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Monday, February 6, 2017
stories of death/suicide
The stories and myths in certain chapters of the book tells a lot about gethen culture. For example, chapter 2 is about the two kemmering partners that when broken up after having a child, one commits suicide. For Gethen, suicide is a huge sin and so even the other brother, Getheren, is banish from there, leaving him in the ice and move to another part of town. Chapter 4 about Berosty and Herbor tells us the irony in the "prophecy" of the 19th day. After hearing Berosty will die on the 19th of any day, his kemmering partner seeks more from the fortune teller and ends up finding out Herbor will die before Berosty. Mad for not helping when Berosty will die, he kills Herbor and regrets and Berosty hangs himself on the 19th day. This story, like chapter 2, shows gethen culture to disapprove of death/suicide. The hanging of himself on the 19th shows the lesson in the story, that death should not rule their lives in gethen culture.
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A lot of the myths that were in the book were kinda difficult for me to understand because it takes a look into ideas the Gethenians believe in, but once you can see what underlying meaning they have, it gives you a lot of insight! The way they percieve death on Gethen really is interesting and I wish it was explained more clearly what their exact thoughts on it are.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the myths in this novel because they gave more insight on the events that took place. Like Daniela noted, they gave me a better understanding to the meaning of what was happening.
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