Magical realism is the grown-up version of fairy tales. Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" creates worlds that parallel the human universe, but in those worlds lurk oddities of the human experience that become magnified. The abnormal becomes the typical, and her characters accept that. In that acceptance lies the need for questioning: what is truth? what is reality? what is fiction? what is right? what is moral? what is humanity? The answers to these questions are not easy. "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" posits difficult situations that completely skew largely accepted rules of society. The fictional society comments on true-life societies. Subtle changes in tone and dark secrets lurking in cellars, Omelas is an entire world to explore. Utopia is not utopia; things are not as they seem; what is happiness worth? All these ideas appear in this tale, and they scream out about the human condition.
To figure out if it is a true fairy tale, Lillian Smith’s “The Art of the Fairy Tale” could be helpful. Here’s how to find it: Smith, Lillian H. "The Art of the Fairy Tale." The Unreluctant Years: A Critical Approach to Children's Literature. Chicago, Ill.: American Library Association, 1953. 45-63. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Tom Burns. Vol. 106. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 31 Dec. 2012.
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Please click on Comments to give your ideas on this story. What is the price of happiness? Should it cost another person’s life? Think about the greatest balance of happiness (John Stuart Mill’s Theory of Utility). Also, think about the tone of this story; it may not be as simple as it seems. Compare this story to a movie, book, television show, or song. Sign your comments with your first name and last initial.
I thought this was a strange story. The price of happiness is to do what makes you happy without hurting anyone else. Your happiness definitely should not cost another person's life. A show that I thought of was Sponge bob. There is an episode that revolves around this magic bubble. This bubble made Sponge bob really happy. Once Sponge bob popped the bubble all hell broke lose and everyone lost their happiness. The bubble in the episode is similar to the child in this story. -Victoria G
ReplyDeleteThis story did have a messed up plot, in order for everyone to live in a perfect world a child must suffer. Some might think that it's fair being that it's sacrifice for the happiness of the people, some might say that, that omelas isn't so perfect that the people there are living a lie for thinking there world is so perfect. The people of omelas had to choose with living with the guilt but live in a happy life or leaving and not live with that guilt.
ReplyDeleteAdewale T
This story was a bit eccentric. The price of happiness was one must suffer (a child) in order for everyone else to be content with their lives. It shouldn’t cost another person’s life for the city of Omelas to be a utopia especially a child. This doesn’t even make Omelas a Utopia because one is suffering while everyone else is out acting as if there isn’t a child in a basement that’s suffering so they could have their happiness. The individuals of Omelas are left with a decision on whether they should help the child; live with a guilty conscience, but at the same time live their lives fully of happiness, or simply just leave Omelas “They leave Omelas, they walk ahead into the darkness, and they do not come back. The place they go towards is a place even less imaginable to most of us than the city of happiness” (Ursula Le Guin). The tone of this story is sorrowful; despair; hopelessness. –Vanessa G.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have to cost another person's life to be happy. I think what we have to do for happiness is eliminating our greed. It's the real price, our greed, I think. Unhappiness usually stems from greed, selfishness, and self-centered thinking. We can't clearly figure out what the imprisoned boy or girl refers to. We can only guess. It could be immorality, or injustice. However, for me, it looks like greed that people always try to hide. The tone of this story is pretty interesting. At first, the author describes beautiful aspects of Omelas like other fairy tales. However, when she starts to talk about the imprisoned little one, the tone is changed. From there, the story is written with a depressed tone. This change of tone maximizes the wretchedness in this story. It reminds me of a certain song, "Beautiful World" by Rage Against The Machine. It's about how beautiful this world is, but at the very last, the singer quietly sings, "for you, not me." It's similar to the tone change in this story, "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas." -Donghwan K.
ReplyDeleteI believe the price of happiness is unhappiness. Without unhappiness, how would one know what truly being happy is? Omelas is supposedly a Utopia, a place of ultimate happiness. If so, then why is the child in the mop room there to suffer for all? Some people come to stare at the child in disgust and others come and want to help but, they are not allowed. I assume the ones who leave are the ones who do not agree that one must suffer in order to make others happy.
ReplyDelete-Megan H.
I found this story to be kind of disturbing. The price of other people's happiness shouldn't be at the cost of another's, especially that of a child. While it is an interesting idea because it kind of brings up the idea of "the needs of the many far outweigh the needs of the few." Also, it was strange because Omela is seen as a utopia, which is far from the truth. Finally I found this quote pretty powerful: "Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive." While I could not think of a TV show, or movie it makes me think of the drop of the two atom bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Truman decided to drop the bombs on Japan to end the war and save lives. It came with a massive cost though, as many Japanese died from the bomb and also for decades later because of the radiation and fallout.
