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In-class summary 4-23
English 220: Introduction to Writing about Literature
Nature and the Modern World
Group 6
Eve and Syeda
Silko shows a large appreciation for the people at Laguna Pueblo because of how they are connected to each other. Unlike how humans were in Le Guin’s The Word for World is Forest, these people are reassured that “she or he will never be separated or apart from the clan” (120). Everything in their land is appreciated and given a status of high importance. Their culture, the plants, and anything with life is precious. These people believe greed is what stops people from appreciating what is around them.
The people at Laguna Pueblo like to reminisce on occurrences while connecting them to ones in the past, creating a sense of interconnection between the clan and the land. This idea of cohesiveness is what allowed people to survive in ancient times become support systems for one another. The people also view inanimate objects as indispensable, “People in the area regard the arroyo much as they might regard a living being, which has a certain character and personality”. Objects are associated with human characteristics which prevents the misuse of them. For the Pueblos, nothing is taken for granted and this appreciation is what the humans in The Word for World is Forest lack; they are unable to appreciate the differences in nature and thus end up abusing their resources.
Leora Kimmel, Madinabonu Turgunova
In this story, Leslie Marmon Silko gives details about the beliefs and ritual of the Pueblo people and Native American tribe that lives in a plateau in New Mexico. In the beginning, Silko describes that after something in nature dies it returns back to its source of nature. “You see that after a thing is dead, it dries up. It might take weeks or years but eventually, if you touch the thing, it crumbles under your fingers. It goes back to dust. The soul of the thing has long since departed.”(p. 1003) Emphasizing the importance of preserving and representing death within nature. This highlights the idea that if something dies it holds a purpose and should not be destroyed. Silko expresses the idea that when an animal is killed the Pueblo has respect for the animals, so “Nothing is wasted. What can not be eaten by people or in some way used must then be left where other living creatures can benefit.” The Pueblo makes sure that there are other living organisms around the animal’s remains so that even the remnants of the animal don’t go to waste. Ultimately, she is mentioning how there should be an equilibrium within the humans and their ecological environments. Further, the ideas of conservation are quite notably in her essay.
Group 8
Kristina Almiron and Liora Shalomayev
On pages 120 and 121, the writer discusses that although the purpose of their journey is to differentiate themselves from their surroundings and from the earth, they must not forget their connection to the surroundings. Since everyone and every being was born from the same source, everything on the earth is equal and has a spirit. The writer also mentions that our survival as people depends on the help of animals and plants. For instance, our emergence into the “Fifth World” was due to the help of the antelope and the badger. Furthermore, she explains that the clans are all very strongly connected and that a your clan will always be there for you, in the worst of times and the best. That fact that a person in a particular clan knows that they would never be shunned from the clan, makes for a safe place to share ideas, thoughts and feelings without any embarrassment or shame.
Jessica Cen, Jannatul Ashpia (Group 7)
In the essay, Silko emphasizes the cycle of life and death by giving examples of how human remains become part of nature. Her central claim is that “nothing is wasted” and she achieves this by clarifying the “human death cycle”. When a human dies, their remains are not so different from the rest. She emphasizes that humans and nature are interconnected where we both mutually benefit. Humans use nature to tell a story to their descents to learn about the cycle and respect nature. This contrasts with the Word for World is Forest because we witness the exploitation of natural resources. However, from the Athshean perspective, there is a deeper connection between the natural surroundings and the Athsheans similar to the Pueblo in Silko’s essay.
Madison Estrella & Raihanul Bhuiyan
In the 2-page section of page 117, Leslie Marmon Silko emphasizes the importance of interconnectedness between all things of nature and how the Pueblo people encapsulate this notion in the form of cultural stories and storytelling. She explains that humans are just one part of Earth and that we coexist along side trees, the sky, and other animals, which all have spirits that must be respected. Because of this coexistence, it is importance to recognize the vitality of cooperating with nature in order to survive. Having acknowledged the interrelationships between all things nature, the Pueblo have thus been able to thrive in their ever changing environment. Moreover, this lesson of interconnectedness is so deeply ingrained in their culture that it is passed down in the form of stories and storytelling in such a way that it connects all life forms. As a result, Silko describes the ancient Pueblo perspective as being inclusive to all beings, both human and not, due to their inherent interactions and relevance.
