The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas Essay Example

its existence is accepted after a given time of anger and bitterness. LeGuin makes it clear in her work that the never-ending torture of this child, according to the city of Omelas, is a necessary evil in order for the majority to experience true joy. She also makes it a point, however, that some people are more deeply concerned by the moral battle at hand.

LeGuin’s language in this piece makes it difficult for the reader’s ethos and pathos to remain undisturbed, just as the citizens of Omelas felt upon viewing the child. LeGuin claims several times that the city of Omelas is unbelievable, and asks throughout the story, “How can I describe the people of Omelas? ” and “Do you believe? ” This causes the reader to question if LeGuin is being truthful, or what meaning could hide within this story. The imagery within this piece appeals to pathos with a rapier speed.

LeGuin uses appeals such as “helplessness,” “whining,” and descriptions of the festering sores on the child’s legs and buttocks. The reader grows to question why the city of Omelas allows this to happen, or why this sinful torture is necessary. These questions are the same for those who walk away from Omelas. As they interpret the supposed “necessary evil,” they are faced with the moral standard of what is right and wrong, and the gray area that allows the people of Omelas to be content in their own lives.

In order to escape this moral dilemma, and to not prosper from a defenseless being’s wasted life, they leave the incredible city for better or for worse. “The Ones

Who Walk Away from Omelas,” by Ursula LeGuin, is a piece of literature that is profound for its length through its allegorical nature and paradoxical undertones. The child, a representation of the beastly chaos and pain of the city, allows the majority of the city to live at peace with their lives. Others, while they do not stand up to the city, leave for the hope of escaping the thought of Omelas and the secret the joyous city feeds on.