"The Left Hand of Darkness"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how "The Left Hand of Darkness" explores the inhabitants of the planet Winter, whose inhabitants are a race of hermaphrodites and how author Ursula K. LeGuin creates cultures that are as rich as our own. It discusses how the history, mythology and traditions of the people of the planet Winter make it easy to imagine what a world might be like that truly has no differences between the sexes. It analyzes how the tension created by the absence of gender roles makes us realize how much we unknowingly depend on them and how their removal is not enough to solve man's general dissatisfaction.

From the Paper:

"The implications of Le Guin's story are numerous. For one, the reader is forced to examine a society free of gender stratification. Certainly the absence of gender roles eliminates the problems we currently face as a society with gender roles, but we soon see that other problems arise. For every problem absent because of no gender, another one is present to ensure the struggle of human beings. Le Guin shows the obvious benefits of gender-free society, but does not let the reader bask in the warmth of this pleasantry, for we see a society that is plagued by problems. Winter is immersed in a fierce political war - problems do not disappear with the removal of gender. "

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