History Literature / TheOnesWhoWalkAwayFromOmelas

* MarySuetopia: {{Invoked|Trope}}. The LemonyNarrator constantly mentions how perfect the town is, but doesn't think the non-ironic, non-corny perfection is coming across to the reader, and so urges the reader to imagine his/her own version of a perfect place, rife with whatever he/she personally thinks is good and devoid of whatever he/she deems bad.

* SadisticChoice: At the core of the story. Every citizen of Omelas, once they're old enough to comprehend the full extent of the city's dark secret and what it entails, will have the truth revealed to them and will then be offered the choice to stay in Omelas, though now with the full knowledge of the terrible price which is being paid for their own happiness, or, should they deem this truth unacceptable, leave Omelas and never return. Notably, a [[TakeAThirdOption possible third option]]- to [[LaResistance rebel]] against Omelas and try to [[spoiler:rescue the child]]- is never given or addressed.

* YouBastard: The Narrator subtly takes this attitude towards the audience, who due to reading to much dystopian literature and utopian deconstructions to accept the idea that a society may truly be near-perfect [[spoiler: throws out the tortured child]] just because the readers would demand such a catch when it was unnecessary in the first place. Now the utopia has a caveat and [[spoiler: a child has to suffer]] for the sake of the audience's curiosity.

* MetaTwist: To the {{Dystopian}} genre as a whole: the LemonyNarrator adds the twist [[spoiler:of the abused child]] strictly because [[GenreSavvy she knows that the people she's addressing will never believe that Omelas can be a utopia "just because"]] and will keep expecting a catch, because the sci-fi literature of the time was plagued with dystopias. So not only does [[UnreliableNarrator the catch may not exist at all]], [[{{Trolling}} she makes clear that she tossed it in there just to make the audience squirm]]. Hey, BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, YouBastard!

* MetaTwist: To the {{Dystopian}} genre as a whole: the LemonyNarrator adds the twist [[spoiler:of the abused child]] strictly because [[GenreSavvy he knows that the people he's addressing will never believe that Omelas can be a utopia "just because"]] and will keep expecting a catch, because the sci-fi literature of the time was plagued with dystopias. So not only does [[UnreliableNarrator the catch may not exist at all]], [[{{Trolling}} she makes clear that he tossed it in there just to make the audience squirm]]. Hey, BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, YouBastard!

* {{Utopia}}: Omelas is this. Subverted in that some of its inhabitants decide, once they know its secret, that it isn't worth it, and played with in the fact that the narrator essentially drops the bomb about the secret and then badgers the audience about having forced him to make such a horrible thing up for the sake of making his description of Omelas "realistic".

* MeaningfulName: Accidental variant. Le Guin said that she just got the name when she saw "Salem, OR" (that's Oregon) on a road sign and spelled it backwards on a whim, but the name "Salem" is meaningful on its own -- it has the same root word as the Hebrew word ''Shalom,'' or "peace," [[SalemIsWitchCountry and of course it is also the name of the Massachusetts town which held infamous witch trials]].

* MetaTwist: To the {{Dystopian}} genre as a whole: the LemonyNarrator adds the twist [[spoiler:of the abused child]] strictly because [[GenreSavvy he knows that the people he's addressing will never believe that Omelas can be a utopia "just because"]] and will keep expecting a catch, because the sci-fi literature of the time was plagued with dystopias. So not only does [[UnreliableNarrator the catch may not exist at all]], [[{{Trolling}} he makes clear that he tossed it in there just to make the audience squirm]]. Hey, BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor, YouBastard!

* FreeLoveFuture: The narrator suggests that, if the reader thinks this would be ideal, then Omelas has this kind of society.

----

* InherentInTheSystem: In order for Omelas to function, [[spoiler:one child must be kept in absolute misery]].

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]]. [[SubvertedTrope However]], the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler:suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, or even if it actually ''exists'', merely suggesting that ''[[YouBastard we the readers]]'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That to the audience]] for them being (it’s assumed) unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' such a price.

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]]. [[SubvertedTrope However]], the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler:suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, merely suggesting that ''[[YouBastard we the readers]]'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That to the audience]] for them being (it’s assumed) unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' such a price.

* SadisticChoice: At the core of the story. Every citizen of Omelas, once they're old enough to comprehend the full extent of the city's dark secret and what it entails, will have the truth revealed to them and will then be offered the choice to stay in Omelas, though now with the full knowledge of the terrible price which is being paid for their own happiness, or, should they deem this truth unacceptable, leave Omelas and never return.

* {{Deconstruction}}: More like a deconstruction of utopia deconstructions. As readers who are used to reading dystopian literature can't possibly accept a utopia without some sort of catch, the LemonyNarrator just throws out [[spoiler:the tortured child]] to satisfy the reader's inner curiosity.

* ItIsDehumanizing: An IntendedAudienceReaction. The narrator refers to the child as "it" because "it could be a boy or girl" at any time in the history of Omelas, but the effect of this trope persists nonetheless: readers understand that the child is seen more as a thing than as a person.

