Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Isolation
Isolation in Gethen is partly due to the cold weather. Because Winter is such a cold planet, interaction is minimal even when indoors. Being cold is what the people are used to. It's instilled in them partly because of kemmer. Kemmer seems more like a job than an enjoyable event. They choose their partners loosely based on emotion. People exposed to warmer temperatures find it harder to understand viewpoints other than their own, while those exposed to colder ones find it easier to understand. Feeling isolated makes people try less hard to connect. Gethenians do not need to invest emotion into many things. Anything that requires emotion is brushed off. It is hard enough to survive in such a cold place, they are constantly competing for warmth, further pushing interaction out of the picture. I think Gethenians lack of emotion cannot be helped. They have adapted to be cold (no pun intended). They do not need companionship to live a good life. After children are born they do not necessarily stay with the parents. This already shields them from getting too attached to anyone at an early age. Humans put emphasis on finding a partner and being with someone while gethenians are content with being isolated and alone. This is why Gently Ai cannot quite grasp why the inhabitants of Gethen are the way they are. Though he is open to interpretation, he cannot fully understand fully on their level. The Gethenian's are a bizarre race but are in a way similar to all of us.
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This is really Good Jess!!! It really explains the chapters.
ReplyDeleteHumans are so attached to the fact that they need a life partner while the Gethenians feel like there is no need for one. And I can kind of relate because I'm an extro/introvert at the same time. It's sad to be the only one left out; I feel sad for Genly. This was delicious. You really thoroughly explained the theme for the constant cold of Gethen.
ReplyDelete-Robin Hwang P5
I think that there is a relationship between the cold weather and kemmering. Since it is really cold, most organisms seek warmth overall. I think kemmering is one of the evolutionary traits to cope with their planets conditions. I like your observation between the cold weather and the Gethenians being cold on the inside. That could be a possibility why the Gethenians aren't too inviting because they learned from their harsh living conditions. Ursula Guine uses the weather to show magnify Genly's feeling of isolation and alieniation. He's not accustomed to weather and doesn't know how to act around the Gethenians.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that the cold weather causes people to interact less with each other. Everyone stays to themselves because it is hard trying to communicate with others when you are so bundled up. I also see the connection you made between kemmer and the cold. What you have made out of the two makes sense. Gethenians don't form deep emotional connections to others and the cold, in a way, helps to keep it like that.
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