The vast expanse of the sea and marine life are motifs in art, literature, film, and other mediums of human expression, from the terrorizing violence of sharks in Jaws to the glacial emptiness of the Arctic in Frankenstein. Among works where the sea is centerfold is The Lathe of Heaven, a novel by Ursula K. Le Guin. In The Lathe of Heaven, jellyfish serve as a symbol of effortless action, sea turtles turn from a representation of antagonism to coexistence, and the sea that the two species inhabit represents the constantly changing universe, emphasizing the novel's endorsement of Daoism as a philosophy for living. Jellyfish react to the turbulence of the sea by subtly drifting, just as people in Daoist philosophy should react to obstacles …show more content…
The two species eventually live in harmony after the resolution of the brief conflict of the aliens landing on Earth, with Orr even collaborating with an Alderbaranian store owner. While jellyfish and sea turtles initially appear at odds, both are needed in sea ecosystems. Without jellyfish, sea turtles would starve. Without sea turtles, jellyfish would overpopulate the ocean and consume excessive nutrients, resulting in the mass death of jellyfish and other marine organisms. Humans are defined by their intelligence and Le Guin writes that Alderbaranians are "natural entrepreneurs." Both species are good at different tasks, and if the two groups coexist, prosperity follows. By the end of the novel, Orr lives a content life and has a close friend in an Alderbaranian named Enbe Enbe, signifying the collaboration between jellyfish and sea turtles. Through the symbol of sea turtles, Le Guin highlights that coexistence, a central tenet of Daoism, is a vital virtue to embrace. Both jellyfish and sea turtles inhabit the ocean, like how humans and other living organisms occupy the same