Blog Six

I laughed when I finally understood what the handout Ms. Aaland gave us was really about. At first, I thought it was a small man speaking and most of the men of Whileway was short because of natural selection. Then I realized that this small man was actually a woman! Jeez old man, that was weird for me. I also thought that the women who were mating were each other found a strange was of fertilizing the egg. I still don't understand it either. Can can you fertilize an egg without the sperm? I swear, Ms. Aaland has us reading some crazy things about gender/reproduction. I thought this was almost as strange as The Left Hand of Darkness. The only difference for me was that the Gethenians were able to change sex while the women used science to reproduce.

I also saw this short story as very feminist. The author made the guys out to be lustful freaks that wanted to, well, you know with the women that were left on Earth. I just felt that the author wanted to portray the men as society usually does. Dominating, tall, and well built. I can understand why since these were the only men left after generations upon generations, but still. I didn't find it fair for the men.

I also thought that why couldn't the women mate the guys anyways? I mean, that's the way it was truly meant to be. I'm not saying that I have a problem with lesbians or gays for that matter. I mean, just because this couple doesn't want to be with men and nor do their daughter, but there has to be other women out there who are more than curious to be with a guy.

I don't know if the author really wanted the readers to see the story the way I did, but reading it sure did piss me off. I really do hate when people like to stick to stereotypes...

Blog 5

Seeing as we have finished The Left Hand of Darkness, I figured that it would be best to describe the book as a whole and what has been learned so far.

In the beginning of the book, I was always left confused and scratching my head. I could never understand who these people were, where they were from, their gender or the way they reproduced. I'm sure that I didn't understand crap about this book up until about Ch. 12 or 13 when Genly was sent to the Pulem Farms. 

Since then, I've been able to take the book in  and understand what I have read. Part of me even enjoyed reading the book, much to my dismay. I think it took a while for me to understand what was happening because I wasn't enjoying the book. So once I got into it, it was much easier for me to take in the knowledge.

The question that keeps popping up in my head is whether or not Estraven and Genly have romantic feelings for each other.  They did spend at least 3 or 4 months together and were each other's only company. Also, when Estraven was in the tent, the readers could definitely  feel the sexual tension happening between the two. Maybe it's a matter of whether or not either of them would react on their feelings for the other. It's possible. When Estraven dies, we can see the sadness in Genly while reading Ch. 20. It seems like someone ripped part of his life off of his body when Estraven was shot and killed in front of his eyes. 

I also find it strange that the King decided not to immediately declare Estraven a non-traitor. One would think that once someone has brought a guest back to where  he was staying that he would be marked a hero. Or even the fact that he helped bring the other Ekumen down from their space craft. Without Estraven, none of what happened in chapter 20 would have happened at all. It would only be fair that Estraven is given credit, or at least have him being called a traitor stopped.

Another question that seems to be on my mind is Genly's sexuality. I can't decide if he's gay or not. He has been surrounded by "males" for quite some time and he says that it's weird for him to hear and see a female. Also, whether or not his feelings for Estraven play a role in sexuality. Even Faxe, when we see Genly "checking" him out. 

I guess my questions are answered according to how people read the book and some people may agree or disagree, but still. It would be nice to know what Le Guin wanted to her readers to take in as she wrote this book.

Blog 4

During Genly and Estraven's travel back to Karhide, Estraven shows me that he is willing to give up his customs in order for him and Genly to survive. Estraven does many things that most people wouldn't to on Karhide because it's either wrong or they just don't do it. 

Somewhere near the beginning of their travels, Estraven steals many pounds of food from a place near their campsite. I remember Genly possibly speaking that it was unlike the people of Karhide to do that. He also says something about how he could tell Estraven was not exactly proud of what he did. This just shows me that Estraven is willing to do things he would consider wrong so he can get back home with Genly. This also shows me the manly part of Estraven. Usually, Genly says that Estraven is more feminine than masculine because he has more fat than muscle and the way he personality is in general. Estraven throughout the voyage seems more like a man than Genly does besides the fact that Genly can push himself harder and faster if he would like.

I found it interesting that Estraven knew how to hunt. I forgot what animal it was, but he hunted a couple of small fox-like animals. Genly says something about how the people of Karhide do not hunt because there isn't much to hunt. This makes me question Estraven's background and where he learned this survival tool.