Doris Chen and Teuta Berisha
Within Silko’s writing, it becomes clear the traditional aspects of Puebloan culture maintain their history and discusses the importance of spirituality in storytelling and acknowledging their connection to inanimate souls. The landscape and history are rich in nature as “the spring also functions on a spiritual level, recalling the original Emergence place and linking to people.” The emergence in cultural identity has allowed Puebloan culture presented through storytelling to be important narratives as reincarnation serves as a focal point. It provides the people with comfort and understanding of their mythical world and the unique relationship to their spirituality on Earth. Both Le Guin and Silko both draw connections between nature and their creation, stating “yet we are all from the same source.” This emphasizes the two authors believe the natural worlds develop the souls as something all forms of life have in common. In addition, there is a connection between dreams and their identity, as well as nature contributing to their journey in becoming larger than their instincts.
In the text, Silko “The ancient Pueblos believed the Earth and the Sky were sisters (or sister and brother in the post-Christian version). As long as good family relations are maintained, then the Sky will continue to bless her sister, the Earth, with rain, and the Earth’s children will continue to survive”. In this text, it talks about how the native Pueblos depended on their myths as reasoning for what is happening to their environment and the natural disasters that are occurring. The good weather is provided if only the Earth and Sky work together. This relates to Barbour’s point of balances as both things have to be involved in order to keep things going. She also discusses how troublesome spirits are the reason as to why bad things happen on Earth. This is also the emphasis on inbalance. When the Earth and Sky are not in balance with each other natural disasters will happen.
Kevin Lin and Alicja Rolek
In the first two pages of Landscape, History, and the Pueblo Imagination, Silko focuses on illustrating to the reader aspects of the Pueblo culture. A significant idea is that everything “goes back to dust”. Rather than death being seen as something to be feared, they accept its inevitability and treat it as a return to the earth, the Mother Creator. They believe that everything has a soul, even plants or rocks. This belief causes them to have a high level of respect for everything in the natural world. When something must be destroyed, they attempt to make use of every part of it. What can’t be eaten by people is given to domestic animals, and if it can’t be given to the animals, then it is given back to the earth for the plants.
The Pueblo have a very natural and harmless way of living. Silko tries to establish that they have a very ecological way of living. Humans have a relation with animals, rocks, spirits. By doing this they believe that they can live in goodwill with nature. They believe if they respect nature that it will give back to them so that they can easily survive.
Group 5
Rachel Ng
Ricky Singh
1. Landscape, History and the Pueblo Imagination is an essay created by Leslie Marmon Silko centralized on the Pueblo people and their traditions. Silko touches upon many aspects of the Pueblo lifestyle, and more importantly emphasizes the importance of nature in Pueblo culture. In the section we analyzed, the first page, Silko highlights the importance of death to the Pueblo people, and they are indifferent in death, respecting all living or nonliving beings. To add on, she states “The dead become dust, and in this becoming they are once more joined with the Mother”, identifying that they are all unified under the principles of life. Due to this they have an overwhelming respect for nature, because that is where we come from and end up.
2. Silko talks about Pueblo art and their use of realism, which is recognizable in their paintings and sculpture. Pueblo potters never saw themselves separate from the earth. They felt it was not possible to describe the relationship between humans and their surroundings. They considered the term landscape misleading because the word assumes that the viewer is separate from the territory they’re looking at, but they’re part of the landscape like any other rock or tree. The Pueblo understand that humans are part of the natural world, and are a creation of it, rather than a creator. As a result, the ancient Pueblos didn’t see themselves as able to improve upon landscapes.
The two page excerpt on page 116 shows that nothing truly dies as everything to return to a source of a nature. Silko believes that when once someone is dead, they must return what was given to them to who created them. Silko states on page 116, ” Thus it is necessary to return carefully the bones and hair, and
the stalks and leaves to the earth who first created them. The spirits remain close by. They do not leave us. ” This goes to show that Silko’s version of the circle of life returns everyone to the nature where they were created. Silko also later discusses that we must not waste our gift of life given to us by nature. We cannot waste such a thing. Life has so much potential and wasting it would only backfire in the end. Once the time comes, humans must not just “throw away” their gift but instead, appreciate it knowing they lived up to their potential.