Unit Six The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
Ursula Le Guin
Summery of the Text
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas is Ursula K. Le Guin's
allegorical tale about a Utopian society in which Omelas' happiness is made
possible by the sacrifice of one child for the sake of the group.
In the story, Omelas is a city of happiness and delight, whose inhabitants
are smart and cultured. Everything about Omelas is pleasing, except for the
city's one atrocity: the good fortune of Omelas requires that a single unfortunate
child be kept in perpetual filth, darkness and misery, and that all her citizens
should be told of this upon coming of age.
After being exposed to the truth, most of the people of Omelas are initially
shocked and disgusted, but are ultimately able to come to terms with the fact
and resolve to live their lives in such a manner as to make the suffering of the
unfortunate child worth it. However, a few of the citizens, young and old,
silently walk away from the city, and no one knows where they go.
Allegory
Allegory: in literature, a symbolic story that
serves as a disguised representation for
meanings other than those indicated on the
surface. The characters in an allegory often
have no individual personality, but are
embodiments of moral qualities and other
abstractions.
Ursula Le Guin
Ursula Le Guin ( born October 21, 1929) is an American author. She has
written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in
fantasy and science fiction. First published in the 1960s, her works explore
Taoist, anarchist, ethnographic, feminist, queer theory,psychological and
sociological themes. Much of Le Guin's science fiction places a strong
emphasis on the social sciences, including sociology and anthropology, A
distinguishing characteristic of Le Guin's work is her deliberate treatment of
race. The majority of Le Guin's main characters are people of color, a choice
made to reflect the non-white majority of humans, Her writing often makes use
of alien cultures to convey a message about human culture in general. Her
works are often concerned with ecological issues.
In her writing, Le Guin makes use of the ordinary actions and transactions of
everyday life. While she has often used otherworldly perspectives to explore
political and cultural themes, she has also written fiction set much closer to
home; many of her short stories are set in our world in the present or near future.
Structure
Part
Parragraph
Main Idea
Ⅰ
1-6
This part focuses on the description of
the happiness of the Omelas people.
Ⅱ
7-8
This part focuses on the description of
the misery and suffering of the child
Ⅲ
9-12
This part shows the attitude of most
people and their reactions to the
child's suffering.
Ⅳ
13-14
This part offers the different attitude
and reactions of a few.
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clamor: a very loud noise made by a lot of people or things
We suddenly heard a terrible clamor in the next room.
clamor of: I couldn't hear anything above the clamor of the crowd.
swallow: A swallow is a kind of small bird with pointed wings and a
forked tail.
How do you understand "bright-towered by the sea"?
Paraphrase: With a clamor...by the sea
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bright-towered by the sea: Omelas is a port city by the
sea. It had white towers that shone bright in the sun
Paraphrase: The loud ringing of the bells, which sent
the frightened swallows flying high, marks the beginning
of the Festival of Summer in Omelas.
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rigging: On a ship, the rigging is the ropes which
support the ship's masts and sails.
sparkle: ~ (with sth) shine brightly with flashes of light
Her diamonds sparkled in the candle-light.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
The sky sparkled with brilliant stars.
Paraphrase: The rigging...with flags.
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Paraphrase: The lines and chains on the ships were
decorated with flags which were shining in the sun.
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moss-grown:adj covered with moss
Avenue:wide road or path, often lined with trees,
esp one that leads to a large house
procession :n [C] number of people, vehicles, etc
moving along in an orderly way, esp as part of a
ceremony or demonstration
a funeral procession
The procession made its way down the hill.
Groups of unemployed people marched in procession to
the capital.
Paraphrase: in the streets...public buildings
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Paraphrase: The streets were lined with
houses with red roofs and painted walls.
between the houses there were old mossgrown gardens. There were also avenues
lined with shady trees. The city had many
big parks and public buildings.
this sentence is a good example of a long
periodic sentence, preceeded by a string of
modifiers.
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decorous: adj dignified and socially acceptable
Decorous behaviour is very respectable, calm, and polite.
= seemly, proper
a decorous kiss
stiff: not easily bent, folded, moved, changed in shape, etc
a stiff drawer
a stiff pair of shoes
a stiff neck, ie painful and difficult to move
robe: long loose outer garment
Many Arabs wear long flowing robes.
mauve:[COLOUR]Something that is mauve is of a pale purple color
Master workman: a workman in charge
merry: happy and cheerful; full of joy and gaiety
a merry laugh, party, group
How do you understand"Some were decorous"?
