Ceremony follows Tayo, a young half Native American, experiencing a severe case of PTSD after serving in WWII. While serving, his cousin that he grew up with is killed, and his uncle, the closest thing he had to a father, dies at home. After spending time in a Western medicine hospital, Tayo returns to his Aunt’s home. Auntie always treated Tayo poorly because his he was born out of wedlock to a Non-Native American. When Tayo doesn’t get better, a medicine man, Ku’oosh, comes to cure him, but cannot. Tayo slowly becomes functional and begins frequenting the bars with other local Veterans, including Harley, his alcoholic best friend, Emo, a sadistic killer, Pinkie, and Leroy. Tayo relives his childhood, including his mother’s prostitution, learning in white schools, and his uncle’s girlfriend and Tayo’s sexual experience with her. Tayo then meets Betonie, and using an updated Native American Ceremony, he goes through the process to reconnect with his heritage and find peace. Tayo sleeps with Ts’eh, who represented the earth, and Tayo rescuing his stolen cows from the white men. Tayo then must watch Emo kill Harley, while he hides and completes his ceremony. The drought that has lasted the whole book is finally over.
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