How The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas Symbolism

In Ursula K. Le Guin’s short story The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas, Le Guin gives a story about a utopian society based on a distinction of the idea of scapegoatism as well as thoughts educed from utilitarian philosophical thought as she lays suffering upon the child in lieu of that equal pain being put on the rest of the city. Through symbolism, setting, and imagery, the author portrays that there must be some evil present in order to truly understand that which is good. Le Guin begins the story by describing the Festival of Summer taking place in Omelas as she introduces the people and the horse as “being the only animal who has adopted our ceremonies as his own.” Even though there isn’t much said about it, it can be assumed that it

Le Guin makes very descriptive remarks when talking about those particular things as when she states not to “have temples from which issue beautiful nude priests and priestesses already half in ecstasy and ready to copulate with any man or woman, lover or stranger who desires union with the deep godhead of the blood” and when “an old woman, small, fat, and laughing, is passing out flowers from a basket, and tall young men, wear her flowers in their shining hair” as well as the moment when “a child of nine or ten sits at the edge of the crowd, alone, playing on a wooden flute.” Le Guin’s use of clear imagery greatly helps develop the meaning of the work as a whole since it allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the overall theme. Ursula K. Le Guin’s short story Those Who Walked from Omelas is one that is infatuated with many literary techniques to be analyzed although symbolism, setting, and imagery are a few that really stood out as they undoubtedly support the overall meaning of the work as the author portrays that there must be some evil present in order to truly understand that which is