• Metaphor is well used in the story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” written by Ursula K. Le Guin. Metaphor is a comparison stated in such a way as to imply that one object is another one. Guin uses a lot of metaphors in the beginning of the story to help build the setting of Omelas. “Children dodged in and out, their high calls rising like the swallows’ crossing flights over the music and the singing.” (Lines 7-8, Guin). Guin is comparing the excessive joy to the behavior of a swallow bird. The high pitch laughter of the children is compared to the high pitch chirping of the swallow bird, both indicating their joyous environment. By using this metaphor the author is allowing us to picture exactly how the kids are enjoying themselves screaming …show more content…
In other terms, Guin is letting us know that the sky is clear as glass, allowing the sunlight to beam directly on Omelas. Guin allows us to paint a picture of exactly what Omelas looks like. By reading this metaphor we can picture a clear blue sky with the sunlight directly gleaming on Omelas with its “white-gold” flame. The use of these metaphors in the introduction of “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, shifts the readers towards a more positive and Utopian setting. “The crowds along the racecourse are like a field of grass and flowers in the wind.” (Lines 85-86, Guin.) Shifting away from the introduction, Guin compares the crowds gathered around the imprisoned child to the crowds of flowers and grass in the field. Just as the flowers and grass are stacked on top of each other in the fields is similar to how these people are gathered on top of each other to see the caged child. Guin mentions “field of grass and flowers in the wind”, just like how the wind comes and go moving the plants back and forth is similar to the ignorant behavior of the crowd. Some come and some go to see the “show” of the child. All these examples of metaphor throughout the entire story help us understand the exact setting of Omelas and the way their society is