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Some are decorous:
some of the processions are marked by propriety
and good taste.
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shimmer: v [I] shine with a soft light that seems to waver
The surface of the road shimmered in the heat of the sun.
The sea was shimmering in the sunlight.
The surface of the road shimmered in the midday heat.
gong : n metal disc that gives a resonant note when struck with a
stick, used esp as a musical instrument or as a signal for meals (in a
hotel, etc)
beat/sound a gong
tambourine:n.a shallow one-headed
drum with loose metallic disks at
the sides playedespecially by shaking
or striking with the hand.
Paraphrase:In other ...a dance.
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Paraphrase: In other streets the processions were
different. The music was much faster and one could see
the glimmering light reflected from gongs and
tambourines. The young people danced to the music as
they moved forward. The whole procession was a dance.
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dodge : to move quickly and suddenly to one side in
order to avoid sb/sth
He ran across the road, dodging the traffic.
The girl dodged behind a tree to hide from the other
children.
Dodge in and out: run from one side to the other, in and
out of people.
flight: n. a group of things flying through the air together.
a flight of birds
a flight of arrows
Paraphrase:children...singing.
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Paraphrase: The children ran about playfully,
the shouting of the children could be heard
clearly above the music and singing like the calls
of the swallows flying by overhead.
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wind: (cause sth to) follow a curving, twisting or spiral course
The river winds down to the sea.
The staircase winds upwards round a central pillar.
water meadow: usu pl Water meadowsare wet fields of grass near a
river, which are often flooded.
lithe:A lithe person is able to move and bend their body easily and
gracefully.
a lithe young gymnast.
His walk was lithe and graceful.
restive: 1: restless or uneasy
Another hour passed and the crowd grew/became restive.
2: (esp of horses) resisting control, esp by refusing to move forwards
or by moving sideways or backwards.
Paraphrase: All the processions...before the race.
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Paraphrase: All the processions were making their way
toward the north side of the city. There was a big watermeadow called the Green Fields, where naked boys and
girls put their dogged houses into an exercise before the
race begin. These young people's feet and ankles were
stained with mud and they had long slender arms. And
the horses were eager to race and reluctant to exercises.
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Gear: the harness for a horse
Halter: device made of rope or leather straps that fits around the
head or neck of an animal and is used to lead or secure the animal.
Bit: the metal mouthpiece of a bridle, serving to control, curb, and
direct an animal.
mane:noun the long hair on the neck of a horse or a lion
braid: If you braid hair or a group of threads, you twist three or
more lengths of the hair or threads over and under each other to
make one thick length.
She had almost finished braiding Louisa's hair.
streamer:noun a long narrow piece of coloured paper, used to
decorate a place for a party or other celebration.
The room was decorated with balloons and streamers.
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flare: if a person or animal flares their NOSTRILS (=
the openings at the end of the nose), or if their nostrils
flare, they become wider, especially as a sign of anger
The horse backed away, its nostrils flaring with fear.
prance:v [I] (of a horse) move jerkily by raising the
forelegs and springing forward from the hind legs.
boast: =brag, crow, swagger
Adopt: take over and have or use (sth) as one's own
adopt a name, a custom, an idea, a style of dress
adopt a hard line towards terrorists
Paraphrase: The flared...as his own.
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Paraphrase: The horses dilated their nostrils, pranced
about and seemed to be boasting to one another. All this
shows the horses excitement before the race.The horse
was the only animal that considered the ceremonies of
human beings as also their ceremonies.
Figure of speech: personification
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encircle:v [Tn esp passive ] form a circle round;surround
a lake encircled by trees
enemy troops encircling the town
crown sth (with sth): (rhet ) form or cover the top of sth
The hill is crowned with a wood.
Beautiful fair hair crowns her head.
His head was crowned with a mop of brown curls.
sunlit:[ADJ] n.Sunlit places are brightly lit by the sun.
Her house has two big sunlit rooms with floor-to-ceiling
windows.
Paraphrase: The snow...the sky.
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Paraphrase:The white snow peaks glowing with golden
sunlight seemed to be on fire. The dark blue of the sky
makes the golden peaks stand out more clearly.
