Wolf and how the gambler ticks each visitor into trading all there valuables for his but he always wins. When grandson answers every one of the gamblers questions correct he gambler continues to find more questions because he never loses but this time was different. Kaup'a'ta the gambler was magical though and Sun Man knew that and was going to pretend to be dead. "My children, I have found you!" Sun Man after he cut out the gamblers eyes and unlocked the clouds. Now mother earth can thrive again and this story resembles rebirth in a sense and how the land changed. 

An idea of the rebirth of nature

Mother Nature

Ceremony and Intro to Betonie

   This section of the reading is one of the most important parts of the entire book. The introduction of Betonie is extremely important because he becomes a bridge for Tayo between two worlds and finally gets Tayo to open up and it allows Betonie to help Tayo. For so long Tayo allows his past and how he feels to turn him into somebody he's not and Betonie is able to help Tayo. When Tayo first meets Betonie with Robert he's suspicious of Betonie because of his appearance and the hogan he lived in on the side of mountain. "The old man was tall and his chest was wide; at one time he had been heavier, but old age was consuming everything but the bones. He kept his hair tied back neatly with red yarn in a chongo knot, like the oldtimers wore. He was sitting on an old tin bucket turned upside down by the doorway to his hogan." Betonie's hogan was secluded in a way from Gallup but it still overlooked the land. When asked about why he lives there Betonie said, "I tell them I want to keep track of the poeple". From the start Tayo questioned Betonie's ability to be a medicine man but that statement alone caught Tayo's attention. There is more to Betonie and Tayo quickly learns that. Betonie could connect with Tayo, like Tayo he was mixed raced and was judged for it also. Betonie was Navajo but that didn't interfere with any connection between Tayo and him. Betonie said, "My grandmother was a remarkable Mexican with green eyes". From this point on Tayo feels more comfortable with Betonie and begins to open up about his mixed background and everything he's been through.

Realistic and accurate idea of what Betonie could look like.

Gallup, New Mexico where Betonie's Hogan was located looking over the town.

  Something very special about Betonie was his Hogan and the possessions inside. "Tayo sat down, but he didn't take his eyes off the cardboard boxes that filled the big room; the sides of some boxes were broken down, sagging over with old clothing and rags spilling out; others were jammed with the antennas of dry roots and reddish willow twigs tied in neat bundles with old cotton strings". The description of Betonie's house and the picture Tayo paints of it describe it as a dump. Betonie's hogan was a not a dump though, everything had a specific meaning and every little aspect of the home fit in a unique and special way and Tayo later learns that. When Betonie's hogan is described is when the idea of integration is introduced and how the craziest things put together could still be extremely meaningful and that's what Betonie does. He uses the most of everything, nothing gets wasted and nothing goes unseen or without a deeper meaning. At first Tayo cannot understand Betonie and the deeper meaning of most the things he says but that changes. Betonie said, "Take it easy, don't try to see everything all at once". This is when Betonie and the deeper meaning comes into place because Tayo is quick to judge and overlook most of the things in Betonie's hogan but Betonie just laughs at him because he knows Tayo doesn't understand the deeper meaning yet. Some would say Betonie is a hoarder but everything in his home has a purpose. This connection Betonie builds with Tayo in the hogan is extremely important and plays a major role in Tayo's future in moving forward.

Idea of what a traditional hogan would look like

Things may appear unorganized but everything has a purpose. Especially with Betonie.