** This is played with later when the narrator, obviously [[GenreSavvy not expecting the reader to believe]] that such a place would exist ''anywhere'' [[TownWithADarkSecret without some kind of price being paid]], eventually [[spoiler:just drops the description of the child and what is done to it for the sake of making ''the rest'' of the town a Mary Suetopia, and essentially asks the reader: "[[YouBastard There you go, a horrible flaw in the system! Are you happy now?!]]"]].
* MeaningfulName: Averted. Le Guin said that she just got the name when she saw "Salem, OR" (that's Oregon) on a road sign and spelled it backwards on a whim. But the name "Salem" is meaningful on its own -- it has the same root word as the Hebrew word ''Shalom,'' or "peace," and of course it is also the name of the Massachusetts town which held infamous witch trials.

* TheNeedsOfTheMany: The entire basis for the story is more-or-less an exploration of this trope.

* PostModernism: The LemonyNarrator interacts with the reader a lot and there is no conventional story. Actually, this may be a case of "post-post modernism" as well since the story deconstructs the reader's desire to know what the catch of a utopia is (thereby revealing the society to be a dystopia) which has come about in post modern dystopian stories that critique the idea of a perfect society.
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: The good of Omelas relies [[spoiler: on, yes, the abject suffering of one child.]]

* TakeThatAudience: The LemonyNarrator makes it clear that they are aware the reader can't possibly accept a utopia without some sort of catch, so it brings up the [[spoiler:tortured child]] with an "are you happy now?" demeanor.

* TownWithADarkSecret: Subverted, possibly. All citizens of Omelas learn the secret once they're old enough to understand it. The secret is only kept (briefly) from the reader. It's also implied the narrator just tossed the "dark secret" there [[{{Troll}} for the sake of giving the audience a dark secret]] -- otherwise they wouldn't accept Omelas' perfection at face value and would keep asking him where's the (up to that point non-existent) catch.
* {{Utopia}}: Omelas is this. Subverted in that some of its inhabitants decide, once they know its secret, that it isn't worth it and played with in the fact that the narrator essentially drops the bomb about the secret and then badgers the audience about having forced him to make such a horrible thing up for the sake of making his description of Omelas "realistic".
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]]. But this is arguably a partial [[SubvertedTrope subversion of the trope]]; the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler:suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, merely suggesting that ''we the readers'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That to the audience]] for them being (it’s assumed) unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' such a price.
* WalkingSpoiler: It's basically impossible to [[spoiler:discuss the major themes of the work without mentioning the forsaken child]].

* SdrawkcabName: WordOfGod says that Omelas was named by spelling Salem, O[regon] backwards.

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]]. But this is arguably a partial [[SubvertedTrope subversion of the trope]]; the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler:suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, merely suggesting that ''we the readers'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That to the audience]] for them being (it’s assumed) unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' a price.

* SadisticChoice: At the core of the story. Every citizen of Omelas, once they old enough to comprehend the full extend of the city's dark secret and what it entails, will have the truth revealed to them and are then offered the choice to stay in Omelas, though now with the full knowledge of the terrible price which is being paid for their own happiness, or, should they deem this truth unacceptable, leave Omelas and never return.

** This is played with later when the narrator, obviously [[GenreSavvy not expecting the reader to believe]] that such a place would exist ''anywhere'' [[TownWithADarkSecret without some kind of price being paid]], eventually [[spoiler:just drops the description of the child and what is done to it for the sake of making ''the rest'' of the town a Mary Suetopia, and essentially asks the reader: "[[ArmorPiercingQuestion There you go, a horrible flaw in the system! Are you happy now?!]]"]].

* {{Deconstruction}}: More like a deconstruction of utopia deconstructions. As readers who are used to reading dystopian literature can't possibly accept a utopia with some sort of catch, the LemonyNarrator just throws out [[spoiler:the tortured child]] to satisfy the reader's inner curiosity.

* TownWithADarkSecret: Subverted, possibly. All citizens of Omelas learn the secret once they're old enough to understand it. The secret is only kept (briefly) from the reader.

* InherentInTheSystem: In order for Omelas to run properly, [[spoiler:one child must be kept in absolute misery]].

** It's played with later when the Narrator, obviously [[GenreSavvy not expecting the reader to believe]] that such a place would exist ''anywhere'' [[TownWithADarkSecret without some kind of price being paid]], eventually [[spoiler:just drops the description of the child and what is done to it for the sake of making ''the rest'' of the town a Mary Suetopia and essentially asks the reader: "[[ArmorPiercingQuestion There you go, a horrible flaw in the system! Are you happy now?!]]"]].
* MeaningfulName: Averted. Le Guin says that she just got the name by seeing "Salem, OR" (that's Oregon) on a road sign and spelled it backwards on a whim. But the name "Salem" is meaningful on its own -- it has the same root word as the Hebrew word ''Shalom,'' or "peace," and of course it is also the name of the Massachusetts town which held infamous witch trials.