The more I read about the two's voyage, the more I learn of Estraven and how he cares more about Genly. I don't know whether or not it's because he has some emotional connection with this alien from another world, or if he knows he can endure more than Genly can. Estraven's feelings as well as Genly's feelings confuses me more than the part of every year being Year one.

Blog 3

Although Ms. Aaland says that we don't necessarily have to write about what we have recently read, I think that Chapters 13 and 14 were the most mind capturing captures throughout the book. Most of the time, I read The Left Hand of Darkness and I don't understand what's going on and who these new people and places are. In these two chapters, not only did I understand what was going on, I was actually interested in what I read.

In chapter 13, I had sympathy for Genly Ai because he was stuck in the truck. Not only that, he was naked, was only fed water, 2 of the other passengers died and were left on the truck. Also, the other people on the truck with Genly were people he did not know, nor did they strike up a conversation with each other.

What interested me most about this chapter was that Genly Ai didn't really question why he was there. In this chapter, he mostly spoke of what went on during the ride to the prison. I can't recall him wondering what he wrong. 

I also learned a softer side to Genly. You could tell he had a lot of compassion for the man that died because he was beaten badly and was hemorrhaging. He gave the man comfort as he died. Genly didn't know the man at all and had the courage to try to help. If I was in his shoe, I don't think I would have done anything because I would be too scared to even look at a man dying.

In chapter 14, we learn a lot of Estraven. We find out his true motives and that he really does want the alliance with his world and Genly's. 

When Estraven goes through the trouble of saving Genly, my entire opinion of Estraven changes. At first, I thought that he was a no good, two-faced person, because he was saying one thing to Argaven and another to Genly. I don't think that Estraven would put himself in danger if he didn't feel bad about what happened to Genly. 

When Genly finally wakes up after being rescued, I feel as his and Estraven's conversation is the climax of the story. We finally figure out the problem of what kind of person Estraven is and who's side he is on. 

Blog 2

I must say that reading chapters 9 and 10 confused me more that the idea of Year One and having no gender at all.

First, I thought that the Estraven in chapter 9 was the Estraven we had been reading about. Then, Holleigh had explained to me that it was a different Estraven from the past and the present Estraven was named after him.

The past Estraven, from my understanding, was in a land that was an enemy of his country. He then met someone from that place who saved him by warming his cold body. They then kemmered and had a child. I don't know if the Estraven that killed his brothers was the son of this relationship or the Estraven that was cold. So later, they named this Estraven, whichever one it may be, Estraven the Traitor.

One question they asked during the disscussion today was if the Estraven of the present resembles Estraven of the passeed. I do think that they are similar. Both left home, although for different reasons, I'm sure. Both of them wanted to make peace with others and did not want to go to war. So in some ways, I do believe that both Estravens remsemble each toher.

The next chapter, I can't speak much of. I didn't understand it much other than the fact that Genly Ai was speaking with others who asked him about himself. Also, we learn that the King's son dies and some of the people Genly Ai is travelling with dislikes the king and hope that the rest of them live just as long as the one that died. That, was a bit harsh I might say, but it does say that some people do not agree with the way King Argaven is.

Blog 1

Like most people in the class, I'm finding this book hard to understand and hard to read. The unfamilar words and names make it harder for me to remember what happens in the book and who each person is. For starters, I think that the entire world in this book is a bit strange. I'm not understanding how each year can be Year One. What does that make the rest of the years before that then? What really strikes me as odd is the fluid gender. Today in class, we discussed, well the others discussed seeing as I did not do the reading, Faxe's ability to be both male and female. I remember one of the students saying that it would be confusing to be both since males are entirely different than females. That made me ponder of what it would be like to be a boy. Seeing as I'm a female, and although I do have some traits that would be considered "boyish", I think that if I was a boy, I wouldn't know how to act. It also makes me question reproduction in the story. Can some aliens be mothers one day and a father the next? Also, "we" discussed the telepaths, and choosing another leader. So from today's discussion, it seems as if I was able to understand the book through the ideas and thoughts of the other kids. It seemed as if I learned that nights reading through the help of the group.