To the clones, their self-sustaining almost ritualistic behaviors are the norm, but Martin and Pugh both express feelings of exclusion that stem from watching the tenclone’s closed group dynamic. The clones’ behavior indicates that they are unconcerned about social mores regarding incest or do not consider their sexual activity incestuous. They talk amongst themselves and even provide sexual gratification to one another. The clones are capable of finishing each other’s sentences to the point where Martin and Pugh begin to question whether the clones actually have some system of shared cognition, although the clones deny having this ability. In addition to their efficient work skills, they also provide social support for each other. Together their cognitive abilities and problem solving skills far surpass those of an individual person, or even a small team of singletons working together. The clones have a perfect symbiotic relationship with each other. The tenclone is comprised of an equal number of males and females, and they distinguish themselves from each other by having distinct middle initials (i.e.
Their desire for additional support is answered in the form of ten clones, sometimes referred to as a ‘tenclone’, known collectively as John Chow, after the man whose genetic material was sampled to create them.
Though they are kept busy with their work, both express a sense of boredom and a touch of loneliness as they wait for new workers to arrive. The two send infrequent reports back to Earth, to an organization known as The Exploitation Corps’, with recommendations for new excavation sites and requests for additional support. National governments no longer exist and many countries have been wiped from the face of the Earth Martin works as the base’s technician and cartographer, and Pugh serves as the base commander and geologist.
#Shmoop the ones who walk away from omelas series#
The historical context for their situation is given in small pieces throughout the story, and it is revealed that the events of this story take place far into the future, at a time following a series of great wars and famines on Earth that have obliterated the majority of the world’s population and changed the way that global politics function. The planet itself is arid, barren, and earthquake-prone with gaseous chasms that span its surface. Stationed on Libra are two workers, named Martin and Pugh, whose mission is to man the outpost and search for mining deposits. This shows Le Guin’s skill in working with old myths: ‘The Rule of Names’ is not about a hero vanquishing a dragon from a village (compare the story of St George, the patron saint of England) but about a hero bringing a dragon into a village, albeit unwittingly.“Nine Lives” takes place on a remote planet known as Libra. In speaking Underhill’s true name, Blackbeard actually brings about the downfall of the village because Underhill/Yevaud is emboldened to assume his true form and go about like a dragon from now on. So when Blackbeard faces Underhill and speaks his true name, Yevaud, we expect him to be able to vanquish Underhill/Yevaud and claim his victory.īut clearly the islanders’ faith in the power of names has been vastly overstated, for speaking the name only seems to make Underhill more powerful, rather than weakening him and giving power to his foe. ‘The Rule of Names’ presents a world in which names are believed to have talismanic or magical properties, so that a person keeps their true name a closely guarded secret. But the climax to the story comes as more of a surprise because of the subtle way that Le Guin had built up our expectations around the story’s core theme.