Ceremony Continued

   Tayo's struggling relationship with Emo continues at the beginning of this section of the book. Emo and Tayo have been fighting and arguing since grade school and the conflict has only increased over the years. Tayo can't stand the sound of Emo's voice which ultimately leads him to attacking him in the bar. At first the alcohol was helping Tayo block out Emo as well as all of Tayo's problems in general. "The beer kept him loose inside. Emo's words never touched him. The beer stroked a place deep under his heart and put all the feeling to sleep." Tayo uses the alcohol to get away from his issues with PTS but the combination of the alcohol and Emo harassing him made him snap. Something else very important in this section of the reading is the idea of Emo getting joy out of the horrible things he did at war. Tayo on the other hand can't stand the idea of what he might of done at war, he's a good person at heart. The idea of good vs. evil with Tayo and Emo with Emo being the evil one. " He pushed them into circles and rows like unstrung beads; he scooped them into his hand and shook them like dice. They were his war souvenirs, the teeth he had knocked out of every corpse of a Japanese soldier." Emo took Japanese soldiers teeth as trophies, it takes a sick and twisted individual to take joy and trophies out of war and Tayo knows that. Emo was a ruthless killer and bragged about it as well and Tayo couldn't handle it anymore and thats why he stabbed Emo with the beer bottle. When Tayo jumps up and screams "Killer" at Emo, Emo said "You drink like an Indian and you're crazy like one too buy you aren't shit, white trash. You love the Japs the way your mother loved to screw white men." The sentence alone would make anyone want to attack someone but this beef between Tayo and Emo has lasted a lifetime almost. It also shows just how ruthless Emo is. At times this act by Tayo seems justified because of everything Emo has put Tayo through and many other people as well. Once again the alcohol is a big issue for Tayo and will continue with hi throughout the book.

Alcohol and violence led Tayo to stab Emo with the broken beer bottle

The human teeth necklace that Emo has

   Another really important part of this reading was the introduction of Nightswan. You get the idea that Nightswan could be a prostitute but she has a much greater meaning than that. She's more of a sexual teacher and healer and in most cultures besides white America there is a place for woman like Nightswan. She also represents spring and new beginnings because every time she is explained it is with colorful colors and positive vibes. Very close to the introduction of Nightswan you see the love Josiah has for her. Silko said "He liked the way she talked. There was something in her eyes too." It was love at first sight for Josiah. Nightswan also believes in connecting with people with dance which is very interesting and reflects her style. "They called me the Nightswan, she said. I remember every time I have danced." Through time the connection between Josiah and Nightswan grew stronger and stronger. Later on it explains Tayo's relationship with Nightswan, After Tayo's sexual experience with Nightswan and before he leaves for the war he doesn't understand what Nightswan was trying to say to him. But when Tayo returned from war he realized the truth in what Nightswan told him and that is something really interesting to think about. Tayo grew wiser and more mature and realized it's okay to be someone like Tayo who has a mixed race background and that it actually makes him more unique. Tayo was told his whole life that because of who his parents were he was different but if anything he is different in a good way and Nightswan helped him realize that. Nightswan's influence so far in the book has been very strong and I'm sure it will only grow as the book goes on.

Just an idea of what Tayo experiences with Nightswan

Spring and the idea of new beginnings with Nightswan

Reel Injun

    Reel Injun gives the viewer an in depth and real look at the birth of the Hollywood Injun, the noble Injun, the savage Injun, the Cowboy, etc. One of the most important sections of the film is the savage Injun and the portrayal Hollywood gave of Native Americans in a very negative way. Adam Beach said " We'll never be able to change the fantasy of who and what Indians are. That fantasy will always be there. We'll be... we'll always be on convers of novels saying " Cheyenne Warrior"". Hollywood made the Native into a fierce less Warrior with crazy clothes and war painted bodies but this savage idea of the Native wasn't correct. The idea of the savage Injun was born with John Ford and Westerns. The Cowboy or the hero was always fighting against the ruthless and savage Indians which led the viewer to want to vote and root for the Cowboy hero. John Ford's movies are still to this day some of the most popular films to ever be released and that idea of the savage Injun is constantly being spread. Things began to change though and something really interesting in the film was the words of Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood said " I remember once we were on the set, the director said 'I want a real native, upfront. I want to see the real thing.' We couldn't find one." The people who were playing the savage roles of the Indians weren't even Indians. It got to a point in film where the idea of the native and culture didn't even matter anymore they just needed men to play the ruthless warriors or the enemy in these films. Westerns and film in general also colonialized native culture. Robbed natives of there individual tribes and cultures and just associated them as one group of people. Each tribe is special and has there own individual ways and ceremonies. Film and the costumes just assumed every native was a Plains native with the fancy headdress. Jesse Wente said " When you're kids and trying to play Cowboys and Indians, and if you're an Indian kid - well doesn't that mean you're going to lose all the time?". Hollywood and film made this possible because in the movies the Indians always ended up getting slaughtered at the end of these films. This spread into the youth too which wasn't helping the Indians.

