The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas – Ursula Le Guin
May 29th, 2007 by Ashley
{收錄於 The Wind’s Twelve Quarters 短篇小說集}
終於把這篇 Carmen 大力推薦的短篇小說看完, 但與其說 “Omelas” 是篇小說, 不如說是個設定. 其中沒有情節, 沒有對話也沒有特定的人物描寫, 就只是在介紹 Omelas 這個小鎮 (城市?)
Le Guin 的敘述非常冗長, 但在我就想放棄的時候出現轉折, 在最後只佔了全篇篇幅不到1/4的部份揭露了 Omelas 幸福的獨家秘方, 結束後餘韻仍飄盪在腦海中許久不散.
在你讀這個故事之前, 請不要先看任何有關的討論. 就像 Shirley Jackson – The Lottery 一樣, 你知道它大概的情節走向之後, 就無法感受作者細心營造的體驗了. 如此一來, “Omelas” 就只是一個普通的故事, 你就失去一次經歷海底傳來輕震的機會了…
Their tears at the bitter injustice dry when they begin to perceive the terrible justice of reality, and to accept it. Yet it is their tears
and anger, the trying of their generosity and the acceptance of their helplessness, which are perhaps the true source of the splendor of their lives. Theirs is no vapid, irresponsible happiness. They know that they, like the child, are not free.
Love it!!!!~