Blog #3

When I started reading the book, I had the assumption that the nations described in the story would be examples of utopias, ideal systems that Le Guin believed our country should follow. For example, the idea of a gender-free species of humans seemed to directly address the problems our society faces with sexism. The use of male pronouns seems to support this. However, as we delve deeper into the book, I am starting to change my thoughts. I have started to think that the nations of Gethen are actually symbols for our current world and note the problems with our world. Karhide, with a monarchy under King Argaven, seems to be a dictatorship. Tibe's speakings over the radio reminds me of propaganda used to brainwash the populace in a fascist state. Orgoreyn seems to be a communist nation, and considering the early Cold War era that the book was written in, this does not seem too implausible.