Compare And Contrast The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin is about a dystopian society, and how the general happiness is based off of one child. Confining the child in an enclosure puts the entire society into balance. After discovering the horrific secret about how the society functions, some choose to “walk away from Omelas.” The “Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber is about a man named Walter Mitty, who uses daydreams as an escape from reality. Third person limited point of view allows the reader into the minds of the two main characters, and their ongoing thoughts. Contrast is evident when vivid versus dull lifestyles are portrayed in both of the stories.

By looking at the two stories, the careful reader can see the evidence

of the importance of point of view; this is important because different points of view are used to access the protagonists’ feelings while affecting the reader’s perception of the two stories.
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” is similar to “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”; point of view is important to both short stories because it gives different insight, and a better understanding of characters’ emotions, as well as the people surrounding them. The Festival of Summer arrived in the city of Omelas. The old and the young gathered in the city, celebrating. Excitement fills the air as children play, and horses gallop in the costal town. Beginning in 3rd person omniscient, the author conveys the events in such a way that the events can be viewed as a whole.
They were not naïve and happy children-though their children were, in fact, happy. They were mature, intelligent, passionate adults whose lives were not wretched. O miracle! But I wish I could describe it better. I wish I could convince you. Omelas sounds in my words like a city in a fairy tale, long ago and far away, once upon a time. Perhaps it would be best if you imagined it as your own fancy birds, assuming it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all. For instance, how about technology? I think that there would be no cars or helicopters in and above the streets; this follows from the fact that people of Omelas are happy people. Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive. (Le Guin, 455)
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. The society of Omelas’s happiness is based on the confinement of one child. “Just discrimination of what is necessary” is a secret unknown to most people who reside in the Omelas. A harmless child is locked away somewhere underneath the town, tortured and abused in isolation from human compassion or aid. The quote describes how the discrimination is in fact “necessary” for society to function. Most of the residents follow the central ruling idea that comforting the child would destroy happiness for the rest of the people in Omelas. “Passionate adults whose lives were not wretched” discusses how the life of adults were in fact were not miserable. The source of their happiness is delicate balance between themselves, and the child. Some disregard the child, and continue with their everyday tasks. “Omelas sounds like a city in a fairy tale, long ago and far away.” Depending on the perspective of a given person, Omelas could be either a wonderful place to live, or a horrible place. Utilitarianism indicates how the society functions. 3rd person point of view permits reader to recognize specific occurrences regarding the child and society. The reader is able to feel a connection with the characters as well as their emotions, within the given context.
Walter Mitty is maneuvering his way through the air as a commander of a military plane. Staring in Mitty’s point of view, the story progresses into real life events. His wife constantly cautions him to focus back into what he was actually doing in the present. Mitty cannot complete simple tasks; such as driving, without being consumed by the thoughts in his head.
Full strength in No.

3 turret!” shouted the Commander. “Full in No. 3 turret!” The crew, bending to their various tasks in the huge, hurtling eight-engine Navy hydroplane, looked at each other and grinned. “The old Man’ll get us through,” they said to one another. “The Old Man ain’t afraid of Hell!” “Not so fast! You’re driving too fast!” said Mrs. Mitty. “What are you driving so fast for?” Hmm?” said Walter Mitty. He looked at his wife, in the seat beside him, with shocked astonishment. She seemed grossly unfamiliar, like a strange woman who had yelled at him in a crowd. “You were up to fifty-five,” she said. “You know I don’t like to go more than forty. You were up to fifty-five.” Walter Mitty drove on toward Waterbury in silence, the roaring of the SN202 through the worst storm in twenty years of Navy flying fading in the remote, intimate airways of his mind. “You’re tensed up again,” said Mrs. Mitty. “It’s one of your days. I wish you’d let Dr. Renshaw look over you.” (Thurber,