Picture from a John Ford western called The Searchers 

Picture of Geronimo which shows the savage portrayal of Indians in Hollywood

         Another main focus in the film Reel Injun is the importance of Wounded Knee and the affect it had on both the Indians and in film. Jim Jarmusch said " That is a genocide that occurred and the (American) culture wanted to perpetuate the idea that (the natives) these people are now mythologic, you know, they dont even really exist, they're like dinosaurs.". This isn't just referring to Wounded Knee but the natives in general. There are becoming exist and most people are perfectly fine with watching and letting that happen. Wounded Knee gets tied in with film when Marlon Brando was given an Oscar for his role in the Godfather and had Sacheen Littlefeather accept the award for him In all traditional native clothing on National television. After the acceptance of the award and the stand Marlon Brando made people began to pay attention to issues like Wounded Knee and what the Indians were going through. John Trudell said " We're not Indians and we're not Native Americans. We're older than both concepts. We're the people, we're the human beings.". People need to realize that Indians are human just like them and that were all equal. No more idea of the savage Indian or the enemy but as human beings. Wounded Knee was going in the wrong direction for the Indians and they knew that. Russel Means said " We don't believe we're going to get out of (Wounded Knee) alive and the moral is down low and Marlon Brando and Sacheen Littlefeather totally uplifted our lives.". The speech and the stand at the Oscars gave the people at Wounded Knee hope and that's what they needed at this time. These strong stands for equality for Indians is what is needed and more and more people are beginning to see the horrors Indians went through and are still going through.

Sacheen Littlefeather accepting the award for Marlon Brando at the Oscars

Indians held up at Wounded Knee

Ceremony Part Three

        This section of the book starts out with a more in depth look at Auntie and her relationship with Tayo. She claims she is a Christian woman but she uses Tayo as a way to show the people that she is sill responsible and can raise a child but doesn't care much for Tayo at all. Auntie claiming she is a Christian woman is a massive contradiction and Tayo begins to realize that. Later on in the reading though you get a sign of oppression with Auntie. " It will start all over again. All that gossip about Josiah and about Little Sister. Girls around here have babies by white men all the time now, and nobody says anything." Auntie is feeling a transfer of oppression here and it's also very racist on both sides because it's claiming all the girls just get with white men and it's also saying the white men are only looking for women to use. Constantly learning and hearing about more of the struggles in Tayo's life he also occasionally remembers some of the good times he used to have with Rocky when they were younger. " The rattlesnakes liked to lay there in the early spring, when the days were still cool and the sun warmed the black lava rock first; the snakes went there to restore life themselves. The old man gestured to the northeast, and Tayo turned his head that way and remembered the wide round hole, so deep that even lying on his belly beside Rocky, he had never been able to see the bottom." These flashbacks Tayo gets of the good times is what keeps him going at times and allows him to get away from all the darkness thats filled his head. This quote from the book also gives a sense of storytelling and a glimpse of how important storytelling is for Tayo and the Laguna Pueblo people in general. Ku'oosh is an important man in this section of the book because he's constantly being referenced. Ku'oosh acknowledges Tayo's absent white father and the white peoples war. This was is not a Laguna Pueblo war and Ku'oosh emphasizes that with Tayo saying this war was the white mans war. With Ku'oosh Tayo does a lot of blaming himself and we see that Tayo is struggling greatly with his past and we see the PTS at times. Tayo blames himself for the wrong doings at war and in order for the world to heal the world has to heal.

What a potential Laguna Pueblo medicine man could look like(Ku'oosh).

Ku'oosh explaining that this was a white mans war not a Laguna Pueblo war.

