Incest and Suicide are seen as high crimes in Gethenian culture because of the high mortality rates they experience due to harsh weather. Having a child under incest puts the child through many birth defects, which will either make the child suffer its whole life or it shall die young. While with suicide they’re seen just wasting the gift of life, that others don’t get to see due to the climate. So both of these doings shows an act of an Gethenian being inconsiderate, when it comes to their circle of life.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Wave Three
In the novel, “The left hand of Darkness,” there are many myths and folktales presented throughout the book expressing Gethenian’s culture. The one that caught my attention the most was the folk tale in chapter two, “The place Inside the Blizzard.” In this tale it highlighted the Gethenian’s expectations of their society, which was presented with the story about two brothers who vowed kemmering with each other. When the town folks found out about their doings, “the Lord of Shath commanded that they break their vow and never meet in kemmer again(p.22)”. The lord of Shath made this decision, due to incest being considered a high crime, this resulted in one of the brothers committing suicide due to him not having no support after he had his child. After his death the town folks chased the other brother out of their city, since suicide is seen as an immoral crime.
Incest and Suicide are seen as high crimes in Gethenian culture because of the high mortality rates they experience due to harsh weather. Having a child under incest puts the child through many birth defects, which will either make the child suffer its whole life or it shall die young. While with suicide they’re seen just wasting the gift of life, that others don’t get to see due to the climate. So both of these doings shows an act of an Gethenian being inconsiderate, when it comes to their circle of life.
Incest and Suicide are seen as high crimes in Gethenian culture because of the high mortality rates they experience due to harsh weather. Having a child under incest puts the child through many birth defects, which will either make the child suffer its whole life or it shall die young. While with suicide they’re seen just wasting the gift of life, that others don’t get to see due to the climate. So both of these doings shows an act of an Gethenian being inconsiderate, when it comes to their circle of life.
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I agree with your response and I would like to elaborate on your ideas.
ReplyDeleteSuicide is like taking for granted all the people and things anybody has ever done in their life. Taking your own life away is like taking yourself away from the people around you and everything you have to offer. The death rates on Gethen are extremely high, especially in children, so it is like taking advantage of your health and luck to have lived for so long. It can be compared to the ideas and beliefs of religions, like sins.
I agree, the value of life seems to be important and reproduction on Gethen is essential. You really hit a lot of points in this post about their beliefs. The climate plays a big role in their lives and I believe as you say when they look down on Gethenians not preserving the gift of life.
ReplyDeleteExactly! We were able to understand that suicide is seen as a sin in the Gethenian society. There could be so many reasons why someone would want to commit suicide, but yet they don’t take that into account. No matter what you did they still see it as something evil!
ReplyDeleteThe idea that suicide is seen as such a high crime is inconsiderate in my mind as well. Although Gethen has high mortality rates for babies, it does seem like they’re being very harsh towards people who choose to take their lives. However, they’re still harsh towards those who participate in incest and when someone took their life because of it, they saw no sympathy.
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DeleteIt is understandable how suicide is viewed as a serious crime. The Gethenians show how life should be more appreciated, especially in the planet of Winter.
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