ReplyDeleteJake G.
I believe that the moral to this story is the greatest goal in someones life. Although the narrator see's Omela's as a place of perfection and happiness, if there was no child, the standard of joy and perfection of this town would not be the same. Personally I do not see Omela's to be a place of infinite joy, a child's suffering should not symbolize a perfect life for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI found this story to be extremely interesting. I was especially interested in how the content can relate to the realities of society. In Society people do terrible things to get what they want. for example Adolf Hitler wanted to create a perfect society and in order for him to do so he thought it was necessary to exterminate mass amounts of people. people always have dreams of success and a future utopia. Rarely they think about the cost to accomplish their dreams. The cost of happiness shouldn't be someone's life. I believe the cost of happiness should be you're own life of hard work and that hard, stressful work will pay off in the end.
ReplyDelete-Nick A.
This story is very interesting as it makes you think what is true happiness. The utopian society of Omelas is not truely an uptopia, nothing is. The most paramount thing is, you cannot put a price on happiness, it is not an item that can be purchased. One must work for it, have trials that challenge someone, and when those trials are completed one can bask in the happiness. Within those challenges no one is sacrificed, no one human should be disposed of to bring joy it is the opposite. Death creates sadness which is why Omelas is not a utopia the society is just as corrupt as any other society.
ReplyDeleteThe story itself has a very dynamic tone. At the beginning the tone is very upbeat. The reader is immersed in imagery, the senses are immediately thrown into the idea of beauty. As the story goes on there is a change, a somber tone emerges as the realization of perfection has not been reached. The story is a lot like I, Robot where the robots are considered perfection. When they become self aware they realize that perfection has not been obtained and attempt to eliminate the humans. This further enforces the idea that perfection and happiness is not only made of good. It is imperative to have failure and success in order to have happiness.
-Doug C.
I strongly believe that your personal happiness should have nothing to do with somebody elses life. The tone of this story was very extreme and hard for me to understand. The words were very specific so I painted a very depressing picture in my head from reading it. What really disturbed me was that Omela was described as a utopia but deep down in reality it was far from that.
ReplyDelete-Christina H
I find the narrator to be a bit naïve. They simply describe the society as being beautiful and suggests it is abnormal to us. This seems like a utopia but just because it is doesn't mean everything is perfect. For a person/child to suffer so other know what joy feels like is wrong. Happiness should come from your own personal goals and gain not from what someone else has lost and is deprived of. The narrator just accepts the society so I can't decide what the tone is. From my knowledge of other utopian societies characters become self aware of themselves such as the Hunger Games or The Giver making the society not as happy as they truly are.
ReplyDelete- Julianna C
The light tone in the beginning of this piece emphasizes on the joyous nature of life in Omelas on the surface, and the dark pans the awareness of the existence of suffering. Omelas can never truly be a Utopian society because happiness wouldn't exist for all, and in being made aware of someone else's suffering, apart of the citizen's happiness is taken away. We should all have happiness but not at another's expense. For instance one may perceive a solider's patriotism in fighting a war as this nation's happiness and security being protected at the expense of a person's life. Seemingly, that person and many others like him/her are the reason to feel content that this country isn't a battle ground for war, but to the families of those who become casualties the pain is immense and unbearable. Though pain is inevitable, it isn't always necessary to contribute to someone else's just to achieve what only appears to be for a greater good.
ReplyDelete-Ashleigh N.
In my opinion, the price of happiness is not worth one person being hurt in the process. Every person deserves to be happy. No, personal happiness should not cost another person's life. The story reminded me of the movie The Box. In the movie, a financially struggling couple receives a box at their front door step. The couple gets a choice to press a red button on the box and win a million dollars, but one person in the world, who they did not know, had to die in the process.
ReplyDelete-Marisa R
I believe that happiness does not have a price, especially if it costs another persons life. If a society has to sacrifice a child's life in order for the society to be "happy" then it is very far from a Utopia. There is no Utopia whether you like it or not. Utopia does not exist and it will never exist. The city of Omela proves this because on the outside everything looks all nice and wonderful to the naked eye but on the inside, in the darkness where nobody sees, lies corruption within the city. The child suffering in the mop room is a symbol of the corruption inside the city of Omela. The tone of the story in the beginning is that of a fairy tale. Then later on when the author reveals the child in the mop room the tone changes to a more depressing, dark, negative tone. This story doesn't really remind me of a movie because I do not watch many movies but it does remind me of how the ancient Aztecs used to sacrifice people in order to keep the Gods happy and in order to prevent the end of the world.
