Given science fiction’s near infinite palette of
available colors, it was bound to happen one day. Thankfully, Ursula Le Guin was the one. The idea: androgynous humans. Winner of several awards, the social significance
of science fiction has never had a stronger proponent than The Left Hand of Darkness, the meaning of gender never so relevant
to mankind.
In the book, Genly Ai is an envoy sent to the planet
Gethen to convince the nation of Karrhide to join Earth’s Ekumen (a politically
neutral organization supporting the dissemination of knowledge, culture, and
commerce). What he encounters are the
native Gethens, an androgynous people who go into kemmer once a month, physically adapting to the features of any
mate they encounter during that time.
Mixed up in the local politics is Estraven, a Gethen Genly meets as part
of his inter-planetary task, and the two subsequently become embroiled in a
fiasco that has strong social and political consequences for Karrhide. Events threatening to spin out of control, no
diplomat has perhaps ever faced such unique and intriguing circumstances.
While political turmoil motivates the plot in
umbrella fashion, the majority of the novel’s tension arises from Genly’s
coming to terms with an asexual humanity.
Unsure whether to be repulsed or attracted by their neuter form, his
encounters with Gethens and time spent with Estraven open many questions into
the manner in which he, and subsequently the reader, perceive gender. The effect that gender neutrality has on
society likewise poses a number of profound and difficult situations for Genly
to overcome if he is to perform his duty as an envoy properly. After all, when a king is able to go on
maternity leave, a whole new mindset regarding life is necessary.
The setting, while understated, is a hugely
important aspect of The Left Hand of
Darkness. The planet experiencing an
ice age, cold dominates life.
Researching Scott and Amundsen’s South Pole travails before writing her
novel, Le Guin infuses a strong sense of the Antarctic into the story. Atypical yet attractive sci-fi material, the
trip Genly takes across a frozen wasteland is particularly well drawn, the cold
creeping into the reader’s fingers holding the book. That the unending winter acts as a symbolic
representation of the homogeneity inherent to Gethen gender shows a melding of
substance and setting, a fine literary touch from Le Guin.
Another important aspect of the novel are the descriptions
of Gethen belief. Added in the form of
epigraphs and chapter interludes, the reader not only develops an understanding
of the Gethen mindset, but a more knowledgeable perception of the contrast
between Genly and the natives’ view of relationships, individual to
societal. Hovering between religion and
philosophy, these pieces flesh out the culture in a manner Confucius or Laozi
would appreciate, Le Guin exhibiting her subtle, philosophical side in the
process.
In the end, The
Left Hand of Darkness, with its social, political, and gender concerns, is
one of the most important science fiction works ever written. A thought experiment in the vein of another
great Le Guin book, The Dispossessed,
The Left Hand of Darkness explores
human behavior and perspective in a familiar human but alien sexual environment
easily imagined thanks to the descriptive prose. The plot device of androgynous humans
possible only in sci-fi, Le Guin takes further advantage of the genre by
detailing a coldly beautiful setting, a planet’s ice age in full swing. Political intrigue (a la Greene or Le Carre)
mixed with strong social commentary, the novel is more than enjoyable
reading. Highly recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment