Tayo's relationship to the natural world is the key to his ceremonial transformation from sickness to health. His story illustrates the idea that human beings have to honor and respect the earth in order to maintain nature in a state of healthy balance. Droughts, floods, and other natural disasters are a sign that the relationship between the earth and its people has been disrupted in some way—it's like Mother Earth's way of putting us in time out when we misbehave. A healthy relationship with nature is associated with Native American culture, while white culture is characterized as disconnected from nature.
Questions About Man (and Woman) and the Natural World
- When does Tayo feel most connected to the natural world? When does he feel most separated from it?
- Several characters are described as resembling animals. Which characters are these, and what is their relationship to the natural world?
- What is Emo's opinion of the natural world? What other characters have rejected the earth in an attempt to assimilate into white culture?
- Is the earth characterized as male or female? Do any characters seem like they could be an "earth figure"?
Chew on This
Tayo's return to personal health is directly related to his connection with the natural world. The closer he feels to nature, the better he feels.
Tayo's encounters with important female characters in the novel, like the Night Swan and Ts'eh, are also encounters with nature. The Night Swan and Ts'eh can be seen as personifications of the earth—the earth in human form.