“We Left with Empty Hands”: The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. Le Guin
Written by Kristy Dolson
It should come as no surprise that most readers have a list of authors they consider to be both phenomenal writers and incredible individuals who challenge us to be better people. Near the top of my list is Ursula K. Le Guin, an American novelist best known for her groundbreaking works of science fiction and fantasy. I was deeply saddened to hear of her passing on January 22 of this year because I have long admired her indomitable spirit and lifelong opposition to the forces of corporate capitalism. In honor and remembrance of that spirit, I have chosen to review The Dispossessed, one of Le Guin’s most celebrated books in the science fiction genre.
This novel, a classic work of speculative science fiction, is the exploration of a society that practices anarchism. These days, the word anarchy evokes the idea of lawlessness, often associated with violence. But anarchism as a political theory actually refers to a state with no government, wherein the members of society organize themselves on a voluntary and cooperative basis. In this novel, Le Guin presents readers with two futuristic utopias, one anarchist and the other capitalist, and invites us to contemplate the moral questions involved in the creation and evolution of such vast social experiments.
The novel begins and ends on a moon called Annares, where a colony of anarchist revolutionaries has existed for 180 years. The original colonists failed to overthrow the capitalist government of Urras, a nearby planet, and were given the chance to migrate to Annares to establish their own anarchic society on the condition that no one ever returned to Urras. However, after nearly 200 years, the anarchic revolution has become complacent and centralized systems have gained power over the colonists. As a result, some members of the society have grown discontented and are now willing to break old taboos.
The novel’s protagonist, Shevek, is one of these discontented individuals. He is an Annaresti physicist who has spent his life trying to prove that time and space are the same thing. In his pursuit of intellectual freedom, Shevek is driven to do the unthinkable: He accepts an invitation from a university on Urras in the hopes that he will be able to publish his theories there without restrictions. But the longer he stays on Urras the more profoundly he feels the effects of the State, the tempting call to ownership, and the awakening of his own revolutionary spirit.
What makes this novel so fascinating is the way in which the story is told. The chapters alternate between two periods in time. The first period details Shevek’s present-day voluntary exile to Urras and the linear progression of his experiences in the capitalist utopia. The second period looks backward, as Shevek recalls the past events of his childhood and young adulthood on Annarres. This structural choice sets a great pace for the book since each chapter reveals more not only about Shevek and his loved ones, but more importantly, about Annarres and Urras simultaneously.
Despite a publication date of 1974, this book has a timeless quality because it is about fundamental human problems. Even though these are alien cultures millions of lightyears away, the systems are recognizable, the power structures are very familiar, and the characters are unmistakably human and relatable. This is why one of the central themes of the book – capitalism and the struggle to own or be owned – still resonates in 2018. Le Guin’s questions of power, class, ownership, gender, and freedom continue to go unanswered by most societies today. In some societies, these questions are not even being asked.
Although we have lost an important voice, we have not lost the spirit or wisdom of Le Guin. She will live on through her writing, and I hope she continues to inspire and encourage us for generations to come. We all have a responsibility to never stop questioning and to oppose those forces that are damaging to humans and the earth we inhabit. We should all be looking for our own revolutionary spirits. Perhaps you will find it in The Dispossessed. If not, I can guarantee you will find an incredible story.
And maybe you will add a new author to your list.
The Author
Kristy Dolson lived in South Korea for five years before taking a year off to travel, read, and spend time with her family in Canada and Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Education and has just returned to Gwangju where she splits her time between teaching Korean teachers at JETI and reading as much as she can.