Isolation and loneliness are big factors in the book Left Hand of Darkness. In my opinion, although the planet and its population have major characteristics of helping each other, looking out for one another, and working together, the cold weather makes all these actions look gloomy. It's almost as if the actions aren't exactly being done out of the goodness of people's hearts, rather it is done for an ulterior purpose,
Now if we look at the ACTUAL fact of this planet being cold, we can see how isolating the weather can be. As Genly is not even from the same planet, the harsh cold weather makes him feel extremely left apart from the Gethenians who are used to the weather and are adapted to survive in it. Considering he looks different, the coldnesws just adds onto his already outcasted persona.
Genly might want to get a better jacket if he is cold all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think the cold has a lot to do with the idea of isolation. Genly is obviously the outcast in Gethen and because he is different, it separates him from Gethenians. He has a difficult time adapting to their ways and learning to see them the way they see themselves. He also is oblivious to what goes on around him at times, and does not understand how he is directly involved in certain situations. Finally, the fact that he does not trust anyone makes it impossible for him to make friends leaving him to rely on only himself.
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