I knew even before I began reading this story that it would be one of those stories that would stick with me for the rest of my life. The relatively short narration offers a profound look at the world and ourselves. I think it’s easy to see why this won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story back in 1974.
The short story was written by Ursula K. Le Guin in 1973. It chronicles the lives of the citizens of Omelas, a utopian city where everyone lives comfortably without fear or hardship. A lot of the story is dedicated to vivid descriptions of the citizens preparing for a summer festival, as well as the goings-on of the city. Everyone lives with continuous joy. However, it comes at a price. A neglected and abused child sits imprisoned underground, and their suffering means everyone else remains happy.
The ending stuck with me the most with this piece. Without giving too much away, young men and women get the chance to view this neglected child, and some choose to leave Omelas because of what they see. We see how their perception of the utopian city shatters. But when they leave, what do they find? Ursula K. Le Guin determines that the idea that someone needs to suffer for us to be happy is a myth. An entire city that hinges on one person’s suffering isn’t a true utopia. It’s a story that was relevant and is relevant now. It might always be relevant so long as suffering exists.
Additionally, she shows how some people give up utopia because of just one person’s suffering. The descriptions she uses of what the citizens think about things like joy and evil suddenly come into perspective.
“The trouble is that we have a bad habit, encouraged by pedants and sophisticates, of considering happiness as something rather stupid. Only pain is intellectual, only evil interesting. This is the treason of the artist: a refusal to admit the banality of evil and the terrible boredom of pain.”
The story not only gripped me because of its themes, but also because of its writing style. Normally, I’m not a fan of stories that are pure narration. I prefer that some action occur and that characters develop. This story doesn’t even have a central character unless you count the child the city depends on. However, the different descriptions that Le Guin included fascinated me. Some parts include vivid imagery of what the people looked like and did. I didn’t feel like the story was slowing down at any point.
If you want to get into older science fiction/fantasy, specifically philosophical fiction, I suggest you read this story. It serves as a wonderful introduction to the themes Ursula K. Le Guin includes in her other work, and it will leave you thinking.
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