ReplyDelete-Christian G.
This story starts off very happy and bright but after the narrator tells the price of the citizens of Omelas' happiness it becomes depressing. The price of happiness should not be another person's life, in fact, there should not be any price to happiness at all. True happiness should come without any guilt or regret and the people of Omelas most likely have some guilt or regret in the back of their minds at all times because there is a child suffering for their happiness. "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" can relate to the story of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for everyone else. The child who is locked up in the basement can relate to Jesus because they both suffered for everyone else.
ReplyDelete-Dana N
I believe that the moral to this story is the greatest goal in someones life. Although the narrator see's Omela's as a place of perfection and happiness, if there was no child, the standard of joy and perfection of this town would not be the same. Personally I do not see Omela's to be a place of infinite joy, a child's suffering should not symbolize a perfect life for everyone else. I believe that the moral to this story is the greatest goal in someones life. Although the narrator see's Omela's as a place of perfection and happiness, if there was no child, the standard of joy and perfection of this town would not be the same. Personally I do not see Omela's to be a place of infinite joy, a child's suffering should not symbolize a perfect life for everyone else.
ReplyDeleteGeorge C
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula Le Guin makes you question happiness in general. It makes you look deeper into life as a whole from the perspective of the price of happiness. In the short story behind a happy town of people are the miserable lives of young children who are seemingly the sacrifice in their words of societies happiness. I don't think happiness should cost the life of another person nor do i believe we should prosper off the next persons punishment.What is true happiness, to me that is something that comes from personal accomplishments or overall well being. It can come from whatever it is that makes that feeling overwhelm you but its a different reasoning for everyone. No comparisons come to mind but it does relate to a movie like plot based on something that is true. Behind happiness lies some feeling of total opposite which allows you to be able to obtain the feeling of true happiness.
ReplyDelete-Omari G
"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" by Ursula Le Guin is a story that questions society, humanity, and happiness. Is it morally right to lessen the worth of someones life in return for happiness and fortune. Personally, I believe that you make your own happiness. If someone is bringing you down, you eliminate them from your life to maintain that happiness. There should never have to be a persons life at risk in order to be happy. Happiness is base upon a persons achievements, possessions, and goals; never a persons life.
ReplyDeleteThe story begins with a fairytale-like tone describing the people, the buildings, and the overall "utopia" as a perfect place. It then leads to the finding of the child who is locked in a cellar and mistreated in order to maintain that perfection. The tone then switches to a very depressing tone and doesn't seem so fairytale-like anymore. The movie that reminds me of this story is Identity Theft. Sandy Patterson's identity is stolen by a woman named Diana. She spends his money in order to buy nice things for her and make herself feel good. In this case, in order to be happy, Diana had to steals someones identity obviously is illegal and morally wrong.
-Jordan C.
This story was pretty interesting and what really got to me was the part about the child in the tool room. I believe that the price for happiness is to experience utter sadness and hardship and overcoming such sadness and hardship will one finally experience happiness. I also believe that it is not right for people to be sacrificed for happiness, but it happens and there are people who accept that. This story reminded me about the anime Naruto. Naruto, who is the main character of the anime, is the vessel of a demon fox who once terrorized the village to the point of utter destruction, but was sealed unto Naruto on the day of his birth in order to protect the village. When the village found out that Naruto was the vessel of the fox, they shunned him. No one deserves to be sacrificed for happiness or for anything at all, but it happens.
ReplyDeleteDarwin U
There is always a price for happiness in the decisions you make to achieve it. If, in order to achieve happiness, another person’s life is taken, then one will question if the happiness is worth it or not. Even though happiness should not cost another person’s life, there is purely nothing one can do about it other than live with the guilt or live without happiness. The tone of this story is kind of a false happiness, where in the back of everyone’s mind is a guilt; sort of a dystopian society. This story is similar to the last Harry Potter movie because in that movie, in order to achieve happiness and for all to be safe, they must give up Harry Potter, but instead they do not give him up and they fight for their happiness.