Figure of speech: metaphor
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banner: a long strip of cloth with something written on it. Banners are
usually attached to two poles and carried during a protest or rally
snap: open or close (sth) with a sudden sharp noise; (cause sth to) make a
sudden sharp noise
The box snapped open.
The circus manager snapped his whip.
She snapped her bag shut.
flutter: move about in a quick irregular way
a flag fluttering from the mast-head
curtains fluttering in the breeze
Her skirt was fluttering in the night breeze.
a butterfly fluttering its wings.
now and then== at times, from time to time, now and again, occasionally
on occasion, once in a while
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banner
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clang:v When a large metal object clangs, it makes a
loud noise.
The door clanged shut behind them.
The prison gates clanged shut.
Paraphrase: In the silence...the bells.
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Paraphrase: When there was silence on the broad green
meadows, people could hear the music moving through
the city streets in a roundabout way, coming sometimes
farther, sometimes nearer to people. A happy unclear
sweetness in the air trembled from time to time.
It collected together and broke out into the great pleasant
ringing of the bells.
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archaic:
1:old and no longer used:
'Thou art' is an archaic form of 'you are'.
2:very old-fashioned
The system is archaic and unfair and needs changing.
mounted:adj. riding a horse
mounted policemen
Jean was mounted on a grey mare.
stallion: fully grown male horse thathas not been castrated, esp one used
for breeding
Litter: (formerly) couch carried on men's shoulders or by animals as a means of
transport
Bear: (dated or fml ) carry (sb/sth), esp while moving
bear a heavy load
three kings bearing gifts
They bore his body to the tomb.
Paraphrase: All smile...great-muscled slaves.
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Paraphrase: smiling to show one's happiness is
old fashioned for their is no ned of it now. After
reading the above description the reader is likely
to assume certain things. they may assume that
Omelas is a feudal kingdom where one can see
the king riding a beautiful horse surrounded by
noble knights or followed by a golden litter
carried by strong well-built slaves.
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barbarian: n, adj (person who is) primitive, coarse or
cruel
barbarian tribes
football supporters acting like barbarians
singularly:adverb to an unusual degree: exceptionally
singularly beautiful
a singularly unattractive individual
Paraphrase: I do not know...singularly few.
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Paraphrase: I do not know what the rules and laws of
their society are but I guess they were exceptionally few.
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monarchy:noun(plural monarchies) a system of
government by a king or a queen
plans to abolish the monarchy
Is monarchy relevant in the modern world or should it be
abolished?
get on:perform in a particular situation; make progress :
Our youngest son is getting on well at school.
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dulcet:adj sounding sweet; pleasing to the ear
I thought I recognized your dulcet tones, ie the sound of
your voice.
bland: adj (-er, -est)gentle or casual in manner; showing
no strong emotions; suave
utopian:A person inclined to be imaginative or idealistic
but impractical
=dreamer, idealist, visionary.
Paraphrase: They were not...utopians
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Paraphrase: The citizens of Omelas were not simple
people, not kind and gentle shepherds, not savages of
high birth, nor mild idealists dreaming of a perfect
society.
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pedant: n (derog )1: person who attaches too much importance to detail or
to rules, esp when learning or teaching
2: person who values academic knowledge and likes to display his learning
sophisticate:A sophisticate is someone who knows about culture, fashion,
and other matters that are considered socially important.
intellectual: well educated and interested in art, science, literature, etc. at
an advanced level
Though not intellectual, my mother was a highly intelligent woman.
treason: n [U] treachery to one's country (eg by helping its enemies in
wartime) or its ruler (eg by plotting to kill him)
banality: noun(plural banalities) [U, C] (disapproving)ordinary and not
interesting, because of a lack of new or different ideas
the banality of modern city life
They exchanged banalities for a couple of minutes.
Paraphrase: The trouble...boredom of pain
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Paraphrase: Ordinary people have got into the bad habit
of considering happiness to be something stupid. This
view was encouraged by people who consider
themselves learned and worldly-wise. These people
declare that only pain stimulates the intellect and only
evil arouses the interests of people. The artist betrays his
true feelings denying that evil was nothing fresh and pain
is just dull.
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Lick: defeat (sb)
embrace: 1:v [I, Tn] take (a person, etc) into one's arms
as a sign of affection
They embraced (each other) warmly.
