Read the excerpt from Leslie Marmon Silko’s story “The Man to Send Rain Clouds.” Leon watched him climb the hill, and when he had disappeared within the tall, thick walls, Leon turned to look up at the high blue mountains in the deep snow that reflected a faint red light from the west. He felt good because it was finished, and he was happy about the sprinkling of the holy water; now the old man could send them big thunderclouds for sure. What does the holy water symbolize for Leon?
Answer
A
It symbolizes his Pueblo traditions and hope for rain.
B
It symbolizes his strong rejection of Pueblo traditions.
C
It symbolizes his love and affection for Teofilo.
D
It symbolizes his ties to the Catholic Church.
Explanation
Leon feels relieved after the priest sprinkles holy water on Teofilo, believing the old man can now send the family rain clouds. The scene brings Catholic holy water together with Leon’s Pueblo belief in rain and the dead’s power to help the living. So the holy water symbolizes his Pueblo traditions and his hope for rain, not a rejection of those traditions.
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