Le Guin and Sartre's Arguments on Freedom

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Literary Analysis
Both Le Guin and Sartre argue that freedom is our responsibility and that it is up to individuals to decide what they want in relation to their perspectives. They both use two different approaches to give a clear image of this aspect of freedom. Le Guin strives to create a place with no evil by explaining how happy people in that area are. However, the happiness is then covered with joy the moment people learn the truth about the town. And this is where the concept of freedom comes in, whereby people have to choose their destinations. They can either stay in the city and embrace reality or leave and find a different place with no evil. Le Guin also states that people in that town have embraced fact and chosen to live with it. On the other hand, Sartre displays the concept of freedom by explaining how individuals are prisoners to their consciousness and actions. Sartre strives to show how individuals are afraid of judgments, and in the process, they end up hiding their true identities, thus restricting their freedom.
The image of freedom is depicted whereby Le Guin presents Omelas as the pinnacle of civilization and even calls it a perfect place. She describes the city’s citizens as “innocent” and further assures readers that Omelas is a true utopia. “As they did without monarchy and slavery.” These individuals managed to govern themselves and ensure peace and prosperity for everybody without any leadership. Le Guin acknowledges that the place does not exist in reality and that it is upon readers to use their imagination. Le Guin even strives to question the happiness in Omelas to widen readers’ perspective that freedom is what individuals decide to create for themselves. Generally, as per the context of Omelas, people seem to be carefree and happy about everything in their lives and even the city. But at the same time, they seem to lack an understanding of what contributes to their happiness.
Sartre shows us how freedom is our responsibility. In the play “no exit,” three characters find themselves in hell. Being in hell is not fun, and individuals undergo unimaginable torture. By starting the play in “hell,” the concept of responsibility is highlighted because it is the actions of individuals which determine their destination. Maybe from a different perspective, the individuals in Omelas are in heaven due to the right choices. However, Sartre’s play is about a “devouring” gaze of others and how it confines a person’s freedom. When people have freedom, they are not supposed to care what others think about them, but instead, they are supposed to embrace their true nature and be who they are. Maybe in addition to being a utopia, Omelas could also be an actual feature of freedom. Sartre notes how the characters strive to avoid the judging gazes of each other by constantly looking for mirrors. “No mirrors, I notice… they might have left me my toothbrush!” Despite being in hell, Garcin is still worried about what people will think about him. The concept revolves around but not the one depicted by Le Guin. In this case, freedom and the thoughts of individuals are restricting them from having and experiencing true freedom.
Because individuals have the freedom to select and identify their distinctive individualities, Sartre contends that human awareness differs from “inanimate objects.” Nevertheless, this liberty of choice involves comprehensive culpability for one’s engagements. Because of their uncertainty and apprehension, many individuals disregard their sovereignty and responsibilities by permitting others to determine their pronouncements for them, leading to bad faith. Maybe this is what restricts Garcin’s ability to leave the room when the door opens. He is afraid that his essence will be defined and judged by Inez, which clearly shows his inability to face the consequences of his choices to leave his homeland. His happiness is his responsibility, and because he is worried about what others will think of him, he is depriving himself of freedom. Estelle, likewise, does not believe in her existence unless she confirms it with the mirror. Estelle’s weak confidence prompts her to think of somebody else’s physical construction of her quintessence when...