Professor June Porter
English 3382-D01
July 25, 2023
“The Ones Who Lend a Helping Hand”
The year is 3179. Murmurs could be heard throughout Teloiro about the “Great Omelas” and its once prosperous civilization. Despite neighboring nations experiencing famine and wars, this wondrous nation prevailed. Still, factions began to question how their citizens had managed to thrive in a dying world. Some had gone as far as to infiltrate the clandestine nation in hopes of uncovering what lay beneath the facade of this seemingly ideal society. Division 1301, composed of seven capable males, was the final group assigned to investigate claims of unethical activity in Omelas. They were to report all findings to General Asy Alleb, the 88th Head of Nation for Teloiro, to determine if interference was needed in Omelas for the wellbeing of surrounding nations.
My name is Leinad and along with my fellow brothers-in-arms Leasim, Bojj, Noedig, Heaso, Haiasi, and Divad, we comprised Division 1301. Hundreds of Teloiro soldiers applied for consideration, but only seven were selected. Seven of Teloiro’s best, according to General Alleb. What were the requirements you might ask? Demonstrate physical and mental proficiency, unattached status, and high moral standards. You see, Teloiro was established after decades of international wars decimated the general population and forced the entire globe to sign a treaty of peace for the benefit of ecosystems, people, and our battered spirits. Still, despite this transnational accord among warring nations, one nation remained conveniently absent from the annual meeting held for the Worldwide Peace Coalition meant to ascertain each country’s
constancy toward the treaty. One nation which had reported no signs of criminal activity, food shortage, or tribulations of any other nature, whereas all other countries still struggled to rebuild what years of war had destroyed. Teloiro leaders and those from several other nations had begun to suspect impropriety and received intel from reliable sources about the existence of a uniform, yet immoral arrangement that had propelled this nation to utopian status. The world wanted answers and had commissioned our country to compile evidence of unethical conduct, suppress it, and restore conformance of all nations to the international peace treaty. The nation in doubt was Omelas and this was where Division 1301 and I came in.
A recounting of the events before, during, and after our mission begins now.
August 14, 3179
Daily attendance has been recorded and breakfast is taking place at Hall KM today while Hall NJ is under maintenance. The proximity between the different divisions in this tighter space is causing friction and it’s only a matter of time before a brawl erupts. Tensions have been elevated since our division’s selection for the challenging task of infiltrating Omelas. We are seen with contempt, so we keep to ourselves and never engage in solo activities due to concerns over safety. While we seven are highly capable of hand-to-hand combat, the reality is that seven against hundreds is no match. Moving on – we have finished our modest breakfast and are now headed for final debriefs before we are dispatched to Omelas at sundown. We all follow our division lead, Bojj, towards General Alleb’s conference room. Upon entering, we see a multitude of unfamiliar faces peering at us behind thick-framed glasses and hard-set frowns. The atmosphere is bleak, and that can only mean new reports have come in from Division 1297, which is set to withdraw from Omelas as soon as we trade off gear at the meet-up location.
“Greetings, gentlemen,” says General Alleb. “As you are aware, your predecessors, Division 1297, have done a fine job of reporting anomalies detected during their tenure in Omelas as wardens of educational institutions in the east and southern borders. We couldn’t have done it without the assistance of our associate on the inside, Guardian Airam, who has selflessly put her safety on the line to monitor a hidden secret, which Omelas has tried to keep concealed from the world, and whose own citizens attempt to dispel. Our primary goal is finding this secret and determining whether we, as a leading global nation, can allow their actions to continue or if we must intervene. Gentlemen of Division 1301, Teloiro is counting on you to get us to the final goal. You should have all received instructions on the whereabouts of the control center in Omelas and how to access its cellar. Your mission is to infiltrate Omelas without noticeable detection, locate the control center that houses their guarded secret, collect incriminating evidence, if any, and deliver it directly to me. Division 1297 has put in the legwork, but now you must use your skills – physical, mental, and moral – to get to the root of it all. We need answers and we expect to have them within the week. You were selected for your high caliber of rational thinking and moral compass in extreme situations, both physical and mental. Now is when your skills will matter the most. Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns?”
“Madam General,” said Divad, “Your trust in us is of the utmost honor, and I mean no disrespect with my following question. What differentiates our faction from the previous divisions that have infiltrated Omelas on similar missions?”
