Question 9 • Hopkins FA American Literature (2026-2027)
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 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 happy that the holy water was sprinkled because he believes it will help the old man send thunderclouds and bring rain. In the story, the sprinkling combines Catholic holy water with the Pueblo belief in a spiritual connection to rain and the dead. Thus, the holy water symbolizes Leon’s Pueblo traditions and hope for rain, not a rejection of those traditions.
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