20 pages • 40 minutes read
Leslie Marmon SilkoThe Man to Send Rain Clouds: Contemporary Stories by American Indians
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1974A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Literary Devices
Dramatic Irony
In literature, dramatic irony occurs when a reader understands more about a situation than its characters. Typically, dramatic irony is used to underscore tension and conflict between characters.
In “The Man to Send Rain Clouds,” Silko uses dramatic irony to set the tone for Leon and Father Paul’s relationship. When Silko first introduces Father Paul, he instructs Ken and Leon not to “allow [Teofilo] to stay at the sheep camp alone” (2). In reply, Leon tells Father Paul, “No, he won’t do that any more now” (2). Unlike Father Paul, the reader knows that Teofilo will not be staying at the sheep camp alone anymore because he has passed away. Father Paul, however, is in the dark, and departs after encouraging Leon to bring Teofilo to church. This example of dramatic irony places the reader and Leon on the same page, while Father Paul remains unaware of Teofilo’s death. In this manner, Silko foreshadows the religious conflict between Father Paul and Leon. Through their relationship, she is better able to illustrate the schism between Pueblo customs and Christianity.
Juxtaposition
A juxtaposition is a side-by-side placement of two things, such as settings, characters, or ideas. Juxtaposition is often used in literature to emphasize the differences between two concepts. By placing two things against one another for comparison, authors can better elucidate differences and similarities to the readers.
Silko uses the literary device of juxtaposition to showcase the different traditions and customs between the Pueblo people and the Christian faith. In the aftermath of Teofilo’s death, Leon and Father Paul’s ideas of what must be done with respect to Teofilo’s body differs drastically. This use of juxtaposition can be observed most clearly when Leon goes to ask Father Paul to bless Teofilo’s grave with holy water. Father Paul and Leon have a back-and-forth, where the former repeats the importance of the Last Rites “for a Christian burial” (3). Leon is calm despite Father Paul’s growing frustration, responding only with a respectful, “It wasn’t necessary, Father” (3). The contrast between their different attitudes and Father Paul’s eventual agreement highlights Leon’s position between Pueblo customs and Christian faith. Accustomed to being forced to choose, Leon occupies his own space, blending Pueblo and Christian traditions.
Ambiguity
Ambiguity is the quality of being open to multiple interpretations. Ambiguity allows for something can be understood in multiple ways. Using this narrative device, the author can leave room for readers to speculate further for themselves.
Silko uses ambiguity with both character and plot in “The Man to Send Rain Clouds.” The short story has a limited omniscient perspective, which means that the narrator follows Leon closely through the text but has no insight into his mental and emotional state. This perspective forces the reader to speculate about Leon’s beliefs by observing his actions and words. Without his inner monologue, Silko deliberately does not grant the reader access to Leon’s actual thoughts and feelings. Similarly, when Father Paul sprinkles holy water on Teofilo, Silko does not explicitly tell the reader what the action “reminded him of” (4). Though Father Paul “tried to remember what it was because he thought if he could remember he might understand this,” Silko does not make clear what exactly he might have imagined (4). By leaving this ambiguous, Silko forces the reader to wonder not only about the outcome of these characters, but also to speculate at what Father Paul might feel about Pueblo customs.
Related Titles
By Leslie Marmon Silko