“A most valid inquiry, young sir,” replied General Alleb, “And I will answer you with the hard truth. Those in prior missions did their job very well, but their involvement in the mission was compromised by the mere fact that they were all mothers and fathers. You seven, on the other
hand, are all unattached to romantic partners or children, which we have been told is of vital importance if we want our mission to succeed. While we are not prohibiting you from having such attachments in the future, your lack of them is what makes you all the ideal candidates.”
The seven of us exchanged perplexed looks. Divad and Bojj frowned in consternation at the general’s words for they had always been quite vocal about their desire to start families one day.
Leasim and Noedig seemed indifferent to what we were hearing, and then there was Heaso, Haiasi, and I who wrung our fingers in trepidation; wondering what we had signed up for that so clearly affected a person’s emotional attachments to others.
General Alleb continued, “And though you didn’t ask this particular question, I will answer it anyways. You may have noticed that your division is composed of only male participants, whereas all other factions have had at least one or more female members. The reality is that the female specimen, while thoroughly capable of accomplishing most, if not all, primarily male-led tasks, is more likely to react to certain things emotionally rather than rationally. This is not to say that all women react the same, but we absolutely cannot take any chances when it comes to this mission.
The side-eyeing in our group didn’t stop once we heard this. “No parents or women can partake in the mission we are about to go on?!,” Heaso whisper-asked in my ear. I could only shrug in apprehension. Some of the toughest, most resilient people we knew were female, yet this assignment deemed them a probable risk. The anxiety only intensified with this knowledge.
“Gentlemen.” General Alleb continued with her response, “Guardian Airam has warned us that what you will encounter in Omelas is not for the faint of heart. Though Omelas prides itself in
the wonder of its great society – no war, soldiers, or hunger, among other things – to have such a perfect society may be the result of a devastating exchange. We don’t know. Guardian Airam has been very vague about specifics for fear of being discovered so we are depending on you all immensely. Take comfort in knowing that you have spared several of your fellow parent-soldiers from taking on such an obscure task.”
After General Alleb’s grim words, the silence in the room was palpable. I had begun to question if I was ready for whatever it was that we would face in the next few days. Still, I looked upon the gazes of my comrades, and with a firm nod of agreement, we looked to General Alleb and let her update us on Division 1297’s latest report. It was going to be a long week.
August 15, 3179
It’s the wee hours of the morning, and the sun has not yet risen. We made first contact with members of Division 1297 and Leasim and I are headed towards the east entrance of Omelas to trade off gear with them. Oddly enough, for such a covert operation, it is laughably easy to enter and exit the “Great Omelas.”
“Leinad. Leasim. It’s Bojj. Do you read me? Over,” Bojj’s grainy voice could be heard through the hand-held radios.
“10-4. We hear you loud and clear. Over,” responded Leasim.
“Good. Noedig, Heaso, Haiasi, Divad, and I have all entered the south entrance already. Things seem eerily peaceful so stay alert. You two are the closest to the target location so you will need to get there first thing tomorrow morning and we will catch up shortly after. You remember what to look for, right?” asks Bojj.
“Yes. We’re looking for a large green building in the center of the capital. It looks like a public building, but it is the home of Omelas’ Prime Chief, Natas. Once we have found this building, we are to direct our attention immediately toward the cellar,” I respond quickly.
“Very well. Good luck, men. And may God be with us all,” said Bojj in encouragement.
May God be with us, indeed.
August 16, 3179
The sun was nowhere to be found this morning, which in hindsight, seems like a foreboding sign of what today will bring. Leasim and I quickly prepare our items and eat a small breakfast for we don’t know when our next meal might be. We make haste and follow the signs in the streets that lead towards Natas’ home. It seems that Guardian Airam instructed Teloiro’s factions well as we all blend in with the citizens perfectly. We are shocked at how effortlessly we have been able to accomplish our tasks so far, but an uneasy feeling is brewing in my gut. My instincts are never off, so I am dreading every step I take that takes me closer to Natas’ cellar.
“Quick, Leinad! The faster we get this done, the sooner we can get out of here!” urged Leasim in a hushed tone.
