Thursday, May 17, 2007

The Journey to Forgiveness

Most stories revolve around a hero who must voyage to save the world. To some the journey is more essential to the plot than the actual destination. A journey is more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it can influence a change of the self. Ursula K. Le Guin uses the journey motif in all her works because she enjoys using spiritual journeys in addition to actual voyages. A human mind wanders in much the same way as a traveler and it takes some longer than others to reach a certain judgment. However, to judge others too quickly is also a common fault as well as to form harsh opinions, whether on purpose or involuntarily. How does one find forgiveness? The theme of forgiveness is prevalent in Ursula K. Le Guin’s works especially in her short stories.
One must know himself before he can judge others. Whether it is right or wrong, people automatically judge others. Judgment and forgiveness go hand in hand and one must go through a journey of some kind to find out one’s own standing. In this way, forgiveness is a common theme in works of literature and in our day-to-day lives. To forgive others does not come naturally and sometimes it can be very difficult.
The use of consciousness is the main contributing factor to Le Guin’s popularity and fame. She understands that a mythological book can be both pleasing and informative when it pertains to the human mind and emotions. It is noted that Le Guin often uses a didactic approach to her work. In this way one can compare some of her efforts to how the Bible teaches moral behavior, such as forgiveness. Therefore by combining the psyche and the physicality of both people and nature, she is able to create believable and unique worlds that serve many purposes. JM

3 comments:

Lit Scholar said...

I like your point of the journey is more important that the destination. It is interesting how she has a didactic way of writing because it seems as if she emphasizes that everyone has to come to their own understanding. Perhaps she encourages people to "travel" through all different ways of thinking before forming their final opinion.

Chance Taker said...

"One must know himself before he can judge others." I really liek this quote because it is so true. I also find some of the things you said about Le Guin interesting. You did not mention her works, but I will be sure to look them up. I hope you did well on your essay because you are a good writer.

Lit Scholar said...

hey! i really enjoyed this because it made me want to read this author's works. I'd never heard of Le Guin, but the journey motif is extremely interesting. I agree with chance taker...you're an awesome writer!! sincerely, sassy frass.