She embraced her son before leaving.
2:[Tn] accept or take (an idea, etc) willingly
embrace Christianity
embrace an offer, opportunity
Paraphrase: If you....everything else.
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Paraphrase: If you can not beat evil then become evil
yourself, if sth hurts then repeat it and you will not feel
the pain as strongly as you did at first. if you praise
despair then you lose your delight and if you adopt
violence then you, in reality, will lose everything else.
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wretched:adj very unhappy; miserable or pitiable
the wretched survivors of the earthquake
fancy: n [U] power of the mind to imagine (esp unreal
things)
the novelist's fancy
Bid: (arch or fml )order (sb); tell
Do as you are bidden.
She bade me (to) come in.
rise to the occasion: If you say that someone rose to the
occasion, you mean that they did what was necessary to
successfully overcome a difficult situation.
Paraphrase: Perhaps it ...you all.
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Paraphrase: Perhaps it would be best if the reader
pictures Omelas to himself as his imagination tells him,
assuming his imagination will be equal to the task. For
certainly I cannot describe Omelas in such a way as to
satisfy all of you.
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discrimination: n 1: [U]good judgement and perception,
knowing what is good or of high quality.
They cooked without skill and ate without discrimination.
show discrimination in one's choice of friends, clothes,
2: discrimination against/in favour of sb: treating a
person or group differently (usu worse) than others
racial, sexual, religious, political, etc discrimination
Exuberance is behaviour which is energetic, excited, and cheerful.
Her burst of exuberance and her brightness overwhelmed me.
floating :adjective not fixed permanently in one particular position or place:
floating exchange rates
Paraphrase: all kinds ...matter.
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Paraphrase: All kinds of marvelous things not yet
invented here, such as, light that is provided by a device
that is not fixed in one place, power that does not require
the use of any fuel and a cure for the common cold. It
doesn't matter whether they have these things or not.
They can be just as happy without them.
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puritanical：having very strict moral attitudes
Their parents had a puritanical streak and didn't approve of dancing.
faint:that cannot be clearly seen, heard or smelt:
a faint glow / glimmer / light
a faint smell of perfume
insistence: An insistent noise or rhythm keeps going on for a long
time and holds your attention
.the insistent rhythms of the Caribbean and Latin America.
= unrelenting
perfume:v [Tn]1(of flowers, etc) give a fragrant smell to (sth)
The roses perfumed the room.
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dreamy :adj (-ier, -iest) vague or unclear a dreamy recollection of
what happened
languor: n [U] tiredness or laziness of mind and body; listlessness
arcanum:n.pl.arcana A deep secret; a mystery.
inmost: adj [attrib ]1:most inward; furthest from the surface
the inmost recesses of the cave
2: most private or secret
my inmost thoughts, feelings, etc
habit-forming:a habit-forming drug is one that makes you need to
use it all the time, even though it is bad for you
Paraphrase: I thought...belief.
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Paraphrase: At first I thought there would be no drugs
but that is being too severe and rigid. The faint but
compelling sweet scent of the drug drooz may fill the
streets of the city. The drug first makes your hands and
feet seem light and your mind more keen and alert. After
some hours you fall into a lazy dream and have
wonderful visions revealing the most mysterious and
deepest secrets of the universe. It also increases the
pleasure of sex enormously.
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modest:adj (a) not large in amount, size, etc; moderate
live on a modest income
make very modest demands
The clergy are the official leaders of the religious activities of a
particular group of believers.
build sth on sth:base sth on sth
build one's hopes on the economic strength of the country
an argument built on sound logic.
slaughter: the killing of many people at once; massacre
the slaughter of innocent civilians
the slaughter on the roads, ie the killing of people in road accidents
fearful: rightened:Fearful parents kept their children indoors.
trivial : adjective not important or serious; not worth considering
a trivial detail / matter / problem
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boundless:adj without limits
boundless generosity, enthusiasm
Contentment is a feeling of quiet happiness and satisfaction.
magnanimous: adj having or showing great generosity (esp towards a rival,
an enemy, etc)
a magnanimous person, gesture, gift
a leader who was magnanimous in victory, ie when he won
communion: (with sb/sth)(fml) state of sharing or exchanging the same
thoughts or feelings
poets who are in communion with nature
splendor: [uncount] the impressive beauty of something, often something
that looks very expensive
Paraphrase: The joy built...that of life.