I quickly take out instruments to unlock the cellar door but freeze upon hearing a sudden scream of “Aagh!! Pl..please is ss.. someone there?!” coming from behind the door. I look at Leasim and see the same worried expression.
“Hold on a bit, Leinad,” says Leasim in a rush. “Let me call Bojj right quick. See how far they are from us.”
“Bojj! Bojj! Anyone! Do you hear me?!” urges Leasim on the radio. “Is anyone there?!”
“What is it Leasim? What’s wrong? Have you been compromised?” Bojj’s steady voice can be heard from the other end of the radio.
“Bojj! How far are you guys?! We hear things on the other side of the door, but if you close, I think we should wait for you before going through the door. It doesn’t sound good, Bojj,” utters Leasim in self-contained panic.
“We got up earlier this morning to cover more ground,” responds Bojj. “We should reach you in about fifteen minutes.”
As I hear the exchange, I am still frozen by the door. Though I hadn’t opened the door yet, I could feel my heart slowly shatter as I could make out the weakly uttered words, “Help me, please. Please let me out. I will be good!”
My heart beats loud in my ears and my nerves are shot. If this is how I feel before even opening this cursed door, what will become of me afterward?!
While my mind runs on overload, Bojj and the rest of the guys arrived, which slightly eased my nerves.
“You alright, Leinad?” asks Heaso with a raised brow.
“Honestly, no. But I have to see this through,” I respond tersely.
“Okay, I think we’re ready. Leinad, will you do the honors?” Bojj asks lightly.
I nod stiffly and get my instruments ready but as I touch the doorknob, it opens easily on its own. A shocked gasp escapes me. Scratch that. We all let out shocked gasps of despair when the light hits the trembling figure on the floor of the cellar. My hands begin to shake, and my mind becomes a jumble of chaos. All I can muster now are harsh breaths. I hear someone running down the stairs to the cellar and approaching the figure. It’s Bojj. Of course, it’s Bojj. He’s always been the first one to spring into action
The figure on the floor is a young boy between the ages of six to ten if his short stature or the length of his bony fingers is anything to go by. He looks to weigh no more than forty-five to fifty pounds at most from the way Bojj can lift him so easily. The clang of the chains on his wrists and ankles echoes throughout the cellar and pierces ears and hearts alike. His lips are pale and chapped to the point that cracked blood is caked over the edges of his mouth. Upon closer inspection, my heart shatters further at seeing the scarred skin of the boy’s entire body, with freshly made bruises, burns, and cuts; the whip hanging from the wall and the bloody light flail weapon on the floor are evidence enough of what happens in this cellar. The stench is indescribable, so we hold our breaths at intervals and attempt to shut our minds off if we are to leave this mission physically and mentally stable.
“Boy! Boy! Can you hear me?! Say something, please!” Bojj urges the boy in his arms.
“Can’t feel my fingers or my legs...too tired. I’ll be good. I’ll be..” the boy promptly faints in Bojj’s arms.
With a look of utter anger and revulsion, Bojj lifts the boy and lets his head rest on his shoulder.
“Heaso. Noedig. Take prints. Haiasi. Divad. Take pictures of everything ASAP! The rest of you, guard the door. We’re leaving as soon as we have all the evidence we need” mutters Bojj.
As I suspected this morning, nothing good could come from a day with no sun.
August 17, 3179
Things went rather quickly after our discovery in the hidden cellar of Omelas. As it turns out, Guardian Airam was one of the few who ‘walked away from Omelas,’ but she did so with a purpose. Her aim was to reach a society that could either help Omelas stop their immoral ways of ensuring prosperity or that would castigate them with the wrath so justly deserved. This so-called Natas of Omelas had negotiated an occult contract in place to ensure he could have the people of Omelas at his disposal for fear of their children being hurt. Though he claimed this agreement was for the common good, the reality was that every few years he would choose a new child to afflict from a family he felt was indebted to him. His children were never the ones chosen as tributes for sacrifice. Thus, he was negating the alleged common good and serving his own good instead.
