Read the following 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 ties to the Catholic Church.
B
It symbolizes his love and affection for Teofilo.
C
It symbolizes his Pueblo traditions and hope for rain.
D
It symbolizes his strong rejection of Pueblo traditions.
Explanation
Leon is pleased that the priest sprinkled holy water because he believes it will help bring rain: he thinks the old man can now “send them big thunderclouds.” The water connects the Catholic burial ritual with Leon’s Pueblo belief in rain and the ancestors’ role in bringing it. Therefore, it symbolizes his Pueblo traditions and hope for rain.
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