720-721)
“Not so fast! You’re driving too fast!” said Mrs. Mitty. “What are you driving so fast for?” Hmm?” said Walter Mitty. He looked at his wife, in the seat beside him, with shocked astonishment.” Walter Mitty constantly uses daydreams to escape reality. In this scene, the narrator situates the reader on Mitty’s point of view, this is important because the events are seen through his eyes. Contrast is evident between real life events and what goes on in the mind. “He looked at his wife, in the seat beside him, with shocked astonishment. She seemed grossly unfamiliar, like a strange woman who had yelled at him in a crowd.” Mitty has the desire to participate in a more energetic lifestyle, and wants to escape his demanding wife. The constant expression of shock on Mitty’s face emphasizes how he drifts off into fantasy. “You’re tensed up again,” said Mrs. Mitty. “It’s one of your days. I wish you’d let Dr. Renshaw look over you.” His wife is concerned with him, and wished that Mitty had cooperated with the doctor. Often times, with Walter aging day-by-day, he has become hopeless. In addition, he has also become helpless in the way that his wife has to continually get him on the right track. Whether it is alerting Mitty to drive properly, or his health concerns, his wife is always there for him.
As in “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” the characters are affected by a drastic event in their surroundings. Perception of specific events, and their affects on others are greatly influenced by point of view. Descriptions of the location of the child, details of the room, and characteristics of the child are discussed. Living conditions such as “It has locked doors, and no windows. A little light seeps in dustily between cracks in the boards, secondhand from the cobwebbed window somewhere across the cellar.” (Le Guin, 457) The minimal amount of light can be a symbol for the lack of hope the child has. Without seeing the outside world, the child is limited to only having the company of himself. “The child used to scream for help at night, and cry a good deal, but now it only makes a kind of whining.” (Le Guin, 457)
They all know it is there, all the people of Omelas. Some of them have come to see it, others are content merely to know it is there. They all know that it has to be there. Some of them understand that their happiness, the beauty of their city, the tenderness of their friendships, the health of their children, the wisdom of their scholars, the skill of their makers, even the abundance of their harvest and the kindly weather of their skies, depend wholly on this child’s abominable misery. This is usually explained to children when they are between eight and twelve, whenever they seem capable of understanding; and most of those who come to see the child are young people, though often enough an adult comes, or comes back to see the child. No matter how well the matter has been explained to them, these young spectators are always shocked and sickened at the sight. They feel disgust, which they had thought themselves superior to, They feel anger, outrage, impotence, despite all the explanations. They would like to do something for the child. But there is nothing they can do. If the child were cleaned and fed and comforted that would be a good thing, indeed; but if it were done, in that day and hour all the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed. Those are the terms. (Le Guin, 457-458)
People in the Omelas are either indifferent, or deeply saddened by their source of happiness. Point of view is dependent on the moral values, and beliefs of the people in the society. “They feel disgust, which they had thought themselves superior to. They feel anger, outrage, impotence, despite all the explanations.” Feelings of disgust, and concern are expressed throughout the town. People either understand, and move on, or get stuck with the idea of the child. The suffering is ethically wrong to many. Some decide to pay a visit to the child. Often times people in the Omelas take a moral stance in their beliefs. When enough concern is experienced, people may even leave the city permanently. “This is usually explained to children when they are between eight and twelve, whenever they seem capable of understanding; and most of those who come to see the child are young people, though often enough an adult comes, or comes back to see the child.” Children have no knowledge of the chosen child until they reach the right age. Hiding the truth allows the children to be happy, without worry of anything. Later on they face reality, and make the decision for themselves-is the suffering of this child ethical in the society of the Omelas? “If the child were cleaned and fed and comforted that would be a good thing, indeed; but if it were done, in that day and hour all the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed. Those are the terms.” If someone were to provide the child with simple necessities, it would be ethically right. However, since the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, the idea of helping the child would ruin society. The “terms” are the rules on which the society functions. Third person point of view addresses the proposal by not leaning towards any side- to help or not to help the child.
In comparison, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” depict feelings of unhappiness, and feelings of control. Walter’s wife, and certain people in the society of Omelas are affected by occurrences that are not directly acted upon them. Pritchard-Mitford comments on “Dr. Mitty’s” book, he is flattered by the commentary of his fellow partners. Before Walter Mitty reenters reality, he is the head surgeon in the operating room, trying to save a life. He uses a fountain pen as in improvisation in the place of a medical solution. Immediately before the nurse hands Mitty the shining…he snaps back to reality.
“I’ve read your book on streptothricosis,” said Pritchard-Mitford, Dr.

