Comments on: Critical Analysis: “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”

By: A Voice

A Voice — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:46:21 +0000

Your ideas are all very creative. Though, I believe some are straying from the main point. To answer the ‘breaking the flute’ comment… Why would you do that? It intrigues me how you came up with the idea. I am not criticizing your thoughts, simply pondering. I believe the flute player is a mere example of the joy within Omelas. None of that is to be truly focused on: the drugs, orgies, or parties. Those are all just to set up the idea of a ‘Utopian society’. The author writes this simply to make you think of your own perfect place.
Then the author asks you if you believe in this place. How could a Utopia possibly exist? She mentions the child. Then, dear readers, you realize there is no Utopia. There will always be the poor or the rich, the happy or the sad, the leaders and the low-classed people. It is the yin-yang concept. This is no Utopia. This place, Omelas, is the opposite.
Now also while reading comments I notice that people want to upset this balance, or change it. The balance is obviously all the suffering on the boy and all the joy to the people. But you cannot change this. It’s be like trying to paint white on the yin-yang black side. It would not be equal, so consequently everyone must suffer.
Finally I’d like to question comments on what you think the author’s purpose was. The author wrote this to make you think. This story applies to many truths in life. Sometimes they are terribly sad, sometimes they are beautiful and happy. The author does not take a side, though. The author is writing open-ended and is asking you what you would do. In our society, we view this child as something to pity. But the author doesn’t say she exactly pities it. ‘Knowledge is within everyone. They simply need to find it’.
Finally, I’d like to state my opinion. I would walk away. This child has a destiny, and I shall not bother it. I am neither cold-hearted nor evil, I just know it wouldn’t make a difference. If I opened the door and held the child in my arms, would it know what I am doing? If it’s been locked in a windowless broom closet for it’s whole life, then it doesn’t know what a human looks like exactly. We would be things. Things that insult the child, things that are dangerous. It wouldn’t be able to comprehend love, for it never experienced it.
If you loved this deep-thought story, then I recommend The Giver by Lois Lowry, or The Allegory of the Cave by Plato.
Before I wrap up, I’d like to finish by saying I am merely an 8th grade girl. I am 14 and to you all, I may have just screwed up my entire speech. Yes, now you shall view my writing as child-like and worthless. But if you think deeply and feel truly from the heart, you will come up with your own ideas. No black or white, right or wrong, but morals you have established. Then I ask that I am not compared to any other child. I am myself, age not a matter. Same as the child in the broom closet. I am just a voice speaking out.

By: Toc

Toc — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:38:22 +0000

But saving the child would not be humane, because, by doing that, you would be causing EVERYONE in Omelas (including the babies and other children) to suffer, much as the tortured child suffers.

By: Toc

Toc — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:29:55 +0000

But if you rescue the child, you don’t just destroy Omelas, you destroy it for all. Everyone would then suffer, just as the child suffers. Could you live with that?

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:33:11 +0000

Doctor Who, “The Beast Below” Season 5 Episode 2 is a variation on this story.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:12:39 +0000

Very insightful Alex. and very apt comparison to the alcoholic. The inventory steps of the Twelve Step recovery program allows for that sort of self-assessment of one’s complicity in the suffering, and makes it possible to accept responsibility for one’s life, to walk away from Omelas.

By: Robert Law

Robert Law — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 02:52:33 +0000

How do the people react when they learn about the child?

By: JonF.0707

JonF.0707 — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:58:54 +0000

Maybe then you walk away.

By: Keith

Keith — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 07:15:31 +0000

Let us all walk away from Omelas.

By: Alanmt

Alanmt — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:56:32 +0000

I think that I would break the flute. It seems to me that the flute player, the same age as the prisoner, is the other half of the magic, adn hte fluteis the intrumetn that converts the suffering of one to the happiness of all. If that didn’t work, I would asy the kind word to the child.

Morality is not based upon a weighing in scales of the benfits and costs of the choice. There is no goodness worth the deliberate, unexplained suffering of an innocent child.

Some moral questions are absolutes. This presents one. Torture is another.

By: JJolly310

JJolly310 — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:36:58 +0000

I have really enjoyed reading what everyone has to say. Thank you to Mr. Thripp for writing this captivating critism. I first read this story when I was fairly young, and one of the more simplistic things I took away from the story is that if the townspeople never knew or saw real suffering they could never possibly achieve true happiness.
But then thinking more you realize how could anyone possibly remain happy knowing that this injustice was occurring… There are so many ways to look at this short story. It is a true work of art to be cherished. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!