The Lathe Of Life By Ursula Leguin Question & Answer Example

1. In the first chapter of the novel the author uses specific imagery with a certain aim, but it is only understandable after reading a couple of chapters of The Lathe of Life. By giving a detailed description of the landscape at the beginning, LeGuin creates a contrast between nature and urban scenery, between animal and human life in future of 2002.
After a further reading of the text it becomes understandable that the jellyfish, the ocean and the continent are symbols and bear some meanings. The jellyfish is associated with the main character George Orr, the ocean symbolizes dreams and the continent is reality. As well as a jellyfish, Georg is spineless and weak, “vulnerable and insubstantial” from the outside, but has hidden potential. And so as the jellyfish has “the violence and power of the whole ocean”, George has control over the reality through his dreams.
2. The main character is George Orr. He seems to be vulnerable, innocent and harmless person. He suffers because his dreams influence the real world that is not visible for other people. George is scared of his abilities and has to take drugs in order to avoid sleep. He starts visiting Dr. Haber, who is supposed to resolve George’s problem with dreams. But the man turns out to be selfish and greedy, using George’s dreams to change the reality in his favor. At first he seemed to be a nice person, willing to help, but soon he stands out as the reader understands that Haber has a certain aim, he wants power and is ready to do anything to reach it, even for murder: “He turned to her, ready for violence, his hands clenched”. (55)
Another character that seems to be important is Miss Lelache – a lawyer. George comes to her for help, when understands that Haber uses him. The author introduces her as a “Black Widow” – “poisonous; hard, shiny, and poisonous; waiting, waiting”. (36) Her character seems to be unpleasant and wafts fear. She does not believe George.
3. To my mind, the plague has no advantages, though, logically, it should have them, because the population decreased in 6 billion people. Although, it did not change the environment, pollution of air, did not stop the war.
4. In my opinion the adjective “nonexistent” is used ironically. The people, six billion people, were really murdered. Dr. Haber created the Plague that killed the population, in other words – made those people nonexistent or dead.
5. The phrase “The end justifies the means. But what if all we have is means” means that sometimes in order to reach a goal people use all possible and impossible, appropriate and inappropriate means. In the context of the novel, George thinks that Dr. Haber has a mean – George’s ability to change the reality with his dreams, but has no clear aim. He is greedy and power-hungry, seeks wealth, nothing can stop him even the death of six billion people.
6. In my opinion, George calls Haber “a benevolent man” not in sarcastic manner, but rather in serious. He says it and truly believes in it, tries to justify Doctors deed, but at the same time knows that Haber is wrong.