Tasks: Tony's Story

Formulate questions to fit the following answers:

1. It happened one summer.
2. I understood it when I saw the wine bottle.
3. He held it tight like a white man.
4. It was because he was wearing dark glasses.
5. He hit Leon in the face.
6. He was brought to hospital.
7. The cop was pointing a long bone at me.
8. They discussed it at the pueblo meeting.
9. They were followed by the state cop.
10. “Tony! You killed him, you killed the cop!”

1. Silko often uses Native American myths and legends in her stories.
   • Look at the opening of "Tony’s Story". Do you recognize anything it has in common with myths?
   • Do you recognize any other traits that are often associated with myths, legends and fairy-tales?
2. What is the main plot in the story?
3. Describe the mood in the story.
4. Find connotations that you associate with Native Americans in the story.
5. Interpret Tony’s dream. Is the dream used as foreshadowing? How does this dream contribute to the tension in the short story?

Freezing pictures means to create a snapshot of a particular incident in a story. The students who take part in the actual "freezing", try to come up with a suitable line as they stand still.

1. Freeze the first confrontation between the state cop and Leon on p. 2. You need the following characters: Tony, Leon, the state cop, the tribal policemen and a crowd.
2. Freeze the second confrontation on p. 11 and 12. You need the following characters: Tony, Leon and the state cop.

Another group interprets your frozen picture and then they ask each member about their line.

Afterwards discuss how the frozen pictures contribute to your understanding of the short story.