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]]. But this is arguably a partial [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler:suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, merely that ''we the readers'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That to the audience!]] for them being (it’s assumed) unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' a price.
* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler:It's basically impossible to discuss the major themes of the work without mentioning the forsaken child.]]
* WasItReallyWorthIt: Everyone in Omelas must face this question. [[spoiler:After seeing the suffering child, some people can't bear living in Omelas anymore and walk away.]]

* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]].
** Arguably a partial [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler:suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, merely that ''we the readers'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That, Audience!]] for being unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' a price.

:: :It's played with later when the Narrator, obviously [[GenreSavvy not expecting the reader to believe]] that such a place would exist ''anywhere'' [[TownWithADarkSecret without some kind of price being paid]], eventually [[spoiler:just drops the description of the child and what is done to it for the sake of making ''the rest'' of the town a Mary Suetopia and essentially asks the reader: "[[ArmorPiercingQuestion There you go, a horrible flaw in the system! Are you happy now?!]]"]].

* PoweredByAForsakenChild: The good of Omelas appears to rely on the abject suffering of one child.

* SadisticChoice: At the core of the story. Every citizen of Omelas, once they old enough to comprehend the full extend of the city's dark secret and what it entails are offered the choice to stay in Omelas, with the full knowledge of the terrible price paid for their own happiness, or, should they deem this truth unacceptable, leave Omelas and never return.

"[[http://web.archive.org/web/20070810183849/http://www.twinoaks.org/members-exmembers/exmembers/center/omelas.html The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas]]" is a {{Meta Fiction}} by {{Ursula K Le Guin}}, written in 1973.

* CrapsaccharineWorld: Downplayed. Omelas genuinely ''is'' a {{Utopia}}, but [[spoiler: one whose existence relies on a continually-sustained act of unspeakable barbarity towards an innocent.]]
* {{Deconstruction}}: More like a deconstruction of utopia deconstructions. As readers who are used to reading dystopian literature can't possibly accept a utopia with some sort of catch, the LemonyNarrator just throws out [[spoiler: the tortured child]] to satisfy the reader's inner curiosity.
* DefectorFromParadise: The story features the titular Ones. The Ones are people who choose to leave the perfect Utopian city of Omelas of their own will because [[spoiler: Omelas' prosperity is PoweredByAForsakenChild]].

* {{Good Is Not Dumb}}: The narrator emphasizes that the happiness of the people of Omelas doesn't make them stupid or naive.
* {{Inherent In The System}}: In order for Omelas to run properly, [[spoiler:one child must be kept in absolute misery]].

* MarySueTopia: PlayedWith: the LemonyNarrator constantly mentions how perfect the town is, but obviously [[GenreSavvy doesn't expects the reader to believe]] that such a place would exist ''anywhere'' [[TownWithADarkSecret without some kind of price being paid]], so eventually the narrator [[spoiler: just drops the description of the child and what is done to it for the sake of making ''the rest'' of the town a MarySueTopia and essentially asks the reader: "[[ArmorPiercingQuestion There you go, a horrible flaw in the system! Are you happy now?!]]"]].
* MeaningfulName: Averted. Le Guin says that she just got the name by seeing "Salem, OR" (that's Oregon) on a road sign and spelled it backwards on a whim. But the name "Salem" is meaningful on its own -- it has the same root word as the Hebrew word ''Shalom,'' or "peace," and of course it is the name of the town which held infamous witch trials.
* {{Meta Fiction}}: The narrator speaks directly to the reader, even insisting that they cannot properly describe Omelas in all its glory.

* TakeThatAudience: The LemonyNarrator makes it clear that they are aware the reader can't possibly accept a utopia without some sort of catch, so it brings up the [[spoiler: tortured child]] with an "are you happy now?" demeanor.

* {{Utopia Justifies The Means}}: We learn that [[spoiler:a young child is severely mistreated in order for everyone else to be happy]].
** Arguably a partial [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]: the narration never quite makes clear if the [[spoiler: suffering child]] is ''really'' necessary or not, merely that ''we the readers'' would never believe the story if not for that element. Which also makes it a bit of a [[TakeThatAudience Take That, Audience!]] for being unwilling to accept that Utopia could actually exist ''without'' a price.

* {{Was It Really Worth It}}: Everyone in Omelas must face this question. [[spoiler: After seeing the suffering child, some people can't bear living in Omelas anymore and walk away.]]

* {{Utopia}}: Omelas is this. Subverted in that some of its inhabitants decide, once they know its secret, that it isn't worth it and played with in the fact that the narrator essentially drops the bomb about the secret and then badgers the audience into having forced him to make such a horrible thing for the sake of making his description of Omelas "realistic".

* {{Utopia}}: Omelas is this. Subverted in that some of its inhabitants decide, once they know its secret, that it isn't worth it.