We now understood why only unattached males had been chosen for the final mission in Omelas. Upon learning of the decrepit child, General Alleb broke down in tears for not having stopped such acts much earlier. She was aware that a child was involved but never knew to what extent for Guardian Airam had been vague about Omelas’ secret. She herself had never regained her zeal in life after learning the ways of her people. Though she could have walked away and started anew elsewhere, she chose to seek justice for those without a voice; for those who had given their lives for others without consent. She walked away from Omelas, but she returned
with a newfound vigor in her heart and the memory of the poor boy she had met in her adolescence, and his battered voice pleading with her, “Don’t forget me, please. No one has ever held my hand before. I will treasure this warmth in my heart, so please, I beg. Don’t forget me.” And she never forgot him.
Guardian Airam sat in the Board of Judgement of Teloiro and took part in sentencing Natas and his conspirators for their decades of corruption for self-gain.
Then with a unanimous vote, Guardian Airam was selected to represent her namesake –Guardian of Omelas. A society that might see some disparities but would strive for the actual collective good of its people.
Writer’s Note
For my final project, I wrote a creative story that responds to Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” and promotes discourse on the ethical problems the story encounters. The way I set my story up was by trying to think of the situation in Omelas as an outsider looking in. I wanted an objective view from those who knew nothing of the battered child the people of Omelas kept hidden away but had an inkling that exploitation was occurring behind the scenes of this supposed utopian society that Omelas had manufactured. While I am not well-versed in creative writing, I found it quite interesting how I couldn’t stop writing once I started. My story went over the 2400-word count, so I tried my best to trim it down, but it was extremely difficult to do without removing a crucial part of the response. Le Guin’s original story poses the question of what is right or wrong in a situation that honestly has no right answer in the moral sense. To sacrifice one person for the well-being of the majority or to choose to help
a single person but endanger the masses in exchange is something that can easily be debated but for the purpose of my project response, I attempted to incorporate minuscule traces of the story I felt Le Guin’s Omelas story was based on, which is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on behalf of humanity, as well as some components of Le Guin’s herself, like how she came up with the name Omelas from Salem, Oregon. All names used for the team going on a mission were biblical names spelled backward, and even the villain’s name is Satan in reverse. The one person that “walked away from Omelas” but felt compelled to seek help was Airam, which would be Maria or Mary, the mother of Jesus. Though this character doesn’t make many appearances or mentions in the story, her role was vital for the success of the mission as she was the reliable source they had on the ‘inside.’ I thought of her character as a mother figure, not only to the tortured child but also to Omelas in general since her character eventually becomes Omelas’ guardian and protector once the root of evil in Omelas has been removed.
As I started writing this note, I realized that I ended up doing exactly to my story what feminist writer Joanna Russ mentioned in her essay “The Image of Women in Science Fiction, which was that even though men and women were essentially considered equal, female characters are still subjected to the flaws as usual – relegating women to being over-emotional and incapable of taking on certain tasks because of it. I didn’t even know I was doing that until I reread my story and recognized that I had essentially allowed the male characters in my story to be of utmost importance. My decision to include what set men and women apart regarding their emotional control was completely unintentional, but I do feel that it makes sense as a response to Le Guin’s story. The most difficult decision I had to make was trimming my story down by about 200 words. When one must remove details from a story, everything seems like it is a main point.
The final project allowed me to start developing my skill as a creative writer and to further examine how both male and female writers fall into the same trap of elevating a man’s purpose and making women background characters despite some of these writers identifying as feminist. It was interesting to see how my own writing has been inadvertently influenced by the typical writing style of today. All that to say that even though feminism is supported by a large margin, there is still much work to do to help men and women truly be equals.
Referenced Works
“7 Day Story Writing Challenges: A Brief Guide to Writing Utopian Fiction.” Globe Soup, Globe Soup, 16 Sept. 2022, https://www.globesoup.net/writing-blog/writing-utopianfiction. Accessed 22 July 2023
Le Guin, Ursula K. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” New Dimensions 3, edited by Robert Silverberg, New American Library, New York, NY, 1974, pp. 1–5.
Russ, Joanna. “The Image of Women in Science Fiction.” Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings, edited by Rob Latham, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2017, pp. 200-210.
Velasquez, Manuel, et al. “The Common Good.” Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 2 Aug. 2018, www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/the-common-good/.
Wyman, Sarah. “Reading Through Fictions in Ursula Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” Taylor & Frances Online, 8 Nov. 2012, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0895769X.2012.720854.