Tuesday, August 30, 2005
book forty-five
The Dispossessed
by Ursula K. LeGuin
I think I requested this book from the library based on Elizabeth's recommendation. I personally think Elizabeth is much smarter than I am, so I wasn't surprised to find that this is kind of a thinky booky. At first I thought it was unbearably slow and wanted something to happen, but once I got into the story a little bit, I was fascinated.
Shevek is a physicist from Urras, a moon colonized by an anarchist movement from the main planet of Anarres. Since the migration, contact between the two groups has been extremely limited. On Urras, everything is shared, including homes, food, and division of labor. On Anarres, capitalism is in full effect, resulting a society with a divide between the rich and the poor, men and women, residents and immigrants, and so forth. Shevek decides to visit Anarres as a scientist to study physics and to learn about this other society.
While not a whole lot actually *happens* in the course of the book, I was still glued to it. I was intrigued by the idea that anarchy - or perhaps socialism? - could possibly work if everyone was brought up from childhood to disbelieve in the concept of ownership. Children on Urras were taught to say "the mother" instead of "my mother" or "the bed I sleep in" instead of "my bed". And while couples could choose to pair-bond and live their lives together, it was not required or expected that everyone would want to. Really interesting stuff.
by Ursula K. LeGuin
I think I requested this book from the library based on Elizabeth's recommendation. I personally think Elizabeth is much smarter than I am, so I wasn't surprised to find that this is kind of a thinky booky. At first I thought it was unbearably slow and wanted something to happen, but once I got into the story a little bit, I was fascinated.
Shevek is a physicist from Urras, a moon colonized by an anarchist movement from the main planet of Anarres. Since the migration, contact between the two groups has been extremely limited. On Urras, everything is shared, including homes, food, and division of labor. On Anarres, capitalism is in full effect, resulting a society with a divide between the rich and the poor, men and women, residents and immigrants, and so forth. Shevek decides to visit Anarres as a scientist to study physics and to learn about this other society.
While not a whole lot actually *happens* in the course of the book, I was still glued to it. I was intrigued by the idea that anarchy - or perhaps socialism? - could possibly work if everyone was brought up from childhood to disbelieve in the concept of ownership. Children on Urras were taught to say "the mother" instead of "my mother" or "the bed I sleep in" instead of "my bed". And while couples could choose to pair-bond and live their lives together, it was not required or expected that everyone would want to. Really interesting stuff.
Labels: book reports, science fiction
