On page 260 (of my edition), right before the end of the book, Grandma says, "It seems like I already heard these stories before…only thing is, the names sound different."

That line sums up the cyclical nature of tradition and narrative; the same stories get retold, with new people filling the roles of their mythic models. In a way, these stories are like ceremonies.

On page 1 (of my edition) you'll find the line "I'm telling you the story/she is thinking." That's another comment on the central role of narrative in "Ceremony." A story isn't just a story of an individual. Instead, it is a divine story; it is tapping the mind of a god or goddess.