O m e l a s - Paragraph Revision

    - O r i g i n a l -
The way the child is treated represents a kind of selfishness that one could say is partially driven by the will to conform.  Le Guin implies that the citizens would be a lot less likely to accept the situation if they were not surrounded by an entire community of people who encourage it.  This is expressed in the quotation "To exchange all the goodness and grace of every life in Omelas for that single, small improvement: to throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one: that would be to let guilt within the walls indeed" (601).  Seeing as guilt is highly discouraged in Omelas, the citizens are being taught that it would be immoral to help the child.

    - R e v i s e d -
The way the child is treated represents a kind of selfishness that one could say is partially driven by the will to conform.  Le Guin writes "To exchange all the goodness and grace of every life in Omelas for that single, small improvement: to throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one: that would be to let guilt within the walls indeed" (601).  This implies that the citizens would be a lot less likely to accept the situation if they were not surrounded by an entire community of people who encourage it.  Le Guin also writes "One thing I know there is none of in Omelas is guilt" (599)-- nor is there disgust or anger, because all negative emotions are discouraged.  Because of this, the citizens are being taught that to help the child would be a display of guilt, and would therefore be considered obstructionism.