Marji And Tayo's Life Analysis

He was once kind, but now he’s a mean man. Kino looked down at her and his teeth were bared. He hissed at her like a snake, and Juana stared at him with wide unfrightened eyes, like a sheep before the butcher. She knew there was murder in him, and it was all right; she had accepted it, and she would not resist or even protest. And then the rage left him and a sick disgust took its place.

she desperately tried to keep him close, but society prevented it. With Robert, she slowly began

Tayo’s choices are influenced by his mixed ancestry, which reveal a sense of insecurity. When asked to deliver a note from Uncle Josiah to his girlfriend, Tayo agrees and unexpectedly has sexual relations with the woman. Her name is Night Swan, and her Mexican ancestry encourages Tayo to confess something personal after the encounter: “‘I always wished I had dark eyes like other people. When they look at me they remember things that happened. My mother.’ His throat felt tight. He had not talked about this before with anyone” (92). Tayo chooses to reveal how he feels othered by the Laguna society because of his light-colored eyes. His revelation is made possible

    In the very beginning of the book, Marji’s rebellious side is slightly shown to the reader. “We demonstrated in the garden of our house” (10). This was the beginning of Marji’s own rebellion for religion. The thing that makes this illogical though is that she doesn't fully understand what she is rebelling against. All she knows is that the adults around her, including her parents, are rebelling and that she should follow suit. In order to fully understand why she’s doing what she is doing, she reads plenty of books. “To enlighten me they bought books” (12). Marji learned more and more of what she was fighting against, and for, but she then decides that she wants to go to an actual demonstration. “‘I want to come with you tomorrow!’ ‘Where?’ ‘To the demonstration on the street! I am sick and tired of doing it in the garden’” (16-17). This is yet again an illogical choice that Marji makes, however it can be justified due to the time and her own reason. The choices Marji makes for religion show just how much effort she puts into rebelling. Marji puts plenty of effort into rebelling in something that she does not fully understand, and it shows that shes has personality traits that reflect from what her parents do. Her parents rebel against the shah, and so does Marji. She does not understand why she does, but she decides to do it anyways. Her personality is reflected from her parents, and show how she is so rebellious.

Marji asked her parents if she could go, but they declined every time;however, Marji still snuck out and went. Marji and her maid Mehri proceed on with their plans and go. When they arrive, Marji sees first-hand how people are really being treated, and she does not like it. A little while after the demonstration, Marji decides she is going to wear her new jean jacket and new nike shoes. She gets caught and makes up a lie so she will not get into too much trouble. She wanted to express herself a little bit, and show her own style. She comprehends now that she cannot wear what she wants, and she becomes angry and disappointed. Marji is tired of having to be who someone else wants her to be, and always having someone holding her back. Because of everything going on, Marji starts to do everything her parents ask her to, and she starts rebelling. Marji’s school teacher started being rude, so Marji decided she had enough and stands up for herself. She accidently hits the teacher and gets herself expelled. This promotes a big change in Marji, because she seems as if she really does not care. The final event that changes Marji is the bombing in her neighborhood. She thought her house was her safe place, but the bomb was an eye opener to her that she really was not safe anywhere. Some of the events that change Marji are: Uncle Anoosh’s death, the demonstration, the Nike shoes, getting expelled, and the bomb going off.

Taji says this because she also believes strongly in what she has taught her daughter and to her, Ramin is too young to fully understand the meaning behind his words. Although she criticizes Ramin’s parents for this, she does the same thing with Marji. Marji’s opinions on the revolution are shaped by the stories her father tells, what her teachers tell her in class, and what she hears from her friends. As Marji grows and gains her own experience and knowledge about the world, she is able to use it to form her own opinions about the Iranian Revolution. However, as a child, she is too young and inexperienced to form a well-thought opinion.

