📘 The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas – Ursula K. Le Guin

Who is the author of The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas?

Ursula K. Le Guin.

What does the title The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas refer to?

It refers to the few people who refuse to accept the city's happiness after learning the truth about the suffering child.

What is the 'terrible secret' of Omelas?

The happiness of the entire city depends on the misery and imprisonment of one innocent child.

What choice do citizens face once they learn about the suffering child?

They must either accept it and stay, or reject it by leaving Omelas.

What literary device does Le Guin use heavily in this story?

Allegory.

What real-world ethical philosophy is Omelas critiquing?

Utilitarianism — the idea that the greatest happiness for the greatest number justifies individual suffering.

What does the suffering child symbolize?

It symbolizes the hidden injustices that support societal comfort and privilege.

Why is it significant that those who leave Omelas never return?

Because rejecting complicity means giving up certainty and comfort permanently.

How is Omelas first described?

As a joyful, beautiful, utopian city filled with festivals and happiness.

What tone shift happens when the narrator introduces the child?

The tone shifts from idyllic and celebratory to dark and unsettling.

Does the narrator seem completely trustworthy or objective?

No — the narrator is self-aware and questions what the reader might believe, adding a layer of irony.

What broader societal critique is Le Guin making with Omelas?

That modern societies often thrive on hidden exploitation or inequality.

Why might Le Guin leave the ending open about where the walkers go?

To show that true moral choices often lead into uncertainty, not a clear happy ending.

What kind of narrative point of view is used?

First-person plural / omniscient narrator blending commentary with storytelling.

What does Omelas symbolize at a societal level?

A society or nation built on hidden suffering.

What role does the reader play according to Le Guin’s style?

The reader is asked to imagine and build parts of Omelas, making them complicit in creating the world.

What term describes the experience of people who realize the truth but stay anyway?

Moral complicity.

What idea does Le Guin explore through the tension between joy and guilt in Omelas?

That true happiness cannot exist when it is knowingly built on injustice.

Why is the child described as dirty, neglected, and animalistic?

To emphasize total dehumanization — the child is treated as less than human to make their suffering more 'acceptable.'

In the context of identity, what do the walkers represent?

Individuals who define their identity by moral action rather than societal acceptance.