Resumo de The Left Hand Of Darkness

?The Left Hand of Darkness? tells the story of the idealistic Envoy
Genly Ai, who has been sent to the planet Gethen to convince the
natives to trade with the Ekumen ? a quasi-mystical union of planets.
He meets and ultimately befriends Estraven ? councillor to the King of
Karhide.Genly?s narration is interspersed with snippets of
Estraven?s journal, and with various anthropological and meteorological
data collected by the Envoy.The novel explores the theme of
sexuality by depicting the Gethenians as androgenous beings, except
when in kemmer ? a state of heightened arousal in which the aliens
assume a sex and in which mating takes place. The sexless nature and
altered behaviour of the Gethenians offers a sharp contrast with our
own human physicality and psychology.Present throughout are the themes of balance, and the common Le Guinnean symbol of the shadow.From
the novel?s outset Genly is drawn into the political wheelings and
dealings of the Karhiders as they compete for Shifgrethor ? loosely
translated as pride, or honour ? with their industrialised neighbouring
nation-state, Orgoreyn. When he is discovered to be ceding
territory to the Commensality of Orgoreyn ? an act that is perceived as
an affront to King Argaven?s shifgrethor ? Estraven is branded a
traitor and banished on pain of death. He flees to Orgoreyn in the hope
that his real intention ? maintaining peace on Gethen ? can be
fulfilled.Meanwhile, Genly visits the enigmatic ?Foretellers?
who predict that his mission will be successful. Having had his
overtures of intergalactic trade rejected by King Argaven, Genly
travels to Orgoreyn, where he finds that Estraven has been working
behind the scenes, attempting to convince the Commensality that Genly
is a genuine alien bringing opportunities for profit, and not merely an
insane sexual freak.However, for reasons of scepticism and
political expedience the politicians of Orgoreyn arrest Genly,
confiscate his communication device, and send him to a labour camp,
where he is alternately interrogated and forced to work in tortuous
conditions.On the verge of anonymous death, Genly is rescued by
Estraven, and they begin a treacherous journey back to Karhide across
glaciers and volcanoes with starvation always a likelihood. On the way,
Genly teaches Estraven to communicate using ?mindspeech? and the two
become friends, despite their alienness and the awkwardness caused by
Estraven?s entry into the kemmer phase. Against the odds they
survive the journey to Karhide and Genly manages to communicate with
the Ekumen. Estraven, however, is shot and killed at the border whilst
attempting to escape back to Orgoreyn. Eventually the
emissaries of the Ekumen arrive, bringing the promise of trade and
mutual advancement. Genly?s mission is accomplished, but his victory is
a hollow one. Seeking solace he returns to the home of his ally and
friend, and visits Estraven?s only child, Sorve. The story ends with
Sorve?s enthusiastic request that Genly tell him of Estraven?s death.?The
Left Hand of Darkness? remains a classic of science fiction, as it
weaves complex themes, detailed symbolism and intricate descriptions of
Gethenian culture into an intriguing and beautifully written
combination of narratives.

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