Mitty, shaking hands. “A brilliant performance, sir.” “Thank you,” said Walter Mitty. “Didn’t know you were in the States, Mitty,” grumbled Remington. “Coals to Newcastle, bringing Mitford and me up here for a tertiary.” “You are very kind,” said Mitty. A huge, complicated machine connected to the operating table, with many tubes and wires, began at this moment to go pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. “The anesthetizer is giving way!” shouted an interne. “There is no one in the East who knows how to fix it!” “Quiet, man!” said Mitty, in a low, cool voice. He sprang to the machine that was going pocketa-pocketa-queep-pocketa-queep. He began fingering delicately a row of glistening dials: “Give me a fountain pen!” he snapped. Someone handed him a fountain pen. He pulled a faulty piston out of the machine and inserted the pen in its place. “That will hold for ten minutes,” he said. “Get on with the operation.” A nurse hurried over and whispered to Renshaw, and Mitty saw the man turn pale. “That will hold for ten minutes,” he said….“If you wish,” he said. They slipped a white gown on him; he adjusted a mask and drew on thing gloves; nurses handed him shining… Back it up, Mac! Look out for that Buick!” Walter Mitty jammed on the breaks. Wrong lane, Mac," said the parking-lot attendant, looking at Mitty closely. "Gee. Yeh," muttered Mitty. He began cautiously to back out of the lane marked "Exit Only." "Leave her sit

there," said the attendant. "I'll put her away." Mitty got out of the car. "Hey, better leave the key." "Oh," said Mitty, handing the man the ignition key. The attendant vaulted into the car, backed it up with insolent skill, and put it where it belonged. (Thurber,722)
“They slipped a white gown on him; he adjusted a mask and drew on thing gloves; nurses handed him shining…” Walter has the desire to rule his life. In this particular moment, he feels that by being the lead figure in a situation, it will make his overall confidence better. Mitty has a controlling wife, who often bosses him around, despite his wife; Walter wants to be in command. Daydream tend spark life, and focus on heroism; an important factor displayed continuously through the story. “Back it up, Mac! Look out for that Buick!” Walter Mitty jammed on the breaks.” The driver is frustrated that he is stuck in traffic. However, Walter thinks that he is a decent driver. "Gee. Yeh," muttered Mitty. He began cautiously to back out of the lane marked "Exit Only.” While Mitty was experiencing his daydream, he also was driving on the road. Someone reaches out to him, and tells him to start driving properly. Previously being in the 3rd person omnisicnet point of view, seeing the events from 3rd person gives a different perspective on what is actually happening in real life. "Leave her sit there," said the attendant. "I'll put her away." Mitty got out of the car. "Hey, better leave the key." "Oh," said Mitty, handing the man the ignition key. The attendant vaulted into the car, backed it up with insolent skill, and put it where it belonged.” Mitty is often forgetful of his surroundings, and simple everyday tasks. With death somewhat near, he tries to execute his creativity to the best of his ability.
By observing point of view in “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, the reader can see how it led into the path of either the protagonist’s perspective, or additional characters’ thoughts. Ursula K. Le Guin and James Thurber both address the contrast of dull, and vivid scenes in their stories. Both stories contain elements of reality, as well as factors of fantasy and ignorance.