The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas

I’m not really sure how I feel about this story.  I was a little confused so I read it again. It is a story of a Utopian Society that’s almost fairy tale of just happiness and beauty but it’s flawed. This society whose survival depends on the existence of a child who is locked away mistreated and in misery. Even though all the citizens of Omelas are aware of the child’s situation, most of them accept that their happiness is depended upon the child. However, for some of the people after seeing the child and the conditions under which he or she lives, they leave Omeals. I noticed symbolism and Figurative description. The narrative also stops using past tense and switches conditional: “I think that there would be no cars or helicopters in and above the streets.” I find that moral plays a big part in this story.

Is there a symbolism of Christ in this story? I know that one man, Jesus suffered so that we might have life, live a prosperous life. If the child had a choice to free its self, what would he or she decide you think? 

I thought I would focus a little on the actual title “ the ones who walked away”. The narrator tells us that “the terrible justice of reality” is that this child has been so damaged by it environment that freedom would be probably be meaningless. But there are some who cannot accept the rationalization and the treatment of the child. These are the ones who walk away. So what do we think of those that walk away? Do we admire or take pity? Do they have enough morals to separate themselves from the inhumane treatment, but not enough courage to resist?