In 7-10 sentences, please discuss what LeGuine is trying to accomplish with her story. What is a scapegoat? Where have we seen a situation like this before? In what story? Use the SIFTT Method to expand your commentary. (Symbolism, Imagery, Figurative Language, Tone, Theme).
LeGuine is trying to accomplish describing the perfect society to live in. She does this by first creating a town, imaginary or real, and describes all of the good traits of the town. She tells how the town is always happy go lucky and has the same advancements as every other town, but does not always use them. She goes on tell how even with all of these good traits, that life cannot be perfect. She tells of problems such as drinking a drugs. It is the people's wish to do these things, and cannot get in trouble for doing what they want. However, she says that they know when to stop. She uses imagery, such as the child stuck in the basement to also describe the problems that may come in society. However, this example is used to teach the citizens of the society what NOT to do. The theme of this story could be that we cannot be a perfect society, but theres a way to improve it.
ReplyDeleteThe short story "The ones who walk away from Omelas", by Ersula K LeGuin is about an idealistic village where everything is perfect... or so some though. at the age of 12 everyone in the city is introduced to the idea of keeping a little boy/girl prisoner in a broom closet. that is the way that the town survives in such perfect order, because the boys/girls suffering takes away from the villagers suffering. creating a circle of life for others, and even tho this is not acceptable in everyday culture many people go along with it because they don't know that it is wrong
ReplyDeleteLeGuin wrote this story for many reasons. She wanted to show life in a city which is not simple, yet not complex either. "...boys and girls, naked in the bright air, with mud-stained feet and ankles and long, lithe arms, exercised their restive horses before the race"(1). This quote was taken to show imagery and how these people compete. This is an example of something that could resemble a tribe. What i thought was different was that she didn't care how the audience viewed it personally. She didn't care to have any control over that. It also shows how some civilizations can be so unstable; they might rely on one crucial thing like the boy that trapped in the room for things to happen.
ReplyDeleteA scapegoat is someone who bares a blame for others. The boy is the scapegoat. In The Edgar Alan Poe story, the man was trapped forever underground in solitary.
I think LeGuin is trying to tell us that even in a perfect world someone has to be punished, and even in this perfect world not all people can handle the truth. Some people leave because of what is done to make their city so perfect.
ReplyDeleteA scapegoat is someone that is blamed for something because people need someone to blame. In this story the scapegoat is the girl/boy locked in the broom closet. They have the boy/girl there, suffering, so that no one else has to suffer. The child didn't do anything to deserve suffering, but they needed someone to suffer so they chose this kid.
To help her get her point across, LeGuin used a lot of Imagery to describe the town and she used a lot of figurative language.
LeGuin describes the perfect society or what she thinks is the perfect place to live. She describes and great detail to help you picture this place which makes it much more real in your eyes. A scapegoat is someone who suffers for something that is not there fault and was put on them so other could be happier with no suffering. We see this in the cask of amontillado when montresor cocoons fortunato. Leguin uses imagery and alot of figuritave language to help vizualize the story.
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In this story, LeGuin is showing that things may seem perfect and happy, but there is always something (bad) unseen. I think the people in this story felt that it was necessary to have a scapegoat in order to make life good for everyone else. A scapegoat is someone who is blamed for something that they did not necessarily do. The child locked in the closet is sort of an outlet for the guilt or wrongdoings that the other people feel or do. However, it is ironic that people want their society to be so perfect when there is someone being so inhumanely treated. I think that the other short story "The Lottery" is similar in there is the victim that did not particularly do anything wrong, but is still stoned to death.
ReplyDeleteLeGuin uses a lot of imagery throughout the story; one example is one page 1 when she is talking about how happy everyone is on the nice day. LeGuin also includede lots of figurative language. I think the themes of this short story are superstition and blame.
She is trying to describe the uglyness in our world.If they were to be happy they would need to keep a child locked up and neglect him. LeGuin is showing that it may be possible that if someone has to suffer let it be the weak one so the strong can thrive.
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LeGuin explains what the perfect society is using imager, symbols, and figurative language. She describes how the kids are happy, but they are using an innocent kid as their scapegoat so they can live the perfect life they want. After they visit the little boy/girl they feel guilty and some even leave the town. To me this story kind of relates to the story the lottery, because she has to be treated bad and killed for no reason. A scapegoat is someone who suffers for something that is not their fault and was put on them so others could be happier with no suffering. LeGuin used the SWIFTT elements so well and the story actually made me feel sad.
ReplyDeleteLuGuin words and skill in writings is like, "off the scale," the way he interacts big words makes most if not all of the story very confusing. He uses a multitude of figurative languages like similes and and hyperboles. And imagery is in every sentence, like "his dark eyes wholly rapt in the sweet, thing magic of the tune" (5). A scapegoat is an escape, something to take the blame so you wouldn't get into trouble. I think this somewhat resembled to "The Lottery" where the horrible actions are done over and over to this "scapegoat"or the poor little child. The child could be used as a symbol for a release of anger for everyone else to be remotely happy. The theme could be like how the world is not a happy place and there has to be people that suffer for the happiness of others.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, people!
ReplyDeleteI think that she is trying to accomplish in saying that the world that they live in is not so perfect or goody goody as it seems
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LeGuine at first describes this city as if it was perfect. She uses figurative language to describe what a happy place this city seems to be. Then she starts using a tone that is a little bit more serious. When she talks about the trapped little kid the tone becomes very serious. A story that i very similar to this is the Lottery.
ReplyDeleteThe way Leguin wrote this story was in a very different way. First she starts off talking about how happy-go-lucky these people, Omela's, are and about how they Festival is and describing it in a very vibrant way.But, next she is talking about how they have secrets and hidden agenda's and what not. Basically i believe that she is trying to show us that these people were not perfect like she proclaimed them to be at the beginning of the story, they had flaws just like us. So, this town was not a utopia, but simply a regular town probably filled with secrets. She also doesnt want to bore the readers because on page 3 she talks about if you think this town is happy/good then think of the priest having an orgy. AN ORGY!! Who would think of priest having an orgy?
ReplyDeleteLeguin is trying to show the reader that although an image of a town, person, or thing may come off at perfect there is always an imperfection, a flaw. A scapegoat is someone that is singled out for others to blame. The young boy in the story blamed and neglected for and by his town is similar to The Lottery were the innocent women was stoned to death for and by her town.
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