"The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas" Reading

• 1 paragraph in which you react to the piece in general
• 1 paragraph in which you react to the piece in terms of its connection to 1984.
• 1 paragraph that discusses literary devices and their contribution to the style and theme of the work.
• 5 questions that might work well as part of a Socratic discussion on the piece.

Ursula LeGuin weaves a haunting image of a seemingly perfect society in "The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas." She describes an apparent paradise, then introduces a unsettling irony. The thought of a child forced to bear absolute misery is apalling, yet it contains a shocking resemblance to our own world. In many dark, lonesome corners of the world, that child lives a miserable existance, while those who are fortunate, like the people of Omelas, simply turn away.

LeGuin's ironic and disurbing piece has much in common with George Orwell's 1984. Like Winston Smith, the tortured child has no control over its destiny. Its condition resembles Winston's during his term in prison and in the Ministry of Love. Both societies hold that the misery of those few is for the greater good and that the benefits outweigh the loss.

"The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas" uses literary devices to emphasize its theme. The strongest in the work is imagery. LeGuin describes the city of Omelas in great detail and then tells of the wretched child in the cellar. The entire work also serves as a metaphor for the real world.

Five Questions for a Socratic discussion:

1. How does the reading relate to the real world?
2. How did you feel about Omelas before reading about the child?
3. How did you feel about Omelas after reading about the child?
4. What similarities does Omelas share with Brave New World?
5. In our world, who is the child? Who are the people of Omelas?