The-Ones-Who-Walk-Away-From-Omelas

TheOnesWhoWalkAwayFromOmelasByUrsulaLeGuinVariationsonathemebyWilliamJamesWithaclamorofbellsthatsettheswallowssoaring,theFestivalofSummercametothecityOmelas,bright-toweredbythesea.Theriggingoftheboatsinharborsparkledwithflags.Inthestreetsbetweenhouseswithredroofsandpaintedwalls,betweenoldmoss-growngardensandunderavenuesoftrees,pastgreatparksandpublicbuildings,processionsmoved.Someweredecorous:oldpeopleinlongstiffrobesofmauveandgray,gravemasterworkmen,quiet,merrywomencarryingtheirbabiesandchattingastheywalked.Inotherstreetsthemusicbeatfaster,ashimmeringofgongandtambourine,andthepeoplewentdancing,theprocessionwasadance.Childrendodgedinandout,theirhighcallsrisingliketheswallows'crossingflightsoverthemusicandthesinging.Alltheprocessionswoundtowardsthenorthsideofthecity,whereonthegreatwater-meadowcalledtheGreenFieldsboysandgirls,nakedinthebrightair,withmud-stainedfeetandanklesandlong,lithearms,exercisedtheirrestivehorsesbeforetherace.Thehorsesworenogearatallbutahalterwithoutbit.Theirmaneswerebraidedwithstreamersofsilver,gold,andgreen.Theyflaredtheirnostrilsandprancedandboastedtooneanother;theywerevastlyexcited,thehorsebeingtheonlyanimalwhohasadoptedourceremoniesashisown.FarofftothenorthandwestthemountainsstooduphalfencirclingOmelasonherbay.TheairofmorningwassoclearthatthesnowstillcrowningtheEighteenPeaksburnedwithwhite-goldfireacrossthemilesofsunlitair,underthedarkblueofthesky.Therewasjustenoughwindtomakethebannersthatmarkedtheracecoursesnapandflutternowandthen.Inthesilenceofthebroadgreenmeadowsonecouldhearthemusicwindingthroughthecitystreets,fartherandnearerandeverapproaching,acheerfulfaintsweetnessoftheairthatfromtimetotimetrembledandgatheredtogetherandbrokeoutintothegreatjoyousclangingofthebells.Joyous!Howisonetotellaboutjoy?HowdescribethecitizensofOmelas?Theywerenotsimplefolk,yousee,thoughtheywerehappy.Butwedonotsaythewordsofcheermuchanymore.Allsmileshavebecomearchaic.Givenadescriptionsuchasthisonetendstomakecertainassumptions.GivenadescriptionsuchasthisonetendstolooknextfortheKing,mountedonasplendidstallionandsurroundedbyhisnobleknights,orperhapsinagoldenlitterbornebygreat-muscledslaves.Buttherewasnoking.Theydidnotuseswords,orkeepslaves.Theywerenotbarbarians,Idonotknowtherulesandlawsoftheirsociety,butIsuspectthattheyweresingularlyfew.Astheydidwithoutmonarchyandslavery,sotheyalsogotonwithoutthestockexchange,theadvertisement,thesecretpolice,andthebomb.YetIrepeatthatthesewerenotsimplefolk,notdulcetshepherds,noblesavages,blandutopians.Theywerenotlesscomplexthanus.Thetroubleisthatwehaveabadhabit,encouragedbypedantsandsophisticates,ofconsideringhappinessassomethingratherstupid.Onlypainisintellectual,onlyevilinteresting.Thisisthetreasonoftheartist:arefusaltoadmitthebanalityofevilandtheterribleboredomofpain.Ifyoucan'tlick'em,join'em.Ifithurts,repeatit.Buttopraisedespairistocondemndelight,toembraceviolenceistoloseholdofeverythingelse.Wehavealmostlosthold;wecannolongerdescribeahappyman,normakeanycelebrationofjoy.HowcanItellyouaboutthepeopleofOmelas?Theywerenotna?iveandhappychildren-thoughtheirchildrenwere,infact,happy.Theyweremature,intelligent,passionateadultswhoseliveswerenotwretched.Omiracle!ButIwishIcoulddescribeitbetter.IwishIcouldconvinceyou.Omelassoundsinmywordslikeacityinafairytale,longagoandfaraway,onceuponatime.词汇(Vocabulary)rigging(n.)['rigiŋ]:tackle，esp.thechains，ropes，etc.,usedforsupportingandworkinginthemasts，sails，yards，etc．，ofavessel索具----------------------------------------------------------------------------------decorous(adj.)['dekərəs]:characterizedbyorshowingdecorum，propriety，goodtaste，etc．有礼貌的，正派的；有教养的，高雅的----------------------------------------------------------------------------------mauve(n.)[məuv]:anyofseveralshadesordelicatepurple淡紫色----------------------------------------------------------------------------------tambourine(n.)[,tæmbə'ri:n]:ashallow，single—headedhanddrumhavingjinglingmetaldisksintherim(鼓框周围装有金属片的)铃鼓；小手鼓----------------------------------------------------------------------------------dodge(v.)[dɔdʒ]:moveortwistquicklyaside；shiftsuddenly，astoavoidablow闪开，躲闪,躲避----------------------------------------------------------------------------------lithe(adj.)[laið]:bendingeasily；flexible；supple；limber；lissome柔软的；易弯曲的----------------------------------------------------------------------------------gear(n.)[giə]:aharness马具，挽具----------------------------------------------------------------------------------halter(n.)['hɔ:ltə]:arope，cord，strap，etc．，usuallywithaheadstall．fortyingorleadingananimal；abitlessheadstall，withorwithoutaleadrope缰绳；(马)笼头----------------------------------------------------------------------------------mane(n.)[mein]:thelonghairgrowingfromthetoporsidesoftheneckofcertainanimals，asthehorse，lion，etc．(马、狮等的)鬃毛----------------------------------------------------------------------------------braid(v.)[breid]:interweavethreeormorestrandsof(hair，straw，etc．)编织(毛发、草等)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------nostril(n.)['nɔstril]:eithero