I typically am not a Science fiction reader. I enjoy a good Science Fiction movie every now and then and I was raised watching the original Star Trek. I would say that my understanding for this genre is very minimal. I really have been blown away by The Left Hand of Darkness. I will admit there are times when I am reading and thinking what the hell is going on. It has helped so much to discuss in class so as to verify that I am following the storyline appropriately!! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, now back to the begining of my first blogging post ever!!
I would like to discuss a sentence on page 115 when Genly Ai is discribing Commensal structure in Orgoreyn. The statement: No child over a year old lives with its parent or parents; all are brought up in the Commensal Hearths. There is no rank by descent. Private wills are not legal a man leaves his fortune to the state. All start equal. But obviously they don't go on so.
This part really bothered me. Not in the fact that parents are not raising their own children. It doesn't bother me at all that the children are raised in hearths. That actually makes sense because of the kemmer thing going on. What was disturbing to me is that everyone leaves their estates to the government! The people of Orgoreyn really are totally controlled by the government. In the begining you get the feeling that this place is so much more grand than Karhide. To me there is post structuralism going on big time. They make Oregoreyn seem like a great progressive place to live when the reality is even though it doesn't come right out and say it it the text in implies that the people are very controlled and the only people who live well are the people in charge or the government officials. I for some reason underlined this part of the novel as I was reading it. Later when I went back and read that page over it dawned on me that there was more happening on this page than what I initially comprehended. The statement about everyone starting out equally sounds great at first. What's not mentioned is what happens to the individuals who do not do well. It makes you think of the old saying" all that glitters is not always gold"
The whole “starts out equal” thing doesn’t bother me too much. It’s a good way, theoretically, to say that no one is automatically better than anyone else. The fact that there are social differences later on in life can be used as an example of those who had the ambition and will to succeed. Those who were willing to take a risk and be rich. In an ideal world, that sounds pretty good to me. After all, if you’re dirt poor you can only blame yourself. The same could go towards those who have money. Clearly they alone were doing something right to be so secure in their adult lives.
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean bias doesn’t exist? Of course not, I think as long as humans exist, there will always be bias. However, at least when people first start making their way into the world it’s not really there, I think. As to what happens to those who aren’t incredibly rich? Well they probably aren’t doing badly. I’m sure they’re thriving in whatever profession they chose to do. What I’m really curious are what happens to the ones nobody wants to deal with. The rejects. Do they become assassins? Are they slaves? Do they try hard to live and die in the harsh climate? Are they expelled from their city or town?
What happens to the really bad apples???
P.S. That gold comment of yours is really old! I didn't realize this, but it looks like Shakespeare was the first person to say- er- pen it.
Excellent point -- Orgoreyn reminds me of Animal Farm because of how controlled everything is.
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