37 pages • 1 hour read
Leslie Marmon SilkoLullaby
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 2002A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Discuss the significance of the story’s title. In what sense is “Lullaby” itself a lullaby?
There are several moments in “Lullaby” when a representative of white American society visits Ayah and Chato’s home. Compare and contrast two of these scenes. What role do these scenes play in the story as a whole?
Discuss the significance of Jimmie’s blanket in terms of both the story’s plot and its themes.
How does Silko incorporate flashbacks into the story’s frame narrative? In what ways do the flashbacks reinforce the importance of memory as a theme?
“Lullaby” contains many allusions to Navajo culture, tradition, and mythology. Choose one allusion to research in depth and analyze its role in the story.
Listen to an audio recording of “Lullaby,” or read the story aloud yourself. How do the experiences of reading and listening to the story compare? Discuss this comparison while considering Silko’s interest in capturing Native American oral tradition in her writing.
Related Titles
By Leslie Marmon Silko
