The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas Literary Analysis

Ursula K. Le Guin's short story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas is set in a blissful utopian city, the denizens of which live in an environment of peace and plenty. The parable highlights the sacrifices humans make in order to maintain civilization, the role of scapegoats in society, and the bargains people are willing (or unwilling) to make to maintain peace and happiness, or at least the image thereof. Le Guin's tale raises questions about the nature of a truly moral society, the contrast between outward appearances and the reality underneath, as well as the inherent conflict between the happiness of the individual and the needs of the community as a whole. Omelas is introduced as a beautiful city by the sea, surrounded by water, green meadows, and snow-crowned mountains, and in the midst of its joyous Summer Festival. The society lacks any apparent hierarchy, with no rulers, clergy, warriors, or slaves. It exists without violence, crime, or coercion, and the citizens are upright. The denizens of Omelas, while peaceful and happy, are not dull and simple folk, however. The narrator explains that the people “were not naive and happy children--though their children were, in fact, happy. They were mature, intelligent, passionate adults whose lives were not wretched” (p. 2). The city-dwellers

Although set in a fictional utopia, Le Guin's story has symbolic parallels with our own world, such as the suffering and misery that takes place as civilizations are built and maintained through hardships such as war. The parable also forces the reader to confront these questions about the needs of the individual versus the needs of society and the moral struggles therein, and to decide if one should accept the reality of Omelas and remain in the city, or join the ones who walk