Love takes many forms in Ceremony, but it all seems to stem from the earth's love for human beings. The earth shows its love for people by sending rain, plants, and animals to feed them. We know what you're thinking: How generous. Tayo learns that people need to return the earth's love with respect and gratitude. One way of understanding the big problem facing Tayo and the people of Laguna is that this loving relationship between earth and its people has been disrupted. The community is plagued by drought, and many of the young people choose to abandon the traditional Laguna rituals, preferring to emulate modern white culture. Tayo comes to understand that this is the work of the witchery, which seeks to destroy the love that people feel for one another and for the earth. He fights this evil by learning to love again.
Questions About Love
- Who loves and is loved in this novel? (Hint: it's not just people!)
- How does the earth (often referred to as "the mother") show her love for "the people" of Laguna and other Native Americans?
- What does Tayo have to learn about love and death before he can be healed? Who teaches him these lessons?
- How can we tell that Josiah loves the Night Swan? How do we feel about the fact that Tayo and the Night Swan sleep together while Josiah is still alive? (This is a tricky question . . . we're not sure of the answer!)
- What does the witchery want to happen to feelings like love? Does the witchery ever gain the upper hand? When, and with what characters?
Chew on This
Love is directly related to the supernatural battle between good and evil in this novel. The witchery tries to destroy the feelings of love that people have for one another, which will eventually lead to the destruction of the world. Our hero Tayo therefore has to fight this evil by learning how to love and be loved.
In Ceremony, love isn't just between individuals. It's a collective feeling that the earth feels for all of "the people." Tayo can only begin to love others when he remembers what it feels like to be loved by the earth.