As we read throughout this novel, we realize that Genly struggles to visualize the people of Gethen as how they see themselves and how they should be seen by others, which is genderless. He often identifies them with “him” and “her” and refers to masculine or feminine traits that one may have, like how he calls Estraven a “he” and points out Faxe’s feminine characteristics. Genly just wants to fit in with the unfamiliar society of Gethen. In chapter 1, he mentions how he wants to go unnoticed and blend in with the crowd, for he is different than everyone else, coming from Ekumen, which is like Earth..kinda. I point this out because although he wants to fit in, however he can’t help using gender to identify people and understand the culture of the people of Gethen.
Gender isn’t the only struggle Genly is having in this new world. We see on page 8 that he also receives negative vibes and attention because of the way he looks, causing him to feel even more foreign. While Genly can’t get used to the gender, different religions, and “kemmer,” the Gethenians have a hard time adapting to Genly and his lifestyle. So it goes both ways. To add, since Genly comes from Ekumen, which is like Earth, it causes the reader to more understand his lifestyle and view the planet of Gethen as foreign, confusing, and completely different than our way of living.
In conclusion, Genly has lived in this planet-in this world, for some time now, but the lifestyle is hard to adjust to, so it is difficult for him to live his new and different life on Gethen comfortably, as he lives on Ekumen and as we, the readers, live on Earth.
I ageee with what you said. It is hard for Genly to make an adjustment to the way these people see themselves and their beliefs. With a monarchy and no war on there planet it's hard to see how they all get along without resorting to the idea of war. Also the way they see themselves as neither he or she; even-though, some like Faxe's portray more of a womanly characteristic. In the end it's hard for Genly to accept their ways such as kemmer. Just as we see how it's hard for the King to trust Genly and what he says about his world, and people who are just like him a "society of perverts".
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared Ekumen to Earth! I definitely think that Le Guin purposely wrote the novel from Genly's perspective so the reader can feel included and relate to Genly's struggles in Gethen. The weird Gethenian norms allow both the reader and Genly to experience the culture together, and that has the effect of a closer relationship between the author and the reader - and even to Genly! But I also think that it could be interesting if Le Guin wrote the novel from another Gethenian's perspective (preferably Estraven), so that way we can have an even more in-depth analysis of what goes on in Gethen.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about Genly. It is hard for Genly to find his place in a different world. If I was in Genly's place, it would have been hard for me too to adapt to this new lifestyle, not to imagine how the other Gethenians would have felt. It also is a great way to think about how we'll be able to act finding about the genderless world. I applaud Le Guin in her thought to challenge her readers to put their selves in Genly's shoes.
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the struggle of adapting, both ways. The idea that Genly is unable to adapt with the Gethenian culture and vice versa, Gethenians are unable to adapt to Genly.
ReplyDeleteWe as humans understand that its hard learning to adapt to a completely different environment and we can relate to the struggles Genly is going through, especially assigning a pronoun, like he or she, to someone based on specific characteristics. Le Guin did an amazing job creating Genly a character we can relate with and Gethenians, it really allows for readers to understand a culture of "what if their were no gender role society?".