The story "Lullaby" was published on storyteller (1981), a book in which Silko interweaves autographical reminiscences, short stories, poetry, photographs of her family and traditional songs. 'Lullaby' is one of the most noted pieces in Storyteller. It is told from the perspective of an old woman reminiscing about some of the most tragic events of her life.
She recalls being informed of the death of her son in war, the loss of her children after taken by white doctors, and the exploitative treatment of her husband by the white rancher who employs him. Ayah, Chato, Jimmie, Ella and Danny are the characters of the story. Ayah's only comfort is memory and the inalterable connections between land, memory, and life. Silko is able to make the readers feel the intense pain of loneliness associates with the loss of Ayah's family and culture at the hands of the white man.
About the writer Leslie Marmon Silko
Leslie Marmon Silko (1948) was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is widely recognized as one
of the finest living Native American writer. She is known for her lyric
treatment of Native American subjects. She is the novelist, poet, and essayist.
She attended Catholic Schools, took a B.A. from the university of New Mexico,
then began Law School under a special
program for Native Americans. But she soon gave it up to become a writer and a
teacher. Born to the photographer Lee
Marmon and his wife, Mary Virginia,
Leslie
Marmon Silko is of Laguna Pueblo, Mexican and Anglo-American heritage.
Her mixed ancestry has influenced her work in many ways.
Growing up
on the edge of the Laguna Pueblo reservation, Marmon Silko's earliest
experiences were positioned between cultures. In 1974, she published a volume
of poetry called Laguna Woman. Marmon
Silko was also acknowledged the influence of her own family's
storytelling on her method and vision. Her works' primarily focus on the
alienation of Native Americans in a White society and on the importance of
Native traditions and community in helping them cope with modern life. She has been
noted as a major contributor to the Native American literary and artistic renaissance,
which began in the late 1960s. The Man to Send Rain Clouds (1969), Ceremony
(1977) etc. are her famous works.
Ideas to note in Lullaby
Lullaby: Lullaby is a cradle song, a soothing song to
calm children.
Characters in Lullaby:
Ayah: Ayah is the main character of this
story. She is old now and only has her memories of her past. She remembers some
of the tragic and happy events of her life.
Chato: Chato is the husband Ayah. He spends
all his money on bars and gambling. In Chato’s family Chato is the only one who
can speak English.
Danny: Danny is Ayah’s and Chato’s youngest
son who was taken away by white doctors
Ella: Ella is Ayahs and Chato’s youngest
daughter who was also taken away by white doctors when she was an infant.
The white doctor: White doctors also have an
important part in the story. White Doctors took Ella and Danny from their
parents Ayah and Chatto. They were taken when they were infants.
Ayah’s grandmother: Ayah’s grandmother appears in Ayah’s
memory. Ayah remembers her grandmother singing lullaby to Ayah and also singing
traditional songs.
Jimmie: Jimmie is the eldest son of Ayah and Chato. He
was killed in war as he was in the army.
Policeman: Police were brought by white doctors
when Ayah didn't let her children taken away by white doctors.
Detailed summary of the story Lullaby
Ayah is an
old woman who lives with her husband Chato. They live in New Mexico. They are
currently near the town of Cebolleta. Chato spends all his money on bars and
gambling.
As the story
begins Chato is at the bar. Ayah waits for Chato near a river (creek). She
watches snowfall. She is wrapped in an army blanket given by her youngest son
(Jimmie). She remembers her grandmother
and her mother teaching her to weave the blankets. She also remembers the
birthplace of Jimmie and her mother and white women who helped her to give
birth to Jimmie. She also recalls a traditional Hogan (house-made of wood).
As she
continues remembering her past, she remembers the day when a white man wearing kurta
came to her door and told her that her son Jimmie had been killed in a war in a
helicopter crash. But Ayah didn't know English so her husband Chato had to
translate that tragic news to her. Ayah didn't believe that her son died.
Once, white
doctors came to her house and gave her a pen and told her to sign some papers.
As Ayah didn't know English, her husband had taught her to write her name in
English. She took the pen and signed the papers. She thought that the doctors would
leave. But the doctors pointed to Ayah’s two children Danny and Ella. The
children were affected by tuberculosis which was transmitted by Ayah’s
grandmother.
The doctors
didn't want to spread that disease to other people. So, they had come to take
those children. But Ayah didn't want to give her children to the doctors. That’s why she ran into the hills with her
children and she stayed the whole night in the hills with her children.
The next day,
she came to her home. At the same time, the doctors also arrived. The doctors
came with policeman. The police explained everything to Chato and told them
that the paper that ayah has signed had permitted white doctors to take their
children away.
Ayah tried
to run into the hills again but it she could not. Since Chato was the one who
taught Ayah to write her name in English, Ayah blamed Chato for everything. This
created a rift in their relationship and they started sleeping separately for
many years.
Ayah also
remembered the time when white officer kicked Chato from his work as he was too
old to work. Now, Ayah decided to go to look for her husband Chato at the bar.
When Ayah
entered the bar the people from that bar suspiciously looked at Ayah. This
reminded Ayah of a White woman who came to her home with her children Ella and
Danny for the first meeting. The white woman was also suspicious and was
feeling uncomfortable sitting in Ayah’s home because Ayah was not a white woman
(This shows the behaviour of white people to the normal one).
Ayah then
searched Chato in the bar but Chato was not there. So, she decided to go to her
Hogan (homemade by wood).While moving towards her home, she found Chato and she
went near him but Chato couldn't recognize her as he had lost his memory. A
storm appeared and Ayah found a shelter. She kept Chato in that shelter. She
wrapped Chato with an army blanket which was given by Jimmie. It was night and Ayah
could feel an overwhelming peace in her head. She found that Chato has fallen
asleep so Ayah sanga lullaby that was sung by her grandmother when ayah was an
infant.