The primary reason the story failed to transform American conscience as a whole may be precisely because Le Guin did not anticipate how easy it is for humans to ignore ideas and concepts, expressed in words alone, that produce moral discomfort. Even though the story has powerful images, it does not seem to have had the author’s desired effect of transforming the American conscience. However, to an average reader, the story resonates as a cautionary tale about the consequences of valuing the good of one community, such as a developed country, over the welfare of an individual, such as a worker in a third world country. Still others view it as Le Guin’s attempt to explain the workings of human nature and religion (Collins 525). Others view it as Le Guin’s indictment of first world countries’ financial exploitation of third world countries (Collins 525). Some critics view the story as a rejection of the moral pragmatism supported by William James, alluded to in the subtitle of the story (Povinelli 510). When approaching Ursula Le Guin’s short story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” readers can interpret the story in several different ways.
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