Analyzing The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas

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Analyzing “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” Ursula K. Le Guin uses morals as the main theme in her short story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”. The story takes place in Omelas, a utopian society of the future during a celebration that the town is having. Le Guin uses symbols extensively throughout the story. Le Guin has basic symbols that are used and also some very large and important symbols that are used to build on the theme of morals. The story is divided into sections; in the first section Le Guin describes a perfect utopian society were all the citizens live in harmony. The story has boys with flowers in their hair and girls riding horses. Le Guin puts the children in these roles to show that in a perfect society we would not be divided by what sex we are. Le Guin paints a beautiful picture of a summer day that all the citizens are enjoying together in perfect harmony. In the next section of the story Le Guin changes the scenery to a darker, drearier place. Le Guin takes us to a basement somewhere below the city of Omelas were a young child is being kept locked in a tiny room living in horrible conditions. The child who is locked in the basement represents the poor class of today’s society, the people who live their lives in poverty. Le Guin makes it clear that all the citizens have either seen this child first hand or know that it is there. The child has no name and is just referred to as “it”. Poverty stricken people live all around the world in places were people who have wealth, much like the people of Omelas, surround them. Le Guin talks about journeying into a basement were the child is kept. It is not made clear were the basement is located in the city but it is made clear that the child is kept in a basement. This basement represents the clear distinction between the poverty stricken class and the wealthy class of today’s

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