Marjane’s outspoken personality helps her and hurts her in various ways. Marjane is around her family most of the time, so that affects her and makes her think more about what’s happening around her. She was affected by how her parents treated the maid, so she wanted to revolt against “the difference in social classes”. She has shown that in page 38 when she decided to demonstrate; this shows how her outspoken personality helps her to help others in a good way. Her outspoken personality also hurts her because of how she misinterprets some situations. For example, Marjane and her friends attempt to imitate the people around them by applying the physical violence that the people

Early then goes on with his essay by describing the hardships his daughters have faced when trying out hairstyles. He appeals to the mournful emotions of the audience by describing a real life account of his daughter being made fun of at school. When his daughter Linnet got an afro style haircut one group of black girls at her school refused to play with her. She was told,”You look so ugly with that hair.” Early adapts a sad tone when Linnet describes herself as, “I don’t think I am beautiful at all. I think I am just ordinary.” Early uses an emotional appeal along with a sad tone in order to inform the nation of what many African American girls deal with. He does this to inform the reader of self-consciousness a particular “African- American” disease.

As the story progresses and Tayo becomes healthier the story becomes clearer and much easier to understand. This is showing the progression of Tayo finding himself and recovering from his struggles with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Tayo’s journey to find Josiah’s cattle is more than just a journey to find the cattle. His journey is to rediscover and heal himself after learning from the old medicine man Betonie who teaches Tayo what he needs to do to complete the ceremony and heal himself from his mental struggles from the war. In Ceremony Betonie tells Tayo “‘One night or nine nights won't do it anymore,’...’the ceremony isn't finished yet’...’this has been going on for a long long time now. It's up to you. Don't let them stop you. Don't let them finish off this world’”(152). In other words your healing and the health of this world is up to you. Do not give up on yourself in your quest, and do not let others change your journey. If you do your ceremony will never be complete and you might never be healed. Betonie is warning him that he must not lose himself. This warning becomes extremely important when Tayo is faced with discovering Emo and Pinkie conducting the purging ceremony of Harley because he is of mixed blood. Tayo is faced with the decision to help Harley and endanger himself or to stay behind in the rocks and watch as his friend is tortured and

She teaches him the importance of certain plants, flowers, and ceremonies and how they are significant to Indian culture and survival. Tayo falls in love with her, and through his love, he begins to feel alive again. He realizes that he does have a place and that he is not invisible to everyone and

(7). Her grandmother also buys her books to help educate her on what is going on in their country (28). Both of these actions display that her grandmother wants her to be educated and also wants Marji to do whatever she desires and teaches her that she truly can be whatever she wishes. Before Marji leaves to go to Austria, her grandmother tells her “always keep your dignity and be true to yourself” (150). This is something that continually goes through Marji’s mind as she begins to make mistakes, being true to herself is something Marji is constantly struggling for and becomes a major theme throughout the novel. In the end of the novel Marji learns how to be true to herself and her ambitions as she divorces Reza and moves to Paris, which was an action heavily based on the ethics and teachings of her grandmother.

Ku’oosh referred Tayo to Betonie because Betonie practices evolving ceremonies. These ceremonies carry on the traditions but are more applicable to present day. Betonie, a half-breed like Tayo, lives atop a cliff overlooking a run-down white town. Initially Tayo questions Betonie’s surroundings and wonders if this medicine man will help him. Betonie explains to Tayo his different approach to performing ceremonies. He tells him that some think the ceremonies must be performed exactly the same as they had been for many years, but rather the ceremonies must evolve over time or else become ineffective. Betonie said, “But after the white people came, elements in this world began to shift; and it became necessary to create new ceremonies…only this growth keeps the ceremonies strong” (126). Betonie stresses that the white world has affected the Indian too much for the old rituals and chants to be effective. Betonie also believes that in order to cure Tayo he must combine

She pleaded to him to show some feeling towards her. Everyday was harder for her to get through as she saw less of her husband.

In order to rid him of the physical and mental sickness that the war and the racial issues brought Tayo, Betonie takes him through a ceremony.  In order to complete the ceremony, Betonie tells him to find a woman, stars, cattle, and a mountain.  The woman he meets knew beforehand that Tayo would come to see her.

Marji's role in life changes drastically throughout the novel. In the beginning, as a young child, Marji believes that she is a prophet. As the story progresses and they the revolution continues, Marji begins to feel dismay towards the revolution and towards God. Later in the novel, Marji’s mother also feels sadness. Her former revolutionary spirit is gone and replaced with fear. When Marji’s principal calls the house to complain that Marji disrespected of the teachers, her mother in the past would have been proud, but this time around she fears for her daughter and goes on to explain the things that happen to girls in Iranian prison. Her mother had given up optimism and established that war