Theme of Conflict, The Lullaby, Leslie Marmon Silko
Leslie Marmon Silko is an iconic writer and one of the most prolific Native American literary figures. Her short story Lullaby focuses on the story telling tradition of the Native American culture. Ayah the main character is an old woman retracing tragic occurrences in her life in a pattern of her thoughts since "Her life had become memories (Silko 43)."Ayah is a grieving woman who does not seem to have anything to work out for her because she undergoes one loss after another. Her suffering results to internal and external conflicts. The events that happen throughout the narration seem to divide rather than unite the characters. There is conflict between Ayah and the Whites, Ayah and her husband Chato, and she undergoes internal conflict. The conflicts experienced by the character's results from loss of traditional cultures and family ties. The consequences of the conflicts are that they result into mental anguish and suffering.
The conflict between Ayah and the Whites is the cause of all her tribulations. As the Whites began to take over the land belonging to the Native Americans, they began to lose their culture, and that is where the predicaments of Ayah started (Silko 47). The matter became complicated since the older natives told Ayah that learning the White man's culture would endanger her. The reader cannot help but sympathize with Ayah because of the disruptions brought forth by the White invasion. They want to impose their culture on the Natives and hence tension arises between them. The animosity between Ayah and the Anglo-American authorities heightens when they force her to surrender her children because she presumably infected them with tuberculosis (Silko 51). When the children come to visit her it is apparent that they might forget their language and customs, and this escalates the suffering of Ayah. She reminisces how her mother and grandmother used to teach her about their traditions (Silko 46). Ayah would have loved to do the same with her children.
[...] They want to impose their culture on the Natives and hence tension arises between them. The animosity between Ayah and the Anglo-American authorities heightens when they force her to surrender her children because she presumably infected them with tuberculosis (Silko 51). When the children come to visit her it is apparent that they might forget their language and customs, and this escalates the suffering of Ayah. She reminisces how her mother and grandmother used to teach her about their traditions (Silko 46). [...]
[...] There is conflict between the modern day and traditional way of life. Ayah recalls the buckskin moccasin shoes they traditionally wore, and she cannot help but scorn at the worn shoes she is wearing. Her remorse is evident when she remembers how her mother and grandmother would spun yarn and sew blankets. Ayah feels like an outsider when she realizes that life is no longer the same. Times are changing and maybe she should do the same. American Indians have the assurance that they are one with nature as depicted by Ayah. [...]
[...] For Ayah, the events are mere memories that cannot undergo corrections. Ayah would only clear her conscious by forgiving herself and those who hurt her. She does not resolve the conflict with her husband because he dies while she is still trying to accept the fact that he squanders their welfare money. The conflict with the White man's ways continues to the end. Bibliography Silko, Leslie Marmon. "Lullaby." Silko, Leslie Marmon. Storyteller. New York: groove Press Inc 43-55. [...]
[...] The conflicts experienced by the character's results from loss of traditional cultures and family ties. The consequences of the conflicts are that they result into mental anguish and suffering. The conflict between Ayah and the Whites is the cause of all her tribulations. As the Whites began to take over the land belonging to the Native Americans, they began to lose their culture, and that is where the predicaments of Ayah started (Silko 47). The matter became complicated since the older natives told Ayah that learning the White man's culture would endanger her. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
