Leslie Marmon Silko The Man to Send Rain Clouds

Vocabulary Words Arroyo - a dry or hollow in the earth’s surface Mass - church service celebrated by Roman Catholics Angelus - bell rung at morning, noon, and evening to announce a prayer Medicine bags - bags containing objects that were thought to have special powers Cloister - place devoted religious seclusion Pagans - people who are not Chistians, Muslims, or Jewish

Background Information Marmon Silko was raised on the Laguna Pueblo Reservation, New Mexico She grew up listening to tribal stories, told by her great grandmother and great aunts. The oral tradition and collective memories depends upon the whole community and how she came up with her stories she wrote.

Setting In works of narrative (especially fictional), the literary element setting includes the historical moment in time and geographic location in which a story takes place, and helps initiate the main backdrop and mood for a story.

The Man To Send Rain Clouds

Plot Setting south west desert late winter or early spring the character are Elon and Ken Topic is ritual (catholic and Indian); Theme is the importance of ritual in one’s life (or the like).

The Beginning In the beginning of the story, Leon and Ken find a dead man under the tree (their grandfather); he had been dead for a day or more under a big cottonwood Exposition is then described in the setting

The rising action On the way home, they met Father Paul; he stated to them that he felt sorry for them Leon’s wife suggested to him to do a Catholic funeral. They requested for the priest to say some blessings while they also did their ritual.

Climax The Funeral The two different rituals of a funeral with the Holy Water and face painting on how to get to heaven.

Falling Action The priest did not understand what they wanted him to do. The priest not only put Holy Water on the body but dropped some into the burial whole

Resolution/Conclusion Leon and Ken put Holy Water on the body and painted his face; they then state that the old man can bring the big rain.