In Ursula Le Guin’s short story, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” the reader finds themselves faced with a moral dilemma. Would you sacrifice someone’s happiness or even their life, I fit meant you would always have happiness? Chances are many people would in fact answer that question with a yes. Often times, there must be a sacrifice in order for a community or society to prosper. Omelas, or as Carl Badgley called it in his critique of the story, “Oh, my loss” is the perfect example of sacrificing one life for the greater good of the society(125).
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” begins in a utopian city during the Festival of Summer. There are bells ringing, boats lavishly decorated with flags in the harbor, and people of all ages walking and chatting away. There are boys and girls that are naked, in a field on the north end of the city preparing their horses for the race that is soon to take place. Colors of every shade are used to describe the surroundings of the city of Omelas, from silver to green and gold. It is a joyous town, even with no king or queen to create law and order. Weapons nor slaves can be found in the city at all. Some citizens are walking around town naked, just waiting to embrace a lover with sex. The people of Omelas have absolutely no guilt. The place seems too good to be true, as if it were a …show more content…
She shifts form cheerful and happy, to sad and gloomy, and back again. The happiness of a community cannot exist without a sacrifice, as best portrayed with the use of symbolism and setting, throughout the entire story. The story’s narration is described as not being straight forward , by Susan Dauer, in the beginning of her article (The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas By Ursula K. Le Guin). The narrator often does not know the truth and guesses what could be. By asking questions, the narrator raises doubts for the reader about what they are trying to
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” begins in a utopian city during the Festival of Summer. There are bells ringing, boats lavishly decorated with flags in the harbor, and people of all ages walking and chatting away. There are boys and girls that are naked, in a field on the north end of the city preparing their horses for the race that is soon to take place. Colors of every shade are used to describe the surroundings of the city of Omelas, from silver to green and gold. It is a joyous town, even with no king or queen to create law and order. Weapons nor slaves can be found in the city at all. Some citizens are walking around town naked, just waiting to embrace a lover with sex. The people of Omelas have absolutely no guilt. The place seems too good to be true, as if it were a …show more content…
She shifts form cheerful and happy, to sad and gloomy, and back again. The happiness of a community cannot exist without a sacrifice, as best portrayed with the use of symbolism and setting, throughout the entire story. The story’s narration is described as not being straight forward , by Susan Dauer, in the beginning of her article (The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas By Ursula K. Le Guin). The narrator often does not know the truth and guesses what could be. By asking questions, the narrator raises doubts for the reader about what they are trying to