I believe that the story about Omelas was an interesting read. I did read through it twice to get a better understanding of it. I read through it and for some reason I felt that the author was describing a fantasy world that she made up. One of the sentences that really caught my attention was the one that says “But what else should there be?” (Pg3 Le Guin). This made me feel as if the author was creating this utopian world as she went on with the story. On page 2 Le Guin also says “For instance, how about technology?”. This makes me feel as if he’s deciding what kind of technology the people in Omelas would have. If he has the ability to decide then this must be some kind of world he’s creating or imagining.
After reading through pages five thought seven you learn about the child in the closet. That’s barely fed and has no clothes on. He’s clearly been in this closet for a long time as they say his belly protrudes. His belly can only protrude because he is so thin since he’s not being fed. They say his thighs and buttocks have sores because he’s been sitting in his own feces. It takes time for sores to form so he must have been sitting in his feces for a long time. I also wonder why they show the child to children who are between the ages of 8 and 12. Why don’t they wait till the children are adults. I mean how can a child understand why this child is in this closet and isnt being helped. They explain to the childten that the child can’t even be spoke to nicely. That is the agreement for the prosperity of Omelas. Then you realize they never mention who they have this agreement with. Religiously you think about the greater power being god. Then you wonder who exactly is this agreement with.
They explain that some people after seeing the child leave Omelas. the narrator says “But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas” (page 7 Le Guin). If they know where they are going then why don’t the other people who find this act of sacrificing one life for everyone else to be happy leave. Now the story ends but what happens with the child living in this condition, wouldn’t he die. If he dies then what do they just choose another child to put inside this closet. if that’s the case then it’s not like the narrator says “To exchange all the goodness and grace of every life I’m Omelas for that single,” (pg 6 Le Guin). It wouldn’t be a single life because if they’re constantly changing the child it’s not just one life they’re sacrificing. This is my analysis of this weird but interesting story.
