4/22/24, 1:16 PM DQ LeGuin 10:30AM : Prescilla Pascua

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from DQ LeGuin 10:30AM Mar 27, 2024 2:58PM

2. According to Le Guin, happiness comes at the expense of

suffering. The child, who is abandoned and tortured, is the overall
symbol of suffering in this society, and the people in Omelas, "... all
understand that their happiness... depend wholly on this child's
abominable misery" (Le Guin 1973, 3). The people of Omelas thrive off of
their desires and wants because that is what makes them happy. However,
they feel an unspoken guilt for feeling happiness knowing that a child is
the expense of it. Therefore, Le Guin defines happiness as feeling that
comes solely from materialistic items. This is due to the fact that, "...even if
the child could be released, it would not get much good of its freedom: a
little vague pleasure of warmth and food, no doubt, but little more" (Le
Guin 1973, 4). He infers that basic needs, like food and water, don't bring
true happiness but all materialistic inventions would. Therefore, in order for
happiness to be achieved, suffering must coexist because the cost of
one's suffering allows there to be materialistic items that fulfill people's
desires.

4. The people of Omelas are not free because they are bound by the
suffering child to enjoy living in Omelas. Knowing that the child is suffering
behind closed doors causes the people to, " feel disgust, which they had
thought themselves superior to. They feel anger, outrage, impotence,
despite all the explanations" (Le Guin 1973, 4). These built-up feelings of
anger cause them to feel trapped because there is nothing they can do to
help the child without sacrificing their materialistic happiness. However,
the people are too absorbed in their happiness to give it all up for that
single child. Le Guin argues that not everyone in the world can be free
because their happiness wouldn't exist. Everyone must be bound by their
own guilt in order to live in their materialistic happiness.

Q: Are there real-world examples of "the ones who walk away from
Omelas" (Le Guin 1973, 4)? If so, what kind of people?

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