The ritual of sprinkling cornmeal mixed with pollen at the place of death, at the house of the deceased and the grave is meant to invoke a blessing for protection while the red blanket
in which the corpse is wrapped guarded him against malignant forces as he travelled into the spiritual world
(Raitt 152).
How did Teofilo die in The Man to Send Rain Clouds?
“The Man to Send Rain Clouds” is a short story by Leslie Marmon Silko in which old man Teofilo dies while herding sheep. His grandsons Leon and Ken arrange for a ceremonial burial. Ken and Leon find
Teofilo slumped under a tree in the pasture
, dead.
What does the water symbolize in The Man to Send Rain Clouds?
Water is symbolic for them
because it's important for their crops, which is really what they live for
. At one point Silko says, the priest was thinking if the body was really Teofilo or just some Indian trick to make sure their harvest was good.
What is the moral of the story The Man to Send Rain Clouds?
The moral of the short story is
one of compromise
. When Ken and Leon discover that the old man, Teofilo, has died, they prepare the body in a way that is traditional to them. They tie a feather in the old man's hair, wrap him in a blanket, paint his face, and sprinkle cornmeal over the body.
Why do you think Leon and Ken do not tell Father Paul about Teofilo death right away?
Curiously, Ken and Leon do not tell the priest that Teofilo is dead–surely they are trying to avoid a conflict. … He chides Leon for not calling
the priest
to give last rites and conduct a funeral mass. Leon responds simply, “It wasn't necessary, Father” (p. 1052).
Did Teofilo have a good funeral?
In “The Man to Send Rainclouds,” Teofilo, the local shepherd who peacefully died while tending his sheep,
had a good funeral in terms of the religion of Pueblo tradition
, which suggests the conflict of the story.
What are some symbols in The Man to Send Rain Clouds?
“The Man to Send Rain Clouds” conflict is demonstrated with the help of direct and indirect characterization.
The feathers symbolize the ascension and flight of the soul among many Native American cultures
. Their placement on corpses shows that they are being empowered to travel into the spiritual world (Venefica 25).
How much time passes from the beginning of the story to the end?
A full day
passes, from nine in the morning until late afternoon or evening, from the beginning of the story to the end.
Why does Leon clash with Father Paul?
At first, Leon does not tell the priest that his grandfather is dead, but his wife, Louise, gently suggests that they should cover all the bases in order to ensure grandfather's happiness in the afterlife. Leon dutifully goes to
Father Paul to ask for some holy water to sprinkle on his grandfather's grave
.
Who is the antagonist in The Man to Send Rain Clouds?
Death and culture clash
serve as the antagonists in the short-story, The Man to Send Rainclouds.
Who is Teofilo and what has happened to him?
Terms in this set (6) The old man
Teofilo has died peacefully while tending sheep out at the sheep camp
, away from the village. Leon and Ken find him under a cottonwood tree, but because his sheep have wandered away, the two brothers-in-law first collect them and put them in the corral.
Why does Father Paul change his mind?
He is upset because important Catholic rituals were not involved during the private traditional ceremony. Father Paul suddenly changes his mind
when Leon insists that holy water isn't needed and turns to leave, as he believes otherwise
.
Why is Father Paul upset about the burial ceremony?
He is upset
that he was not told that Teofilio was dead
, and he is also upset that he was not able to perform last rites and hold a funeral mass for the old man, whom he regards as a member of his parish and thus Christian.
Why does Leon smile over his grandfather's corpse?
He smiles
as he paints his dead grandfather's face according to
the Native American custom and believes that the old man's spirit will bring rain. He is a man of few words and has a calm, strong sense of dignity. … At home, Leon informs his family of Teofilo's death with few words.
Why might Corn Meal pollen and holy water be used in a funeral?
During the burial, Teofilo's blanket-wrapped body is lowered into the ground. Corn meal and pollen are sprinkled onto the blanket. The burial does not end, however, until the priest sprinkles holy water onto the blanket and open grave. Both pollen and corn meal are
used to represent longevity in the next life
.
Who is Teofilo and what has happened to him The Man to Send Rain Clouds?
As the other educator pointed out, the answer is that Teofilo is
an old Pueblo Indian who dies before the story begins
. At the beginning of the story, Leon (Teofilo's grandson) and Ken (Leon's brother-in-law) find Teofilo dead under a cottonwood tree. Upon finding Teofilo's body, the men are sad.
