The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

This story is about Omelas a city of happiness  a utopian.. The inhabitants are smart and cultured. Everything about Omelas is pleasing and joyous, except for the secret kept in the city. The good fortune and happiness of Omelas requires that a single unfortunate child be kept in darkness and miser. All the citizens must be told of this child when they are usually between the age of eight and twelve, when they are capable of understanding. Some go and see the child. The child is kept in filth, darkness, and is malnourished.  After the citizens are exposed to the truth, most people are initially shocked and disgusted, but they are ultimately able to come to terms with the fact. The come to terms that the suffering of the unfortunate child is worth it as it is necessary for the citizens to continue to live their lives in the manner by which they do. The story then goes on to tell how a few of the citizens, young and old, silently walk away from the city, and no one knows where they go. It just describes it as a place less imaginable to us than the city of happiness. And only those that walk away seem to know where they are going.

The central theme is that they are using a scapegoat…

As I was reading about the conditions that the child was kept in and the inhumane treatment, I was thinking how could someone know of this and be ok with it. Then I started to think about what I do or have I become callused to in this world… Like I may read or learn about a poor condition or injustice happening to others…, at first I am shocked and upset by it. It may effect me for awhile, but then life continues as I know it and I move on…. Just as the people do in the story… Of course I don’t want to be this person and of course I would never want to think that I would allow such injustice but how many times have I seen/ known of darkness and suffering in the world around me and I continue with my daily life as I know it….