The Ones Who Walk Away Analysis

After reading The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, I was baffled and honestly did not know what to make of the short story. I did not know anything about the story beforehand so I had no expectations on what the piece would be about, so when I finished reading about an entire population hurting, degrading, and keeping a child from a happy life was disturbing. After some thought on, I realized the story does evoke some questions about social justice and can even be related to utilitarianism. While, I do not agree with what the members of Omelas did, I understand the implications the author provokes with the mistreatment that occurs. I believe the author wants the reader to question their morals and their definition of justice after reading.

Those who walk away recognize how the treatment of the child is horrific and by deciding to leave Omelas, they defy the city and those who are engaging in the abusive behavior. However, those who walk away do nothing for justice. Walking away does not help the kid, at most it shows the city that keeping the kid hostage is wrong, the boy still suffers in the end. Walking away only makes those leaving feel better about themselves because they will not have to be directly reminded of the hostage. They are removing themselves from a situation that makes them feel guilty, yet they are not doing anything that helps change the situation. Consequently, those who walk away are just as guilty of injustice as those who abuse the boy. While those who walk away have good intentions and a sense of justice, not standing up and fighting for justice leaves them just as responsible for the cruelty and walking away can be interpreted as those individuals stating there is no value in

In my case, I think that if a whole community is prospering because of the suffering of another individual the society as a whole should face troubles and work through the challenges to achieve justice for all. Isolating an individual splits society and creates a place that does not value human rights because they are willing to sacrifice someone for the greater good, but in most situation one would not want to be the one degraded and oppressed. The makes one take into consideration utilitarian ideals and the belief if the members of Omelas and those who walk away are just is determined by the understanding of justice one has. Justice is the involvement of all social groups to fight oppression and create an equal world and standing by and not acting on wrong doings prevents society from achieving social