         Later on in the reading theres some racism but against white people. Just like the white people are always treating the Native Americans as less in the book Ku'oosh returns the favor. " There are some things we can't cure like we used to, not since the white people came." The blame for everything that has happened goes both ways. The Native Americans blame the white people and the white people blame the Native americans. Later in the reading there is more struggle for Tayo with PTS and alcohol. " Liquor was medicine for the anger that made them hurt, for the pain of the loss, medicine for tight bellies and choked-up throats. He was beginning to feel a comfortable place inside himself, close to his own beating heart, near his own warm belly; he crawled inside and watched the storm swirling on the outside and he was safe there; the winds of rage could not reach him."Most of the time when Tayo is drunk he begins telling stories and the other men enjoy listening to his stories but the stories and the combination of alcohol are only hurting Tayo. Tayo uses alcohol to get his mind away from the past and this was common for most Native americans returning from war. Another important part of this reading is the affect the Army uniform had on Tayo. " The first day in Oakland he and Rocky walked down the street together and a big Chrysler stopped in the street and an old white woman rolled down the window and said, "God bless you, God bless you," but it was the uniform, not them, she blessed." The uniform brought Tayo respect from the white people but it was the uniform not Tayo. As soon as that uniform was off the white people labeled Tayo as Indian and savage all over again. The Uniform even brought Tayo success with white woman but that went away too when the Uniform was gone. Tayo struggles to fit in and refers to himself as "half-breed". Him being from a white father didn't help in the Laguna Pueblo nation and him being Laguna Pueblo didn't help in white america's idea of society. This struggle to fit in really haunts Tayo. 

U.S Army WWII uniform.

Most soldiers struggled with alcohol and drug abuse when they returned home.

Ceremony The Beginning

        The beginning of Ceremony is so inviting and so intriguing you want to continue reading right from the start. The book starts out with a poem that is filled with deeper meanings that will carry on into the rest of the book. The poem also introduces the reader the idea of Thought-Woman and earth and the four worlds below. Right from the start you get a taste of the Laguna Pueblo culture and belief with Thought Woman who is said to have created the universe. The poem ends with the final word sunrise which hints new beginnings and rebirth which you can tell will be really important in this book. The constant struggle of Tayo's past and the need for a new beginning, a new sunrise. Within the first couple pages you learn where the book is and has taken place, from WWII to the reservation and to the bar. Another really important thing from the beginning of the book is learning of Rocky's death who is Tayo's cousin and best friend. Rocky's death has a huge toll on Tayo and it's obvious it will be a struggle in the future for Tayo. " He could hear Rocky's words, and he could follow the logic of what Rocky said, but he could not feel anything except a swelling in his belly, a great swollen grief that was pushing into his throat." This quote from Tayo reveals that he's always in pain because of Rocky's death as well as Josiah's who was Tayo's uncle. Gives the reader there first glimpse of PTS too and Tayo's constant struggle with the disease. 

From the beginning of the book you can tell that Tayo struggles with his past as well as the future with everything that has happened in his life and PTS is a real struggle for him. 


        One of the most important parts of the first section of the book is when Tayo is describing the war and when Rocky was injured. " Jungle rain had no beginning or end; it grew like foilage from the sky, branching and arching to the earth, sometimes in solid thickets entangling the islands and, other times, in tendrils of blue mist curling out of the coastal clouds." The weather was really beginning to affect Tayo, he prayed for the rain to stop because it was too much but usually back home in the Laguna Pueblo tribe he prayed for more rain. The Rain and damp weather was gradually picking away at Tayo. 

Soldiers from WWII sitting in the pouring rain

     

       Tayo describes the weather being so bad at one point that he believed it was the weather that was killing Rocky during the road to the prison camp instead of the grenade that Rocky was hit by or the deadly walk to the prison camps. During this time Tayo explains how storytelling was able to keep him and the other men going during these horrible times. Reminiscing on good times and stories of friends and family was able to get there minds off of what was going on to something more positive and that was crucial for Tayo. Later on in this section you see that Tayo isn't ready to be back in the normal world and struggles greatly with more PTS. " The new doctor asked him if he had ever been visible, and Tayo spoke to him softly and said that he was very sorry but nobody was allowed to speak to an invisible one". Tayo feels guilty and responsible for all the wrong he did during the war and that's the biggest struggle with PTS. He feels invisible now and will never be looked at or be able to look at people the same. In the first section of the book you get a good introduction to Tayo and all the struggles his life has become from his past.

Just an idea of everything that comes with PTS

Sign of the Laguna Pueblo Tribe