Literary Essay for Eng11
The story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” talks about a city that seems to be perfect, where everyone is happy and living peacefully. An imprisoned child is described to be one of the main reasons why the village people are happy. The author uses a descriptive style of language to help us imagine this village: “With a clamor of bells that set the swallows soaring, the Festival of Summer came to the city Omelas, bright-towered by the sea.”
The contrast between the bright and happy city and the description of the child’s suffering gives the story its main conflict. The setting helps highlight the difference between the comfortable lives of the citizens and the terrible life of the child. This is the same to the real world we are currently living in, where sometimes people benefit from unfair systems while others suffer. The child’s room is described as “a broom closet, or disused tool room,” which shows how different it is from the rest of the city. This contrast between the beautiful city and the condition of the child, and how it slowly suffers in its condition, creates an uncomfortable mood in the story.
The story describes the people of Omelas as being fully aware of the child’s suffering, but they still choose to accept it: “Some of them understand why and some do not, but they all understand that their happiness depends on this child’s abominable misery.” The narrator’s detached tone allows us to see the situation without being too emotional about it. This makes us think more critically about the people of Omelas and how easily they justify their happiness even though they know it comes at the cost of the child’s suffering.
There are no specific main characters in the story, but the groups of people we see represent different attitudes. Most of the citizens of Omelas are content with knowing the child suffers because it allows them to live happy lives. However, some people in the city cannot accept this, and they choose to walk away. These people represent those who reject the idea that happiness should come at the cost of someone else’s pain. The story doesn’t tell us where they go or what happens to them after they leave, but it suggests that they seek a place where true happiness can exist without causing harm to others.
The theme of moral responsibility is central to the story. The author seems to question readers if it’s right to accept happiness if it’s built on someone else’s suffering. This question is especially relevant in today’s world, where we often see people ignore inequality or injustice if it doesn’t affect them personally. Omelas can be seen as a metaphor for how modern societies work, where some people live in comfort while others struggle, and those in power often turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
The way the author describes Omelas and the child’s situation forces readers to confront the uncomfortable reality of the story. At the same time, her use of modern and ancient references, like “stock exchange” and “monarchy,” makes the setting feel timeless and universal. This means the moral questions she raises could apply to any society at any time.
The ending of the story is impactful and puzzling at the same time. The author said that these people know where they are going but still are incomplete. The author did not say why they were leaving the town, if it is to find help for the child or just to go to a much better place where they won’t feel any guilt.
The story made me think about how I perceive happiness and my priorities. I am guilty most of the time of turning my head when there are beggars not because I don’t pity them but because I feel that even if I do help them that time, it won’t be enough to pull them out from their current situation. In the end, the story gave this feeling of helplessness or being puzzled who the better people are, those who stayed in the Omelas, pitied the child but kept him company or the ones who walked away who we don’t even know if they will return.