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Paraphrase: The joy that is based on successfully killing a lot of
people is not the right kind of joy. What fills the hearts of the people
of Omelas with joy and pride is a feeling of great and unlimited
contentment. They also feel a courageous triumph not over some
outer enemy but in sharing with all that is fine and fair in the souls of
all men and in the grandeur of the world's summer. the triumph they
celebrate is the victory of life.
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go forth: set out, leave
He went forth into the desert to pray.
The party is dissolved, and I go forth alone.
Provisioner: person who provide a lot of food.
amiable:friendly and easy to like
The driver was an amiable young man.
benign:adj (of people or actions) kindly; gentle
pastry:n [U] mixture of flour, fat and water baked in an oven and used as a
base or covering for tarts, pies, etc
You eat too much pastry, ie food made with pastry.
entangle: v entangle sb/sth/oneself (in/among/with sth)
cause sb/sth/oneself to become twisted, tangled or caught (in sth)
The bird got entangled in the wire netting.
a fishing line entangled among the weeds
Her long hair entangled itself in the rose bush.
Paraphrase: The faces...entangled.
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Paraphrase: The faces of the likeable children
are sticky from eating sweet things and there are
also crumbs of rich pastry in the grey beard of a
kind and gentle old man.
Figure of Speech: transferred epithet.
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rapt:adj ~ (in sth)so intent or absorbed that one is unaware of other
things; spellbound
a rapt expression, look, smile, etc
rapt in contemplation, thought, devotion, etc
He listened to the music with rapt attention.
flute:
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all at once: suddenly and unexpectedly
All at once there was a loud crashing sound.
pavilion:temporary building, esp a large tent used to
display items at an exhibition
trumpet:
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imperious:adj (fml ) proud and arrogant; domineering; expecting obedience
an imperious look, command, gesture
melancholy adj (a) very sad; depressed
a melancholy mood, person
(b) causing sadness
melancholy news
A funeral is a melancholy occasion.
Piercing: [usually before noun](of sounds) very high, loud and unpleasant
a piercing shriek / scream / whistle
She has such a piercing voice.
Rear: (of a horse, etc) raise itself on its hind legs （
The horse reared (up) in fright.
neigh:verb[V]when a horse neighs it makes a long high sound
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Sober: serious and thoughtful; solemn
a very sober and hard-working young man
a sober analysis of the facts
stroke:v [Tn] pass the hand gently over (a surface), usu again and again
stroke a cat, one's beard, sb's back
soothe:v [Tn]make (a person who is distressed, anxious, etc) quiet or calm;
calm or comfort
soothe a crying baby
Rank: line or row of things
a cab/taxi rank
Take the taxi at the head of the rank, ie the first in the line.
A racecourse is a track on which horses race.
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cellar: n underground room for storing things
a coal cellar
spacious: adj having or providing much space; roomy
a very spacious kitchen
the spacious back seat of a car
seep: v (of liquids) flow slowly and in small quantities through a
substance
water seeping through the roof of the tunnel
Poisonous chemicals from the factory are seeping into our soil.seep
The helium will slowly seep out of the balloon.
Even when he closed the windows the noise of the traffic seeped in.
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crack: (in sth) line along which sth has broken, but not
into separate parts
a cup with bad cracks in it
Don't go skating today there are dangerous cracks in the
ice.
secondhand adj.
1:Previously used by another; not new.
2:Obtained, derived, or borrowed from another; not
original.
adv.In an indirect manner; indirectly.
cobwebbed: A cobwebbed surface is covered with
cobwebs.
Paraphrase: A little...the cellar
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Paraphrase: A little light that appears in the dusty room
does not come directly from a window for the room has
no windows but from a cobwebbed window across the
cellar. This light seeps into the room through the cracks
in the boards of the room.
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clot: v(-tt-)When blood clots, it becomes thick and forms a lump.
The patient's blood refused to clot.
Aspirin apparently thins the blood and inhibits clotting.
foul:adj having a bad smell or taste; dirty and disgusting
foul stagnant ponds
a foul rubbish dump
Rusty: A rusty metal object such as a car or a machine is covered with rust,
which is a brown substance that forms on iron or steel when it comes into
contact with water.
to the touch: used after an adjective to express how something feels when
you put your hand on it
The material was soft to the touch.
