Open Prompt #1 Revision

2010, Form B. “You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.” —Sonsyrea Tate

Sonsyrea Tate’s statement suggests that “home” may be conceived of as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on an individual. Choose a novel or play in which a central character leaves home yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you analyze the importance of “home” to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character’s idea of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.

               Home is where the heart is and one’s heart is where their love it. In Mr. Gatsby’s case, home is with Daisy. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald perfectly illuminates Sonsyrea Tate’s statement that “You can leave home all you want, but home will never leave you.”  Mr. Gatsby’s tale is one of longing for his heart, his home, and his love. Through tone and characterization, Fitzgerald shows that when you live in the past, your future dreams will always be affected.

             Gatsby was forced to leave his love behind when he was shipped off to war. As they both go on living their separate lives, Gatsby discovers that his happiness lies in Daisy’s hands. Daisy represents material America. She is beautiful, superficial, and shallow. But nonetheless, Gatsby, an accomplished man, lives his life around rekindling his love with her. Consequently, his life revolves around finding Daisy again. By throwing big parties hoping she will come, attempting to intrude on her marriage, and searching for her with every step he takes, he circulates every moment around returning to his home; his Daisy.  His over the top, driven character shows that he will do anything to be reunited with his home.

           Fitzgerald’s complex symbols, motifs, and details disguised in his words help create a tone of desperation and desire. The tone shows how Gatsby will do anything to find his home. The fact that throughout the whole story the mission is to re-spark the fire between Daisy and Gatsby makes the tone one of suspense, excitement, and curiosity. The details in the novel, down to the color of Gatsby’s car and the positioning of the houses, show how specific Gatsby’s search is. The reader sees Gatsby’s obsession.

             By obsessing over finding Daisy, Gatsby’s entire life is changed. He moves to where she lives and throws parties hoping to attract her. Fitzgerald shows how when you live in the past, your future can never excel on its own. Gatsby can’t move on with his life until he finds and is back with Daisy. Daisy is Gatby’s home. She is his comfort, love, and life.

          The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald reflects Sonsyrea Tate’s statement perfectly. His longing for Daisy is what made the story what it was. He knew his home was Daisy. Gatsby would not stop his fight until he made it back home.

         

Summary and Analysis of Ceremony

Author: Leslie Silko- part Laguna Pueblo, part Caucasian

Setting: Mainly the Laguna Pueblo reservation. The book is a series of flashbacks, peaks to the future, and descriptions of the present.

Narrator: 3^rd Person

Characters:

      Tayo-  A war veteran who is “sick” after losing his cousin and his uncle. He is half Laguna-Pueblo, half Caucasian and battles with being mixed throughout the story.

      Rocky- Tayo’s cousin who died during battle. He was a very Americanized Native American and dreamed of playing football, going to college, and leaving the reservation.

      Auntie- Tayo’s Aunt/Rocky’s mom who has taken care of him sine his mom abandoned him. She is ashamed of her sister and wants to make a good name for her family. She is very involved with church.

      Josiah- Tayo’s late uncle/father figure.

      Grandma- Matriarch of the family. She intervenes at important parts of Tayo’s life to provide advice in random comments.

      Emo- War veteran/childhood acquaintance of Tayo. They have always butted heads. He has a shaven head to show disconnect from NA culture. He is very involved with alcohol and ends up murdering Harley.

      Night Swan- Josiah’s Mexican girlfriend. She seduces Tayo at one point in the book too. She represents an aspect of contact between white and NA cultures.

      Harley- Tayo’s childhood friend. He returned from the war not sick like Tayo but with an alcohol problem.

      Robert- Auntie’s quiet, mild-mannered husband.

      Betonie- Medicine man who leads Tayo through his ceremony.

      Old Ku’oosh- Laguna/traditional medicine man.

Plot:

     At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to Tayo who is “sick” after losing Rocky and Josiah. We learn he is tormented by the lack of rain and therefore struggles in the Pueblo Community since he believes it is his fault. He lays in bed sick at home. He lives with Auntie, Grandma, and Robert since his mother abandoned when he was four years old. He has an unknown white father and Auntie is very ashamed of her sister’s (Tayo’s mother’s past) and takes this out on Tayo.

      Through a series of flashbacks, peaks to the future, and descriptions of the present we learn about Tayo’s friends like Harvey, Emo, Pinkey, etc. who are also battling problems from the war, but they do it in the form of alcohol. We also learn about how Rocky and Tayo got involved in the war and Rocky’s desire to leave the reservation, go to college, and play football. Auntie’s wish for Tayo to be dead instead of Rocky becomes more and more obvious.

       Grandma calls for Old Ku’oosh to perform a traditional ceremony on Tayo. The ceremony does not work so Betonie is called in. He is more connected with white culture and knows they need a new ceremony to cure the drought and Tayo. When Tayo leaves to try to find Josiah’s cattle and therefore complete the ceremony, he meets Ts’eh who is a lot like Night Swan (Josiah’s old Mexican girlfriend). With the help of a mountain lion, he finds the cattle in the mountains. He spends the summer with Ts’eh in the mountains until Robert comes to tell him Emo and other people from back home are causing trouble and blaming it on Tayo. 

        Once returning, he uses Ts’eh’s advice to get away from police. While running from Emo, he finds Pinkie and Emo torturing Harvey trying to figure out where Tayo was hiding.

       He returns to Old Ku’oosh who tells him the ceremony is complete. The book ends with Grandma claiming it’ a familiar story but with different names.

Quotes:

“They all mourned Rocky that way, by slipping lapsing into the plans he had for college and for his football career.” –page 25

       -This quote shows how much Auntie and the rest of the family mourned Rocky’s lose. It also expresses how Rocky wanted to be part of the white culture.

“Then they grow away from the earth, away from the sun, then they grow away from the plants and animals.” –page 125

        -This is a line from the poem running throughout the story. It is about the Native Americans (like Emo) who are disconnecting from the Laguna Pueblo culture.

Theme:

Preserving tradition is essential to the Native American community.

Symbols/Motifs:

Direction

Wind

Colors

Water

Alcohol 

Course Materials

I can’t believe we are on our last book. As exciting as that is, it means the AP test is literally right around the corner. This idea is extremely intimidating. I think I am more prepared then I may believe. I will definitely have to refresh on the terms, but with more multiple choice practice and essays I hopefully will feel confident.

Back to class….. After Ceremony, I hope my ability to dissect/analyze books has improved. It is weird how analyzing truly gets easier with each book. I have a feeling this skill will be very useful on the AP.

So far, I really like Fifth Business! It is an interesting plot and contains so many abstract concepts to think about.