The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas Literary Analysis

The only thing the narrator seems sure about, in Ursula LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” is that guilt does not exist in Omelas, but can this true. Omelas described as a happy place, a beautiful place, where no wars exist, no hunger, and no evil. Yet where does this “perfect” place come from? How can it exist? It exists because of one child’s pain and suffering produces this happiness, or maybe better put an illusion of happiness. Even though it is his sadness and pain that causes this happiness, not the people’s guilt, or could the guilt cause them to act in a way giving them the illusion of happiness. Pain, sadness, and guilt all seem to lead to the happiness of the people of Omelas, but can people be truly happy when such horrible things surround them? “It’s the great happiness illusion that we unmindfully buy into.” (Nourie) At first view Omelas seems happy, beautiful and prosperous. The horses, the only animal adopted for the ceremonies, wear no gear, only gold and green streamers. The image of the
The evil the pain, and the suffering of this one child, all goes to the greater good of Omelas because without the child there is no Omelas. In an allegorical type of way the child could be viewed as Jesus Christ of the Catholic faith. Jesus suffered evil from many and suffered for the good of mankind. Without the child Omelas was doomed, without Jesus mankind was doomed. There is a term used called Catholic guilt, meaning the guilt felt for doing or thinking of doing something wrong and then the guilt after if people are not able to repent in some way because of the guilt of Jesus sacrificing himself for mankind, and doing anything that would make that sacrifice mean nothing. The people of Omelas felt the same, they felt guilt that this child had to suffer, but know that the child has to for the survival of