Loathsome or unpleasant to the touch.
disused: A disused place or building is empty and is no longer used.
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feeble-minded :having less than usual intelligence
defective:having a fault or faults; not perfect or complete
Synonym: FAULTY
imbecile:(esp adult) person with abnormally low intelligence
malnutrition:a poor condition of health caused by a lack of food or
a lack of the right type of food
neglect: the failure to give someone or something the care or
attention they need
the need to protect children from abuse and neglect.
Paraphrase: Perhaps it was born...neglect
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Paraphrase: Perhaps the child was mentally retarded
because that was how it was born or perhaps it became
stupid out of fear, poor nourishment or neglect.
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fumble: for/with If you fumble for something or fumble with
something, you try and reach for it or hold it in a clumsy way.
She crept from the bed and fumbled for her dressing gown
genitals:a person's sex organs that are outside their body
hunch: to bend down and forwards so that your back forms a
curve
rattle: (cause sth to) make short sharp sounds quickly, one after the
other; (cause sth to) shake while making such sounds
The windows were rattling in the wind.
Hailstones rattled on the tin roof.
The wind rattled the windows.
Paraphrase: It picks...genitals.
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Paraphrase: The subnormal child uses its fingers to
remove things from its nose and sometimes without any
specific intention plays with its toes or sex organs as it
does not know what to do.
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peer:peer (at sth/sb) look closely or carefully, esp as if unable to
see well
peer at sb over one's spectacles
peer into the mist
peer out of the window/over the wall/through a gap
jug: n [C] deep vessel, with a handle and a lip, for holding and
pouring liquids
hastily: adv quickly, perhaps too quickly= hurriedly
a hastily arranged news conference
a good/great deal (of sth):much; a lot
spend a good deal of money
take a great deal of trouble
be a great deal better
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whine:v to make a long high unpleasant sound because you are in pain or
unhappy:
a whining voice
The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in).
Calf: n (pl calves) fleshy back part of the leg below the knee
If something protrudes from somewhere, it sticks out. (FORMAL)
a huge round mass of smooth rock protruding from the water...
The tip of her tongue was protruding slightly.
grease:n [U]animal fat that has been softened by cooking or heating
The grease from pork can be used for frying.
Your buttocks are the two rounded fleshy parts of your body that you sit
on.
thigh:the top part of the leg between the knee and the hip
A mass of something is a large amount of it.
She had a mass of auburn hair.
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fester: v [I](of a cut or wound) become infected and
filled with pus
a festering wound
sore: n painful place on the body (where the skin or flesh
is injured)
treat a sore
Her hands are covered in sores.
excrement:n [U] (fml ) solid waste matter passed from
the body through the bowels; faeces
The pavement was covered in dogs' excrement.
Paraphrase: 1: It is so thin...protrudes
2: Its buttocks...continually.
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Paraphrase:
1: The child's legs are very thin with no calves but its
stomach is swollen.
2: The buttocks and thighs of the child are covered with
sores that are filled with pus because of the unsanitary
conditions as it sits continually on its own excrement.
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abundance: n [U, sing] quantity that is more than enough; plenty
There was good food in abundance/an abundance of good food at the
party.
kindly: adj [usu attrib ] (-ier, -iest) kind or friendly in character,
manner or appearance
a kindly man, voice, smile
give sbsome kindly advice
abominable:extremely unpleasant and causing disgust
The judge described the attack as an abominable crime.
We were served the most abominable coffee.
misery: n [U] great suffering or discomfort (of mind or body)
suffer the misery of toothache
lead a life of misery
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often enough : often, many times
Come across now, I've asked for it often enough.
Swallow the contents then throw the can away- that is the deal often
enough nowadays.
sickened:shocked and feeling rather sick because of something
unpleasant
outrage: noun, [U]a strong feeling of shock and anger
The judge's remarks caused public outrage.
impotence:Impotenceis a lack of power to influence people or
events.
a sense of impotence in the face of deplorable events.
= powerlessness
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comfort:to make sb who is worried or unhappy feel better by being kind
and sympathetic towards them:
The victim's widow was today being comforted by family and friends.
She comforted herself with the thought that it would soon be spring.
wither: If someone or something withers, they become very weak.
