FREE The Left Hand Of Darkness Essay (original) (raw)

Superficially, this novel is the story of Genly Ai, first ambassador ("Mobile") of Hain, to the people of the kingdom of Karhide on the planet they call Winter, and what happens to him there when he becomes entangled in an accusation of treason. He is imprisoned and escapes, and there is a considerable amount of suspense and action as Genly navigates his way around Winter and its kingdoms, eventually finding his way back to safety.
I say "superficially" because this book really has nothing to do with any of those things at all. They are merely the framework that Le Guin uses to arrange the true story upon. .
The Hainish people, Ai's people, are human as we would recognize them. Le Guin's future universe is populated by the Hainish and non-Hainish, and her best work is typically a story of what happens when Hainish ambassadors go into the field -- become "Mobiles" -- as first contacts to non-Hainish worlds. The Left Hand of Darkness is no exception. The true story is how the experience of immersion in a wholly different culture transforms the Mobile.
Le Guin's worlds are intricately drawn and usually radically different from our own. Gethen, or, as the natives call it, Winter, is an aptly named frigid planet which endures 10-foot snows for the majority of its year. It has a population unlike any encountered in any other science fiction work. It is a genderless world, or, more precisely, its inhabitants are androgynous most of the time. Periodically they enter a phase called kemmer, and in this phase they can assume either male or female characteristics. Therefore it is possible for a Gethenian to both bear young and to impregnate a partner. But the Gethenians do not even think about these relationships outside of kemmer, and gender references are completely absent in their society.
This absence of gender is simply maddening to Ai, who cannot accustom himself to the duality of the Gethenians.

1. he World Inside and The Left Hand of Darkness

Not being able to find solace anywhere, even through night-walking, Siegmund realizes that he has no place left in the Urbmon 116 except to destroy himself. In Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness, two countries, Karhide and Oregoryn, are enemies on the planet Gethen. ... Despite the apparent differences between the two novels The World Inside and The Left Hand of Darkness, there resides fundamental concepts that influences the protagonists of both books. ... Furthermore, when Estraven commit suicide, since he is trapped between Orgoreyn and Karhide, he utilizes his shifgrethor to have Tibe&...

2. Heat Of Darkness /light And Darkness

Heart of Darkness In just the opening pages of Heart of Darkness, Conrad's ability as a writer becomes abundantly clear, for the subliminal nature of his writing is constantly sustained. ... On the other hand, the adjective "darkness" displays something much more inconclusive and equivocal, just like Marlow. ... He had sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and with his arms dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol". ... This is an extremely dark thing for the pure white man to do. ... A reader finds that not only is the setting of the ...

3. Compassion in The Book Thief

In this dark place, he wishes that the music will bring some light to the darkness the prisoners. ... The last example is when Hans is called into the army, but he left his accordion behind. ... He crouched down and clasped his hands" (185). ... He shows a sign of good when a, "Jew stood before him, expecting another handful of derision, but he watched with everyone else as Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic" (394). ... Overall, The Book Thief is based on a dark time in history, but the characters personalities bring light to the darkness...

4. Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now

This behavior fascinates him, especially when he sees it first hand. ... On the other hand, Willard seemed to have a death wish. ... The emphasis of physical darkness and the diminishing light help to create the dark mood. ... We are left with different impressions of Kurtz, different beliefs of Marlow, and distinct impressions of colonization. ... Marlow on the other hand, just had to explore what was going on deep in the jungle. ...

5. Reflections On "The Heart Of Darkness"

On their journey they come upon a hut and Marlow finds wood that had been left for them and a journal with codes written in it. ... In this way the reader finds out all information second hand. ... Through Conrad's presentation of different characters the reader is left confused as to who truly is civilized. ... He is left confused and appalled by both worlds. The darkness seems to be everywhere. ...

6. Heart of Darkness

Let us begin with Marlow, the first character in Heart of Darkness with whom we truly become acquainted. ... Having discarded his now-useless standards, Kurtz was left with only his charisma and intellect as his weapons with which to fight off the ever-encroaching darkness. ... He became its embodiment, the heart of darkness itself in twisted human form, worshipped as a dark god by those who fear and love him. ... However, Marlow must see that at this point he no longer has any ties to the heroes of the classics; he has no lofty quest and very few virtues left to speak of, and this leaves ...

7. Darkness

In his poem "Darkness,"" George Gordon, Lord Byron addresses the mortality of human beings and animals through a vivid description of the destruction of life on earth. ... "" (8-9) Each person that Byron describes deals with his or her imminent death in different ways; while some "lay down/And hid their eyes and wept,"" (24-25) others "rest[ed]/Their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled."" (25-26) This bcontrast in reactions demonstrates how death does not affect everyone in the same way. ... A person who feels as if he has lived a complete life will not be so bothered by death as o...

8. Darkness

In his poem "Darkness,"" George Gordon, Lord Byron addresses the mortality of human beings and animals through a vivid description of the destruction of life on earth. ... "" (8-9) Each person that Byron describes deals with his or her imminent death in different ways; while some "lay down/And hid their eyes and wept,"" (24-25) others "rest[ed]/Their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled."" (25-26) This bcontrast in reactions demonstrates how death does not affect everyone in the same way. ... A person who feels as if he has lived a complete life will not be so bothered by death as o...

9. Heart of Darkness

The native inhabitants of the region have been forced into the Company's service, and they suffer terribly from overwork and ill treatment at the hands of the Company's agents. ... Not long after, Marlow and his companions arrive at Kurtz's Inner Station, expecting to find him dead, but a half-crazed Russian trader, who meets them as they come ashore, assures them that everything is fine and informs them that he is the one who left the wood. ... All of these contrast with Marlow's version of the man, and he is left doubting the validity of his memories. ... The Hypocrisy of...

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