"The Man to Send Rain Clouds" by Leslie Marmon Silko
STUDY GUIDE
1.
a.
What is the setting of "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"?
The setting is on an Indian Reservation in New Mexico and takes place in
the fall.
b.
List two details from the story that indicate the setting.
1. The ground was getting cold.
2. They started wearing jackets.
2.
In "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," why do Leon and Ken gather the sheep
before they tend to Teofilo?
Leon and Ken gather the sheep because Teofilo is already dead and the sheep are
wondering around and scattered. The sheep are their live stock. Teofilo is dead
and there is nothing they can do for him. The sheep, however, are alive and need
to be saved.
3.
When Leon and Ken see Father Paul on the road in "The Man to Send Rain
Clouds," why don't they tell him that Teofilo has died?
They don't tell father Paul that Teofilo has died because, they wanted a ceremony
like their culture but they were afraid that the priest would want one like the
Christian religion.
4.
Which phrase best describes why the southwest desert setting of "The Man to
Send Rain Clouds affects the digging of Teofilo's grave?
a.
The ground is frozen, but made up of loose sand.
b.
The ground is frozen and hard.
c.
The ground is made up of clay.
d.
The ground is frozen deep.
Cite details from the text to support your answer.
The Priest walks up to the grave and remembers how they tried to dig threw the
frozen ground, and then saw loose sand on the ground. The answer is A.
5.
What is the importance of asking for rain clouds?
They're asking for rain because they need water for their crops and Teofilo.
Teofilo needed water in the afterlife.
6.
Identify one example of an internal conflict that occurs in the story.
The priest had an internal conflict when he had to decide if he was going to bring
holy water to the graveyard like Leon asked.
7.
Identify one example of an external conflict that occurs in the story.
An external conflict is when the men of two different cultures have to get along.
8.
The Europeans greatly influenced Native American tribes. List three European
influences evident in the story.
The Europeans greatly influence Native American tribes. European influences
include the priest, the holy water, jeans, and Levis.