When he went into retirement, he visibly withered.
Industries unable to modernise have been left to wither.
terms: n [pl] conditions offered or accepted
peace terms
according to the terms of the contract
Paraphrase: 1:They feel disgust...all the explanation.
2: That would...indeed.
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Paraphrase:
1: They had thought they would not have such inferior
feelings as disgust, but seeing the child, they feel
disgust, They have got many explanations, but they
are still angry at the suffering of the child but feel
useless because they can do nothing to help him.
2: To throw away the happiness of thousands for the
chance of the happiness of one would be a criminal
thing to do. This would bring guilt into Omelas where
there was none of it previously.
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rage: n [U, C] (fit of) violent anger
trembling with rage
white/livid with rage
be in/fly into a (towering) rage
paradox : noun[C]a person, thing or situation that has two opposite features
and therefore seems strange
He was a paradox-a loner who loved to chat to strangers.
It is a curious paradox that professional comedians often have unhappy
personal lives.
The paradox is that the region's most dynamic economies have the most
primitive financial systems.
It's a paradox that in such a rich country there can be so much poverty
.brood (on/over sth): think (about sth) for a long time in a troubled or
resentful way
It doesn't help to brood on your mistakes.
Paraphrase: often the young...paradox.
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Paraphrase: Often the young people ,when they have
seen the child, go home crying for they feel pity and
compassion and want to do something to help it but they
cannot or they feel great anger and outrage because they
feel helpless, bound by strict and absolute terms--they
may not even say a kind word to the child, if they do
they will lose everything. This is a paradox, the
contradictory situation.
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vague: (vaguer, vaguest)not clear in a person's mind
to have a vague impression / memory / recollection of sth
They had only a vague idea where the place was.degrade
degrade: verb[T]to cause people to feel that they or other people are
worthless and do not have the respect or good opinion of others:
Pornography degrades women.
imbecile: stupid; foolish
an imbecile remark
imbecile behaviour
uncouth: (of a person or their behaviour) rude or socially unacceptable
Synonym: COARSE
uncouth laughter
an uncouth young man
humane: adj having or showing sympathy, kindness and understanding
a humane person, act, penal system
Paraphrase: Its habits...treatment.
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Paraphrase: The habits of the child are so cruel and
uncultured it will show no sign of improvement even if it
is treated kindly and tenderly.
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perceive: to notice or become aware of sth:
I perceived a change in his behaviour.
She perceived that all was not well.
The patient was perceived to have difficulty in breathing.
generosity:[uncount] kindness, especially in giving things to people:
He was known for his generosity to his colleagues.
vapid: adj dull or uninteresting
vapid utterances, remarks, comments, etc
His conversation was vapid in the extreme.
Paraphrase: 1: Their teas at the bitter...justice of reality.
2: It is their tears...happiness.
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Paraphrase: 1: They shed tears when they see how
terribly unjust they have been to the child but these tears
dry up when they realize how just and fair though
terrible reality was.
2: However, it is their tears, which are shed when their
generosity is put to the test, and their anger, when they
realize their helplessness, that truly makes their lives
splendid and grand. Their happiness is not dull and
uninteresting and it carries responsiblities with it.
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compassion: [U]~ (for sb) a strong feeling of sympathy for people who are suffering
and a desire to help them
She was known as a hard woman with no compassion, no emotion.
poignancy: Poignancy is the quality that something has when it affects you deeply
and makes you feel very sad.
The film contains moments of almost unbearable poignancy.
profundity: Profundity is great intellectual depth and understanding.
The profundity of this book is achieved with breathtaking lightness.
= depth
≠ shallowness
snivel: V If someone is snivelling, they are crying or sniffing in a way that irritates
you,they cry slightly in a way that is weak and does not make other people feel
sympathy for them
Billy started to snivel. His mother smacked his hand.
line up: If people line up or if you line them up, they move so that they are standing
in a line
The senior leaders lined up behind him in orderly rows.
Paraphrase: It is the existence...their science.
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Paraphrase: The existence of the child and their
knowledge if its existence is the reason that
makes their buildings grand and impressive, their
music moving and their science have great
intellectual depth.
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Questions
1: What kind of people are they who walk
away from Omelas?
2: Why are they leaving?
3: Where are they going?
4: what are they going to do?
Thank You
Ruby