The benefit of narratives is gaining perspectives from a good short story. Some writers use narrative to tell the audience a story or reflect on past events. It can be motivational, educational, or solely for entertainment. In writing a good narratives, the fundamental purpose is to captivate the audience and keep them engaged as the story is told. Narrative writing can provide a therapeutic outlet for the author, allowing you to relive an event and gain clarity or peace about it.
Therefore, Strong characterization, vivid use of detail, and the creation of an emotional, conflict-driven plot can all ensure the success of a narrative with readers. Similarly, “Superman and Me” written by Sherman Alexie and “The ones who walks away from Omelas” written by Ursula K. Le Guinn have their own ways on using language to tell a story. Whether is personal or fiction. Alexie present an idea of inequality in his story while Le Guinn present the idea of the reality ways to an everlasting happiness our hearts desire.
Alexie story titled “Superman and Me” for a certain reason. Similar to the ones who walks away from Omelas written by Le Guinn. The title superman and me reinforce an idea somehow, Alexie was superman in his own world. Superman has a weakness, a kryptonite that can kill him. Similar to Alexie, his weakness seems to be failing in a society where Indians were expected to fail due to their lack of knowledge. As he mention in his story “I refuse to fail, I am smart” (in-text). Superman was able to break down doors and take risks in life. Sherman had to break down stereotypes in life in order to succeed as well. This took a lot of strength and power to do what he did. Superman had to fight the villains for the world while Sherman had to fight social construction for the Native Americans next generation.
The ones who walks away from Omelas, portrays a perfect society fill with joy and happiness. It sets up the theme of society versus the individual by depicting the joyous society of Omelas. It also introduces the theme of coming age by focusing on the children of Omleas and their idyllic, innocent childhood. This opening description of Omelas is crucial in establishing the stakes of the story. The audience must first see this society as perfect in order to later understand the full cost of such apparent perfection.
The ones who walk away from Omelas are the people who refuse to take part in the unjust community, they represent those in society who are unwilling to comply to norms if they find them immoral. They represent the sense of right and wrong and the guilt that is present in all people. Because the ones who walk away do not want their happiness to be based on a suffering child, they turn their shoulder and leave because they feel guilty for the way the child is being treated.
Le Guinn believe reading is a passionate act. If we read a story not just with our head, but also our body, feelings, and soul, similar to the way we dance and listen to music, it becomes your story (in-text). . In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” Le Guin shows that the idealized happiness of Omelas does not come without a price; in order for the society to exist, one child must be terribly abused. By presenting such a dilemma, Le Guin forces the reader to consider which is more important, morality or happiness.
The ones who walk away from Omelas can be characterized as a religious allegory, with the child as Christ who crucified as part of God’s plans for the redemption of his world. In addition, Alexie begins his essay with an anecdote about his introduction to reading, as he learned to read through a mixture of Superman comics and his father’s books (Alexie, 1997) and transition to the idea of reading is fundamentally essential skill for success. Alexie juxtaposes his experience as a Native American thirst for knowledge with the expectations of most Native American to fail in a non-Indian society.
Alexie seems to use an ethical mode appeal. As he repeatedly uses the saying “trying to save my life” (Alexie 1997) while referring to his reading habits. A usage of anaphora as he begins almost every sentence with the combination “I read” (Alexie, 1997, p8). Alexie views reading not only as a form of leisure, but also as a way out of a life devoid of purpose. Alexie’s use of simple sentences in this same paragraph also appeals to a general audience, without alienating poor readers
The people in Omelas are supposed to live without anything morally wrong in their town yet there are constantly someone’s eyes watching. The child symbolizes the injustice and inhumanity that is present in society. People in Omelas are able to live with the idea of the child in the basement because they are living a happy life and are not directly affected by the child. This represents today’s society because people are content with living in harmony when they know people surrounding them are suffering. The child is the scapegoat that is present in the town Omelas. All of the burdens and negativity in the town are placed upon one child who must bare everything in order to let many people prosper.
Even though the treatment of the child is cruel, the people within the town learn to accept it in order to protect themselves. The world was pure when was first created. Due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience, the world became a world where bad and good things integrate together. Therefore, Christ is a scapegoat to carry all the burdens for the world to prosper. In addition, Superman and me, experiencing inequality within a non-Indian society where he attends public school convince the Indian children to read.
Reading as much as they could will help them better their life and help give these children more opportunities. The Indian children learning will appeal to society, and they can let go the negative opinions they have about the Indians. In the end this type of change can help the Indians learn more and give them the same opportunities as Americans. He mention, “We were Indian children who were expected to be stupid” These children were looked down on and told they couldn’t do anything.
To walk into the darkness, unable to imagine where one might be going, is very much like walking off the edge of the world. Or rather, in the archetypal imagery of our culture, leaving bright Omelas and walking into the darkness is like going from life into death. This brings us to one last complication. The Bible, our culture’s source of the suffering-servant theodicy, entwines this theodicy with another one, which we may call a “resurrection” theodicy. This theodicy appears already in the Old Testament and is foregrounded in the New.
For instance, Jesus suffers and dies, only to rise again to a transformed, glorious life in the presence of the Father. On the other hand, despite his family’s struggle with poverty, his father had a love for books which inspired Alexie’s love for reading. He also referenced common assumptions made about Indian children like how they are “expected to be stupid” (in-text). These personal experiences cause the audience to empathize for the children and give the author credibility from his first hand experiences.
He had been liberated from his fear, and his presence automatically liberates other Indian children in his reservation, to read books and save their lives.
