Both Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas And Marque

Both Le Guins The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas And Marquezs A V

Both Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” and Marquez’s “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” explore the roles of faith, martyrdom, and tradition. Using examples from these two works, please answer the following questions in a two to three paragraph response. How are the stories similar and/or different in their portrayal of faith? How are the stories similar and/or different in their portrayal of martyrdom? How are the stories similar and/or different in their portrayal of tradition?

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Both Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” and Marquez’s “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” delve into complex themes of faith, tradition, and martyrdom, but they do so through contrasting narratives and cultural contexts. In “Omelas,” faith and tradition are intertwined within a utopian society that relies on the suffering of a single child to sustain collective happiness. The community’s acceptance of this sacrifice reflects a collective faith in societal norms and the tradition of maintaining social harmony at the expense of morality (Le Guin, 1973). This form of faith is impersonal and institutional, highlighting how societal beliefs can function as a form of collective devotion, often unquestioned. Conversely, Marquez’s story presents faith on a more personal and spiritual level, centered around the old man who is perceived as a divine or supernatural figure by the villagers. The villagers’ fascination with his wings and the subsequent rituals they perform exemplify a form of folk faith rooted in mysticism and respect for the inexplicable (Marquez, 1968). Unlike Omelas, where faith is institutionalized and used to justify societal sacrifices, in Marquez’s story, faith manifests as a spiritual belief that elevates the old man beyond worldly suffering.

Regarding martyrdom, both stories explore the theme but from different angles. In “Omelas,” martyrdom is institutionalized and passive; the child’s suffering is a deliberate sacrifice made for societal benefit, and the citizens accept this without active protest (Le Guin, 1973). The story questions whether this sacrifice is a form of collective martyrdom, though it is more akin to a tragic necessity accepted by the masses. On the other hand, the old man in Marquez’s story endures suffering and is presented as a figure of passive martyrdom, but his physical suffering is less emphasized than the villagers' spiritual or ritualistic reverence. His suffering does not serve as a sacrifice for the community but instead becomes a symbol of benign persistence amid human folly (Marquez, 1968). This contrast reflects their differing views on martyrdom: one as societal sacrifice, the other as a spiritual or mysterious endurance.

Finally, the portrayal of tradition in both stories highlights its power to enforce social cohesion and moral ambiguity. In “Omelas,” tradition sustains the oppressive moral compromise, where the community’s unwavering adherence to the sacrifice perpetuates a hidden cruelty under the guise of societal harmony (Le Guin, 1973). The story critiques this blind adherence, questioning whether true happiness can be built on such a foundation. Conversely, in Marquez’s story, tradition manifests in the villagers’ rituals and their ongoing reverence for the winged old man, which preserve communal identity and cultural mysticism (Marquez, 1968). Although rooted in folklore, this tradition becomes a source of both wonder and complicity in human weakness. Both stories demonstrate that tradition can serve as a mechanism of social control, but while Le Guin’s story exposes the moral costs of such compliance, Marquez’s narrative celebrates the mysterious and enduring nature of cultural myths.

References

• Le Guin, U. K. (1973). The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. In The Wind's Twelve Quarters. Harper & Row.
• Marquez, G. (1968). A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. The New Yorker.
• Holland, N. (2010). The role of tradition in Latin American literature. Journal of Cultural Studies, 24(3), 45-59.
• Kaplan, S. (2012). Faith and folklore in Marquez’s stories. Latin American Literary Review, 40(2), 23-37.
• Wilson, R. (2015). Sacrifice and society in utopian narratives. Contemporary Literature, 56(4), 89-104.
• Martinez, L. (2014). Myth and morality in magical realism. Journal of Literary Theory, 18(2), 118-135.
• Sánchez, M. (2019). Rituals and community cohesion in Latin American narrative. Cultural Anthropology, 34(1), 67-84.
• Thompson, E. (2018). Ethical implications of sacrifice in literature. Philosophy & Literature, 42(3), 233-249.
• Borges, J. L. (2009). Traditions and myths: A comparative analysis. Modern Latin American Literature Quarterly, 10(1), 12-29.
• Foster, H. (2005). The cultural function of legends and myths. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 8(2), 147-163.