In The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin uses the duality of light and darkness as one of her main tools to show that each one is equally important. A lot of the things that Le Guin talks about in her book have some type of opposite, which is extremely similar to duality. Her use of light and dark is significant because it shows her audience how two completely different things are very much alike. Le Guin takes light and darkness to another level that is incredibly different from the perception that society has of the two. Le Guin uses light and darkness as one of the tools of duality to show that they are each needed in order to form the perfect union.

The Left Hand of Darkness is set in Gethen, a tremendously cold planet. Here in Gethen, gender differs greatly than it does on earth. Gethians are neither looked upon as males or females when first encountered. The gender of one depends upon which role they take while in kemmer. Kemmer is a part their sexual cycle which generally lasts for 26 to 28 days. After two partners who are both in kemmer interact with each other, their sexuality will come into play depending how their hormones generate. In Gethen they do not

Society seems to still categorize everything in black and white, where white is good and dark is bad. Critics of this work have examined some concepts and feel as though, “this novel employs cultural diversity by valuing difference, specifically the difference between darkness and light (Peel, 454). In regards to the diversity that this novel contains, I feel that there is a lot of it. One of the major values shown through the novel is the acceptance of others. Readers of this story are encouraged into admiring the characters who distinguish nothing but difference from one another. A lot of times society looks at light as being good, life and sometimes happiness; as to where darkness 9is sometimes seen as bad, death or sadness. Le Guin uses duality as a tool in order to show the importance of how both light and darkness are needed in order for the other to function properly. Le Guin uses the two in order to show her readers how there can’t be one without the other. To get a better idea of what she is trying to get across, she shows her comparison of light and darkness by trying to keep the two grouped together a lot of the time. One of Le Guin’s clearest comparisons of light and dark is when Genli Ai says,

(Le Guin, 233). In this phrase the author shows how both are equally important. Le Guins message is that where there is light there is darkness.

The main idea of duality that Le Guin uses to get her message across to the reader is the difference between Genli Ai and Estraven. These two characters are two totally different people who are from two different worlds with different beliefs. The thing that makes these two survive is the help of each other and it shows the reader how one is no better than the other. The duality is that one is the lightness while the other is the darkness and they are both exceptionally important.

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