ReplyDelete-Tyler P
"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" by Ursula K. LeGuin, uses key elements of magical realism with the story's utopian-like, harmonious society. Imagery is incorporated into the story, with joyful tones, especially when the narrator describes the celebration of life and the processions taking place in this city. However, all of this happiness comes at a price. The tone of the story changes to a depressing and gloomy mood when the narrator asks, "Do you believe? Do you accept the festival, the city, the joy? No? Then let me describe one more thing" (LeGuin). The price of happiness for the citizens of Omelas is for one child to be malnourished and kept away from the outside world in a tiny, dark and damp cellar. This was misery. In order for happiness, beauty, and wisdom to exist, there must be someone who is miserable. It's the sad truth of reality. How could we know what happiness is, if we havent felt pain, misery or discomfort? This is why the people of Omelas are told about the child when they are old enough to understand; so they could realize at what expense their happiness is. Many learn to live with the guilt and accept it so that Omelas can continue to prosper, while others cannot face the truth and choose to walk away from it. I believe that sometimes you have to accept things as they are, even if you don't like them. If I were a citizen of Omelas, I would choose to continue living after seeing the child, with a guilty conscience, but also with an understanding of why the child has to be miserable; it's for the better of a larger number of people. This reminds me of something I just read about in my cultural anthropology textbook. It was about the Inuit groups of the Arctic who left the older people out to die in the cold when they couldn't carry their share and help. They had to sacrifice the old in order for the rest of the group to survive because they couldn't spare their scarce food to the elderly when they are too weak to contribute to the group. - Esther P.
ReplyDeleteIn Ursula Le Guin's short story “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” there is a distinct theme throughout, the theme being the price of happiness. According to the story, the price the citizens of Omelas pay for happiness is to have a singular child suffer abominable torment forever. In order for everyone else to be happy, someone else must be unhappy, and that person is the child. The price of happiness should not cost someone's life, but it is not that simple. “Omelas” is fantasy, and therefore this scenario is unrealistic. It is an allegory, meant to comment on the many people of the world we live in who suffer while others prosper. To reiterate, it is not something that should happen, but it is the way of the world. The tone of the story varies, from light and whimsical, to dark and melancholy. It is very unique in this way, much unlike the fairy tale stories that children hear growing up. - Kyle B.
ReplyDeleteI thought the short story was very interesting. In the beginning of the story, the way the narrator made Omelas to be this perfect society where everyone was happy even if they didn't have modern technology. To them, happiness was the priority. As the story went on the tone changed from surreal to very twisted and sad. I do not feel like happiness should cost another person's life. Happiness is a choice you make for yourself. It should not be dependent on another person. The narrator gives the feeling that the society is utopian, but if someone's life is the price to assure the rest of the society is happy, in my opinion it isn't utopia.
ReplyDelete-Nicole R.
The story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" by Ursula Le Guin is a story that questions a humans happiness and well being. I think that we make our own happiness. Life is about focusing on the good things and keeping ourselves contempt. Nobody should have their life at risk in order to be happy. The movie that reminds me of this story is Identity Theft. A man's identity is stolen by a woman named Diana. The point of the movie is about a woman who steals someones identity even though it is wrong. -Emily Z.
ReplyDeleteThe short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" view on happiness is a big disturbing. The narrator explains how the people of Omelas were so happy and perfect but their kids in their community had to suffer. I believe that's a big contradiction.I also believe that there isn't a price on happiness, the sacrificing of a life isn't equivalent to the toll of happiness. The tone of the story is sorrow or helplessness . I compare this short story to the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness" because Will Smith in the movie is surrounded by people living in happiness while he and his son were happy together , even though they weren't good financially , proving that happiness has no price. George P.
ReplyDelete"The One Who Walk Away From Omelas" by Ursula Le Guin. This story is talking about a great balance of happiness. Happiness is priceless. Different people may have different definition of happiness. People also have rights pursue their own happiness; however, it should not cost another innocent person's life to exchange the happiness. It is so selfish. In the so call utopia, this action does not against moral standar because it is the maximun result for everyone else and it is worth. In the real utopia, everyone should be treated equally; therefore, Omelas is not a real utopia. People live in there are neither enjoyable nor happy because they feel guilty and sorry for that boy's fate. This is the reason that people "do not say the words cheer much any more" and they walk away from Omelas.
ReplyDelete---Peng Q
"The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" is a story that portrays happiness in a different way than in the norm. For a sacrifice to be considered/called happiness to/for other people is something that should not be considered at all. I believe that the only way to obtain happiness is through your own person. Others should not be accounted for for your own happiness. This so called "utopia" they live in is nothing but a living Hell for a single child that does not deserve what's happening to him and from what's said throughout the short story, it's safe to say that the suffreing child, as well as the people of Omelas live in an unjust world. The tone is saddening.
ReplyDelete- Brett B
The price of happiness is to high for anyone. In order to be happy people either need to be equal, such as in a Utopian society or everyone would have to live in their own little world. Even so, someone should not have to give up there happiness in order to apiece another. Then that person becomes less of who they are. By that point a Utopian society would sound like no big ordeal. For example The Giver or "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas". Both explain the price of the choice of the life style they live.
ReplyDelete-Amanda F