LeGuin Blog Post Prompt
How does Le Guin use the stark contrast between the idyllic city of Omelas and the suffering child to explore the ethics of societal happiness and the nature of morality? (300 words, use at least 3 examples from the story.)
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Rakesh Ramsaywack
Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” aptly captures the ethics of a
society’s happiness and the nature of morality by contrasting the idyllic city of Omelas and the
suffering child. These are contrasted to determine whether it is morally right for a society to be
happy at the expense of another person’s suffering.
Specifically, the author used this story as a way through which we can examine the moral
sacrifices that are made to make a society happy and comfortable. First, Omelas is presented as a
beautiful place with some of the things that human beings would want to enjoy or be happy. For
instance, the city is in the midst of holding the Festival of Summer, where there is a carnival
mood (Le Guin 1). Notably, the background of this city is enchanting with greatness surrounding
it. This could be compared with one of the rooms in the basement of a building within the town
where a thin child sits while whining. The child is within a room that is described as clotted,
foul-smelling, and has dirty floors (Le Guin 3). These conditions are meant to show that while
the city revels in a happy festival, it does not consider it ethical and morally right to improve the
living conditions of its residents, like the neglected child.
Additionally, questions about suffering and the ethics of societal happiness are explored
when Le Guin poses whether it is morally right for the city of Omelas to thrive while others live
in misery. The author laments that in all the happiness and beauty of the city of Omelas, one
thing that still misses is that all this depends on the abominable misery of the child (Le Guin 4).
This miserable child has reached a limit whereby it is no longer whining. In essence, the author
calls out the unethical conduct of Omelas in engaging in an act that makes it happy at the
expense of an individual child.
Work Cited
Le Guin, Ursula K. "The ones who walk away from Omelas." The Wind's Twelve Quarters: 1-5.
Jaqueline Martinez (she/her)
In Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, the sharp contrast between the perfect city of Omelas and the suffering child hidden away in a basement reveals deep questions about the cost of happiness and the nature of morality. Le Guin uses this contrast to show how the joy of many can depend on the pain of one, forcing readers to think about what we’re willing to accept for the greater good. Omelas is presented as a perfect place full of happiness, freedom, and celebration. At first, it seems like a paradise. But this perfection has a dark secret all the joy and success of the city depend on the misery of one child who is locked in a filthy room, neglected and abused. The people of Omelas know this, and while they are horrified, they also believe it’s a price that must be paid to keep their happiness. This raises a question can happiness really be pure if it comes from someone else’s suffering? Le Guin also shows how the people deal with this terrible truth. Most of them come to accept it, telling themselves that the child’s suffering is necessary and unchangeable. They try to justify it by thinking of all the good it brings to the rest of the city. But their acceptance feels uneasy, showing how people often compromise their morals when they benefit from injustice. Finally, there are those who cannot accept this trade off the ones who walk away. They leave Omelas, choosing to abandon its happiness rather than live in a society built on cruelty. Their choice highlights the idea that true morality sometimes means rejecting what’s easy or comfortable.
ismaeliglesias (he/him)
In Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, the story shows us the tough questions about happiness and what’s fair. It makes us ask: is it right for some people to suffer so that others can live happily? Omelas is described as a perfect city, filled with beauty, freedom, and endless joy. The people there are happy and carefree, living in a paradise. But this happiness comes at a terrible price one child is locked away in a dark, dirty room, suffering and alone. Everyone in Omelas knows about this child. They are told that the city’s happiness depends on the child’s misery. If the child is helped, all the joy in Omelas will disappear. This contrast between the perfect city and the suffering child forces us to question whether it’s right for some to be so happy at the cost of one person’s pain. The people of Omelas are torn by this knowledge. Some feel terrible when they first see the child, but over time, most of them convince themselves that it’s necessary. They tell themselves that the child wouldn’t even understand kindness anymore, so there’s no point in trying to help. This shows how people can justify bad things if it means they get to keep their happiness and way of life. However, there are some people who can’t accept this they walk away. They leave Omelas, choosing not to live in a place where happiness is built on cruelty. Le Guin doesn’t say where they go, but their choice shows that sometimes doing the right thing means walking away from comfort or facing something unknown. Le Guin’s story makes us think about our own world: are we turning a blind eye to the suffering of others so we can stay comfortable? It’s a reminder to think about the hidden costs of our happiness and whether we’re okay with that.