1. Name three instances of social injustice in “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”.
This short story presents a situation of inequality among social classes. The story suggests that privilege must come from the suffering of others. A child lives in an abusive, isolated setting as opposed to the prosperous townsfolk.
The child in the story is a metaphor for ethical dilemma. The child is abuse and neglected for the benefit of others. The child had its humanity stripped away by these citizens. Called only “it” this child is representative of the downtrodden in society.
Social conditioning led citizens to justify their wrong doings by following the majority. Those who did not agree with the majority were forced to leave the town.
2. What is the point of view of “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”?
“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” is told from a first person point of view. The narrator is not a character in the story, yet it is told through their eyes. This allows the narrator to address the point of view of many different citizens throughout the story. There are no preformed biases that must be addressed allowing for a fair portrayal of all characters. The narrator is free to address those who feel that imprisoning the child is justified and those who do not.
3. Discuss some elements of symbolism in “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”.
There are many instances of symbolism in “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”. References to eyes are often made. Eyes are considered “the windows to the soul”. The narrator uses eyes to convey emotion and judgment. Eyes also represent the metaphorical “blindness” of these citizens. They have turned a blind eye to injustice going on in their town simply because they do not want to go against the majority.
The child that lives in the cellar is a symbol of social injustice and the secrets that a seemingly happy town harbors. The child reminds us that even if we choose to ignore suffering it still exists. The child is a symbol of guilt and all that is wrong with society. The cellar child is nameless, sexless, and not considered human by many of the citizens. This suggests how some choose to deal with grief by ignoring it. The child forces the citizens to face their own ethical beliefs. Fear is also associated with the child. The common perception amongst the townsfolk is that the town cannot exist without the suffering of the child. They are afraid to speak out in fear of losing their own comfort.
The flute player should be a symbol of happiness and joy. Music is often associated with these emotions; however, this is not the case in “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”. In this story the flute player is also harshly judged by the citizens of the town. Perhaps this is a result of the guilt that the townspeople feel about their treatment of the child. The situation with the flute player suggests that this town will never be truly happy until they face the social injustices they have chosen to ignore.
