A Woman's Liberation

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Standalone story

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

Unknown Binding

About the author

Ursula K. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. She lived in Portland, Oregon.

She was known for her treatment of gender (The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems (The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways.

Reviews

[Henk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grim story on overcoming adversity and the power of reading as a catalyst to learn. Reminded me a lot of Earthseed, and again shows the brilliance of Le Guin
Ignorance defends itself savagely and illiteracy can be shrewd

The incredible brutality of slavery and the hard, ongoing work of liberation is captured impressively by Le Guin. Liberation and emancipation are not acts but actions, as the main character say: Any freedom was made, not given

We follow the protagonist her struggles, on par in grimness to The Road by Cormac McCarthy, towards the liberation of women on her home planet. 6 year old children slaves working the fields, with the pretty ones being given the name of a deceased pet. Le Guin inverts the role of master and slave, with white people working on the field and a darker complexion a sign of being an owner. Lobbed body parts and child abuse from a gruesome start of this story, set in the same world as A Man of the People and Forgiveness Day.

When the 411 assets are set free, no benign rule befalls upon them, but incredible cruelty and brutality. Even in a place owned by freed people, immigrants are being treated unfairly as uneducated labor and only reading contains some emancipating power.
The end of the story is hopeful, but this tale stuck with me longest, and is as dystopian as something from Margaret Atwood. A chilling story to ponder.

Quotes:
I wasn’t used to promises being kept

There are truths that are not useful

Any freedom was made, not given

Ignorance defends itself savagely and illiteracy can be shrewd

We are our past, though not only that.

But a key is a little thing besides the door that it opens.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

In order to really appreciate this story read "Forgiveness Day" and "A Man of the People" first.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

40 Space-acres and a Space-mule. A brisk, unapologetic exploration of slavery and the early stirrings of women's suffrage, all with a sci-fi twist.

Ursula K. Le Guin's novella A Woman's Liberation follows Rakam, a young woman born into slavery, which evolves into sexual servitude under the control of a female mistress—a unique and unsettling dynamic. Later, she is transferred to the family politically influential scion who, in a progressive and principled stance, refuses to exploit her and instead dedicates himself to liberating all his enslaved "assets." As his influence grows, opposition from anti-abolitionist forces intensifies, uncivil war breaks out, casting doubt on Rakam's freedom.

The narrative intertwines themes of the women's rights movement and the struggle for political equality, highlighting both progress and setbacks. Rakam's journey is further complicated by her deep-seated mistrust of physical intimacy, shaped by years of abuse. Moments of genuine care and tenderness become rare but poignant reliefs in her story. While the allegory may lack subtlety, A Woman's Liberation remains a powerful and skillfully crafted tale.

[Hassan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grim yet hopeful story of liberation and revolution that contends with the reality of how difficult it is for movements to truly remake society--Le Guin flexes her anthropological background here by writing a world where, like the real world, the new government often falls back upon using old systems of control.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is a companion to A Man of the People, telling the story of slavery and freedom from a woman’s point of view and filling in some of the gap years in the previous story.

This is in the Hainish universe. It takes place on Werel and Yeowe.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite from Five Ways to Forgiveness. Le Guin delivers the story in the voice of the protagonist, a woman who struggled for freedom and found a rebirth through education, teaching, and protest. I was moved throughout. The ending on a note of optimism is earned.

[Irv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting short story about the fight for women’s rights in a vaguely described intergalactic world. It started off very exciting, but the momento did not last for me. It did make me curious about the author’s more popular works though.

[kazerniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A rich and beautiful story, though quite dark due to its unflinching depiction of slavery and sexual violence. Loved the ending though.

[HB · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★