The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin is a short 5 page story that explores various aspects of human life and human tendencies.
The story starts with a lengthy imagery into the town of Omelas wherein the inhabitants are portrayed as happy and joyous. However, as the story unfolds, Guin introduces a child hidden in a dark basement.
The child is gender-less hence is referred to as “it” and is dehumanized. In the couple of paragraphs dedicated to it, the child is showcased to be in its own excrements inside a 3×2 broom closet.
In the end, it is revealed that the extreme happiness of the city of Omelas is dependent on the sufferings of this child.
Some very interesting quotes include the following:
- “Do you believe? Do you accept the festival, the city, the joy? No? Then let me describe one more thing.” This quote signifies the concrete fact that there are always 2 if not more sides to something.
- “…to throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one…” The whole short story boils down to whether or not a community should suffer for the sake of one individual.
- “Would you walk away from Omelas?” A very rhetorical question; synonymously, this questions a person of whether they would ignore the injustices of the world because they cannot do anything about it.
In translation, this story resonates with more than just one aspect of the world we live in today. From child labor to sweatshops to the veterans who put their lives at stake so we can sleep at night.
Yet these entities don’t get the recognition they deserve and are essentially in the dark (closet).
Child labor is a tremendous problem across the world and it is everyone’s problem. The labor these kids provide don’t simply belong to the country they reside in.
Due to trade and commerce, items that make the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor provided by the U.S Department of Labor can make it to your home directly, without your knowledge.
This makes you an Omela and the child and sufferer for your ease.
And sadly, not everyone realizes that some of the items they use daily, were made in sweatshops by kids who should be in schools getting educated.
While it is easy to forget about child labor, it is worth raising awareness about such issues. The least you can do is re-post on Instagram or TikTok.
In today’s day and age, it may be hard to separate ourselves from using items that come from such backgrounds, but even the smallest step is better than no action.