Anarres Verses Urras

Ursula K. Le Guin presents an argument with two distinct ways of life, in her fiction novel, “The Dispossessed.” She brings ideas of two contrasting worlds about its organization and social order. She presents two planets, Urras and Anarres, that are not so far from each other. Le Guin’s novel is a criticism of modern-day capitalism (Urras), but she also presents an idea of how the other system of life can be like (Anarres). The protagonist Shevek, a physicist, is used to bring a different understanding of how the two worlds exist and operate.

Le Guin presents Anarres as a better world. Urras, in the beginning, is seen as a planet full of life, with a social order of the ruling elites possessing most of the wealth. It is inhabited by the beautiful nature and structures. Whereas, Anarres is an anarchical desolate planet that has survived for seven generations. In Annares society, people exist and portray equality and selflessness. Urras is seen as a world full of manipulators and people who try to control others for their selfish gain. The argument in favor of the people in Annares is that the plant gains more power by showing its flows. This limitation confirms its superiority complex for its lack of the evil of oppression in Urras and payment for the lack of resources with communal solidarity.

The political organization of the two planets is very contrasting. Anarres is a colony society that exists without government hence an anarchical community. This means that everyone is equal; there is no ruling class, no mode of exchange through money. Thus, it is a fulfillment of the socialist perspective. The government has been replaced by an administrative network called the Production and Distribution Coordination to coordinate the economy. We can contrast this to the capitalist society, Urras, where they use the internet to run surveillance, advertising, and running personalized values.

Urras, like earth, have different countries, with a developed sense of nationality. It is institutionalized by what the Anarresti call “propertarinism.” This means they have devised a mechanism in which all property can be valued with money. This gives people the ability to own property; hence it is characterized by social stratification.  This is a remedy for chaos and violence, which is absent in the absolute freedom world of Anarres. Oso’s basic theory complemented this when she said, “…there was to be no controlling center, no capital, no establishment for the self-perpetuating machinery of bureaucracy.” (Le Guin, 78)

Le Guin brings another concept of ownership. Everyone in Anarres is supposed to work voluntarily. They also have the freedom to take what they need as much as possible because everyone has contributed somewhat. Shevek wanted just to take part less in the other activities of production. He follows his dreams to Urras, where he finds people work for self-gain and righteousness. You can do what you want within the scope of your strengths. It harbors individuals with the corruption of power, abuse, and manipulators; hence he describes a concept of “evil.” The world of Anarres fits the theory of Odo, “to make a this, make an owner; to create crime, create laws.” (Le Guin, 113)

Shevek explains to his Urrasti associate that in Anarres, no one has to rob or to kill so that they can have something. If anyone needed anything, they could get it at the depository.

In Anarres, there is no discrimination. Women are equal to men in all ways. All forms of relationships were accepted freely, including homosexuality. She contrasts this argument with Urras, women are viewed as inferior to their male counterparts, and the concept of heterosexuality is the prevailing norm. Therefore, the act of homosexuality or feminism is an act of deviance. Among the Anarresti, the holistic embedment of their collective being is their central art contrary to the profit-driven nature of art in Urras.

It is evident in the novel of its preference. The anarchist society can be faced with its challenge of political conviction. Despite the challenges of an imperfect world, human society can exist harmoniously with another. The authors try to bring an opinion of a better community apart from the capitalist, which is oppressive and exploitive. Hence, she comes up with the Anarres to represent a Utopia, as her hope for a perfect future.

References

Mongaya, K. (2012, December 10). Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed: Anarres as Description of the Communist Future. Retrieved from http://www.karlomongaya.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/ursula-le-guins-the-dispossed-anarres-as-description-of-the-communist-future/

Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Dispossessed.” Urras vs. Anarres. (2018, May 23). Retrieved from GradesFixer: http://www.gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/ursula-k-le-guins-the-dispossessed-urras-vs-anarres/