ursula k leguin the ones who walk away from omelas

Drooz, a type of Omelasian drug, is said to bring, “a great lightness and brilliance to minds and limbs…wonderful visions at last of the very arcane and inmost secrets of the Universe… (1550). Mind-altering substances are also shed in a positive light.

In our society, producing a child from fornication is frowned upon and discouraged, but in Omelas it is embraced fully. From this we can see that pleasure in Omelas, no matter how over-the-top, should be celebrated. Take this line, “Let tambourines be struck above the copulations, and the glory of desire be proclaimed upon the gongs, and let the offspring of these delightful rituals be beloved and looked after by all.” (Le Guin 1550). It might even be encouraged, perhaps with the addition of drugs and alcohol. Omelasian morality seems to be based on the idealistic nature of their society. Or, they may choose to make the revelation that there should be no happiness founded on the misery of others and blindness to truth, and if there is, that happiness is hollow. They may choose to sympathize with the people of Omelas and agree with the narrator. Readers may interpret the text in many ways. So who is to be pitied? LeGuinn presents us with a moral crossroads, a true question of ethics that is left open ended. If the child were freed, it would supposedly lead to the destruction of this great city, therefore keeping it there is for the greater good. The success and happiness of Omelas stems from the immense and intentional suffering of one person: a small child who lives in a dark cellar and is continuously abused and neglected by the citizens.

However, all this prosperity comes with a price. And even with all this excessive indulgence, the people manage to remain elite: expert craftsman in every art, scholars of the highest caliber, gentle mothers and fathers, and all-around good people. The atmosphere is rich with music, festivities, and orgies. Omelas has everything- it is beautiful, technologically advanced, and bears no need for organized religion. What is one to make of the city of Omelas? It is a fantastical place so transcendental that the author herself struggles to properly detail its majesty. Literary Analysis: The Ones Who Walk Away from OmelasĪnalysis of “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K.

Ursula k leguin the ones who walk away from omelas