Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, The by Ursula Le Guin ~ June 21-2~ Short Stories

[salan]

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Short Stories - Some SeniorLearn Favorites - JUNE 1 til mid JULY

It is said that a good short story should include: * a strong theme, * a fascinating plot, * a fitting structure, * unforgettable characters, * a well-chosen setting, * an appealing style.  Let's consider these elements as we discuss the following stories.  Is it necessary to include them all in a successful story?  
  

Notice that the titles are all links to the stories.

Discussion Schedule:
June 1 -June 9: *The Book of The Funny Smells--and Everything (1872) by Eleanor H Abbott *The Necklace or The Diamond Necklace (1880) -  by Guy de Maupassant
  *A Pair of Silk Stockings (1896) by Kate Chopin
June 10- 14: *Babylon Revisited (1931) by F.Scott Fitzgerald
June 15- 17: *First Confession (1939) by Frank O'Connor
June 18-20: *A Good Man Is Hard to Find (1953) by Flannery O'Connor  
June 21-24: *The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1973) by Ursula LeGuin
June 25-28: *The Half-skinned Steer (1997) by Annie Proulx

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The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula LeGuin

Ursula Kroeber Le Guin was born in 1929 in Berkeley, California and lives in Portland, Oregon. As of 2013, she has published twenty-one novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many honors and awards including Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud. Her story, The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, is a philosophical parable that primarily focuses on the city of Omelas. It was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Short Fiction and won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1974.

Topics for Consideration
June 21 - June 24

Do you want to go straight to the ending and the title of the story, "The ones who walk away from Omelas?"  What do you think about those who walk away? Why do they leave? Does our knowing that a William James quote inspired the author to write the story,  help us understand the story and the ending? What are some analogies between Omelas and our world that you see in the story? What are our choices for interpreting the story, especially the ending? DL Contact: Marcie Read the story.  Had family reunion this week end & didn't have time to gather my thoughts.  I'll read it again and get back to you. Sally

[marcie]

You've given us more to think about, Barbara. Let's see if we come up with any other interpretations today.

[marcie]

Thanks everyone. You've certainly helped me see more in the story than I did reading it alone. This discussion, as the other short story discussions, will remain open in case someone has a thought later.

[BarbStAubrey]

Thanks Marcie - sure was a deep story that if you had not brought up her association with her spiritual views the story would have gone over my head. Still not sure of its meaning but now a deeper appreciation than when I first read it. thanks...

[JoanP]

Oh I agree, Barbara, Ursula Le Guin writes stories that are so layered and complex, they are a challenge.  I love to read them with our group for this reason.  Thank you all for delving into her meaning, (or at least to attempt to do so! )  And thank you, Marcie for patiently researching and responding to  every single question we brought to the table!

PatH - I remember well you and Marcie leading our discussion of "Left Hand of Darkness"...remember all that snow and ice!
I think we all came to the end of that discussion with unanswered questions, especially regarding the ending.  And here we are again, not certain what the author  means to say about those who walked away from Omelas.  

They are important, aren't they? They are the characters of the title  LeGuin  focused on.  More so than the child left behind...and those who chose to live on in Omelas.  (Salem O. ) Were the walkers people of principle who would not live there at the expense of that child, or were they cowards who did nothing to help him before they left?
Unforgettable characters!

We're moving on to another compelling story today, but will leave this discussion open for additional comment.
 
Please join our just-opened discussion of Annie Proulx's   Half-Skinned Steer.  

[salan]

I read the story again, and still not sure what to make of it.  It was very unsatisfying to me.
Sally

[marcie]

I also am not sure of what to make of those who walk away but I'm inclined to think that they are taking the nobler (? not sure what to call it) course because of the excerpt from William James that PatH brought here. He said that when people found about about the child it "would make us immediately feel, even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain."

[JoanP]

I can see that, Marcie, but there is something nagging at me - that by walking away, that child would still be suffering like that.  Sally, what would have satisfied you?  Do you think that walking away from riches - and from that child solved anything?  I'm curious?  I wish for a conversation with Ms. LeGuin about this!

Wish you had been with us for Le Guin's "Left Hand of Darkness" Sally! Now there was a book that had us thinking.  As Marcie has said, you can't take LeGuin too literally.  That's difficult for me.!

[marcie]

I do see, Joan, that walking away did not change the bargain the city of Omelas had regarding the price paid by the child. As I said, I don't know what to make of it either.

[BarbStAubrey]

Maybe that is the way to look at it as a fantasy but there is something that says it is not fantasy and the concern what to do when you feel helpless to make change - with the child not complaining and no ability to bring about change for the child it is an untenable situation that tares up our sense of morality. I feel like I am among those who walk away because I have no answer and not sure who the child represents or for that matter who am I in the scenario. I think that is part of it - we like to relate to a story and make it part of ourselves - this one is too confusing to our sense of morality and our values.

[salan]

JoanP, I do not think anything would have satisfied me about this story.  If you rescued the child; you would bring misery and unhappiness to those that remained; if you walked away, nothing would change and if you stayed you would constantly remember the child who was paying for your contentment.  It seems to me that there was no solution to the problem.
Sally

[JoanP]

Salan, I understand what you mean...nothing would have satisfied unless the author revealed where the walkers were going.  But Le Guini is vague about this, deliberately vague.  Once I got past the realization that she is not going to tell where they are going...my attention turned back to those who stayed in Omelas.  We're told that MOST stayed...only a few walked away.
 
Now the question - how can those who remain  forget the poor miserable child in their midst?  Is that the more important question Le Guin is asking us to consider?  How can we live our own comfortable lives while there is so much suffering around us?

[BarbStAubrey]

I think because we do not see it and when it is photographed as a reminder, after seeing the video or photos several times we tune out what is not pleasant because it is never one child - we are helpless to make significant change - and those we depend upon to use what we can offer to make change too often have betrayed us in the past so we do not know who to trust. Finally we feel an obligation to use our resources to make sure each new generation of our family is better educated and that we help support those in our orbit from artists to scientist etc.

The story does not tell us who and how the child was subjected to these conditions - le Guin seems to be suggesting it is a result of the natural order which was the original basis for communism before the layers of who became more equal than others took over and the opposite extreme, India with its Caste system that stifles an equatable sharing of resources.  

Salan why do you think we live comfortably in the midst of suffering? I am thinking we each have our way to cope with suffering in our midst.

[PatH]

I think the point here is that the ones who walk away can't deliberately accept the bargain when it's made so specific.  I don't know where they're going, but they will try to live on their own terms, hoping to do less harm.  Why don't they try to rescue the child?  I guess because they would then be forcing a choice on the rest of the people of Omelas, which they aren't willing to do.

[marcie]

Well, this story has got us thinking. Maybe the ones who walk away are each (alone) making the only choice they can live with. They can't make a moral choice to live under the bargain and, perhaps, there is no way for any one individual to change the bargain with Omelas.

[JoanP]

And maybe those who walk away will have to keep on walking until they reach a place where they can forget.  Perhaps they know that - and know that they will have to keep on walking for eternity.