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Hybrid Spotted Cattle
One of the poems at the beginning of Ceremony explains that stories are kept in the stomach, setting up a framework in which characters’ stomachs are the site of cultural identity and history. Tayo’s stomach, especially, is a symbol of how connected or disconnected he feels from the stories of his Native heritage and, therefore, his own Native identity. Just as the stomach digests food to nourish a person’s body, it also symbolically digests stories in order to nourish a person’s soul. At war, Tayo stopped believing in the power of the traditional stories and begins to wonder if he should give up his native identity in order to fit in the modern white world, causing his stomach to stop working properly. When Tayo returns to the New Laguna reservation, he is still estranged from his native heritage and cannot keep any food down. Ku’oosh’s healing ceremony allows Tayo to eat again, but it does not work completely. Tayo still vomits at many moments of the novel when he questions or is ashamed of his native heritage, symbolically distancing himself from the power of the Native American community and stories.
During a fight with Emo, a fellow veteran, Tayo stabs Emo in the stomach, symbolizing how far Emo has gone from his own Native American heritage. Emo became an instrument of death and destruction during the war and has no interest in returning to balance once the war is over. Emo seemingly rejects the native philosophies on balance and respect for life, and is interested only in dominating as many other people as possible and achieving vengeance against white people and half-breeds like Tayo. Tayo’s attack on Emo’s stomach symbolizes Emo’s permanent disconnection from the Native American philosophy and stories. Unlike Emo, Tayo searches for healing and eventually starts to believe in the power of the Native American stories once more. As Tayo gradually recovers, he can feel in his belly when things are right with the world, and when he is fulfilling his part in a new Native American story that describes the ceremony for returning to balance and healing trauma in the world.
Bellies (Stomachs) Quotes in Ceremony
The Ceremony quotes below all refer to the symbol of Bellies (Stomachs). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Section 1
Quotes
I will tell you something about stories,
[he said]
They aren't just entertainment. Don't be fooled.
They are all we have, you see,
all we have to fight off
illness and death.
…
He rubbed his belly.
I keep them here
[he said]
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Section 5
Quotes
It was a cure for that, and maybe for other things too. The spotted cattle wouldn't be lost any more, scattered through his dreams, driven by his hesitation to admit they had been stolen, that the land - all of it - had been stolen from them. The anticipation of what he might find was strung tight in his belly…
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Ceremony LitChart as a printable PDF.
Bellies (Stomachs) Symbol Timeline in Ceremony
The timeline below shows where the symbol Bellies (Stomachs) appears in Ceremony. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Section 1
...to fight off illness and death, and stand up to evil. Stories grow in man’s belly and offer life, rituals, and ceremonies to humankind. Ceremonies are the only cure. The third...
(full context)
...with people through the fog that constantly surrounded him. He is unable to eat without throwing up and the entire world seems white to him. The doctors tell Tayo they are sending...
(full context)
...of the smiling face of the Japanese boy from the family and of Rocky’s smile, throws up into a trash can.
(full context)
...from sunstroke. Tayo blames his fall on the wind, then turns to the side and vomits.
(full context)
Section 2
...in Rocky’s bed makes Tayo vomit. Old Grandma comes in and Tayo blames his upset stomach on the light coming in from the window. Old Grandma shuts the blinds, and Tayo...
(full context)
...at all, he is finally able to eat the cornmeal and keep it in his stomach. Gradually, Tayo begins to gain strength and eat again.
(full context)
...on the table, calling Emo, “Killer!” and then rams the broken beer bottle into Emo’s stomach. The cops come and drag Tayo off Emo. Tayo’s hand is cut badly from the...
(full context)
Section 3
...old stories after his white education, but he still feels the stories’ truth in his gut.
(full context)
Section 5
...drinking. Tayo stops the car at a rock formation along route 66 called Mesita, then vomits out everything in his stomach, trying to vomit out his past.
(full context)
Section 6
...Tayo to stand up and mount the Texan’s horse. Tayo manages to sit up, then vomits all over the side of the horse. Tayo hopes that chasing an Indian will prove...
(full context)
Section 7
...up the hill and follows them, but stops halfway up. Tayo suddenly knows in his belly that Harley and Leroy are betraying him. Tayo goes back to the truck and finds...
(full context)
