Yellow Woman

A primary theme of “Yellow Woman” is the sexuality and power of the narrator. The framing Yellow Woman myth is directly concerned with the seductive power of Yellow Woman as well as her independence and individual power. The central question of identity and choice for the narrator also reflects her role as a woman, a mother, a daughter, and responsible individual. The western Pueblo tribe, which is Silko’s tribe, is very inclusive of women and inheritance of property and tribal roles passed through the mother’s line. As a result, the home culture of the narrator allows for women to hold positions of significant power and influence. Her tribe is more patriarchal than the eastern Pueblo tribe, which is more matriarchal, but it is less rigid in terms of gender roles when compared to American culture—at least at the time Silko wrote “Yellow Woman.” This likely plays a role in the narrator’s identity crisis.

The narrator’s power is deeply and directly connected to her choices. As the narrator, she can relate the details she wants to include and ignore the rest—for example, she does not provide any information about her appearance. While there is some description of Silva and much more of the white man, the narrator herself is never described. Given that appearance for women is often a primary challenge to power, concealing her own appearance in the story allows the narrator to function independently of such social concerns. Silko’s choice not to name or describe her narrator gives the narrator power by concealing those things that could identify her—allowing her to be judged by her choices and actions, her agency, rather than markers assigned to her by society or family.

Sexual desire and sexual violence are ambiguously combined in the narrative. The narrator’s “thigh clung to [Silva’s] with dampness” (Paragraph 1) in the opening line—the remnant of a sexual encounter. Later, Silva embraces her, and she “felt him all around [her], pushing [her] down into the white river-sand” (Paragraph 20), which overwhelms her thoughts and brings back the Yellow Woman narrative for her. The sexual encounters by the river appear to be consensual. Her memory of the previous night is of moonlight and his body around hers; there is no imagery of violence or force in these encounters, and her sexual desire seems to be equal to and as valued as his. The last sexual encounter in the story, however, is a turning point that leads to the violence of the story’s climax.

Initially, when the narrator joins Silva in bed, the lovemaking is described as gentle and consensual—but then he mentions her breathing and makes her aware of herself. When she turns away, he holds her down and tells her, “You will do what I want” (Paragraph 55). This causes her to become afraid. Although this has all the hallmarks of a sexual assault, she never says that he has harmed or hurt her. During the encounter when she says, “I lay underneath him and I knew he could destroy me” (Paragraph 56), it is unclear whether that potential destruction is a threat of physical violence or that the strength and power of her sexual feelings for him could destroy the woman she was before meeting him.

Ultimately, her choice to return to the Pueblo and her family is neither a yielding of power nor a relinquishing of sexuality or sexual desire. She does not even give up the prospect of becoming Yellow Woman again someday. Even though she plans to tell her family she was kidnapped, the narrator doesn’t feel guilty or ashamed of her time with Silva. Instead, she conceals information to maintain her power, uphold her individuality, and safeguard her agency and choices.