\n In her works Le Guin explored humanity\u2019s darkness \u2014 and potential for redemption. The exhibit will display art installations, manuscripts, ephemera and more. <\/p>\n
On a personal level, I have a few things in common with acclaimed American author, poet and activist Ursula K. Le Guin, but the most obvious among them is the fact that I\u2019m also a Portland-based writer (who aspires to write books). Three years ago, I also became a mother, and I am now a mother of two. Looking at Le Guin\u2019s career trajectory, and the fact that she had three children between 1957 and 1964, to say this woman\u2019s quality control and output volume was impressive would be an understatement. <\/p>\n
Unlike myself (so far), Le Guin was a genius writer, artist and thinker who loved exploring the big questions through storytelling, not necessarily with the purpose of answering them herself, but for the characters to feel out, and for the reader to ponder. During her life, Le Guin wrote 21 novels, 11 volumes of short stories, 12 children\u2019s books (please see the popular picture book \u201cCatwings\u201d), four collections of essays, six volumes of poetry, and four of translation, including the Chinese classic text Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching. Whether taking notes as a writer, reader, thinker or mother, there is still a breadth of knowledge and wisdom to glean from Le Guin\u2019s work, her words and her life.<\/p>\n
With curation led by her son, literary executor Theo Downes-Le Guin, the upcoming exhibit \u201cA Larger Reality: Ursula K. Le Guin,\u201d will include art installations, audio, video, manuscripts, ephemera, archival photos and interactive experiences. Opening on Halloween at Oregon Contemporary, the exhibit includes contributions from a bevy of others who knew the author or her work well. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s also an accompanying book, \u201cA Larger Reality,\u201d a compilation of poems, stories, essays, talks and illustrations by Le Guin. The Oregon Contemporary website mentions \u201cplaces to lean back and unwind, and places to lean in and engage,\u201d offering different levels of engagement for both fans and Le Guin novices.<\/p>\n
Brought up in Berkeley, California, in what she calls an unusual, highly intellectual household, Le Guin was exposed to folks from various cultures, religions and walks of life. This helped Le Guin cultivate an ever-expanding understanding that there are a multitude of ways and different types of societies in which humans can live. That understanding informed her ability to imagine, and convincingly build other worlds and cultures. <\/p>\n
In 1959, LeGuin and her husband, Charles, moved to Portland, where they would live for the rest of their lives. It is somewhat encouraging to realize that the prolific Le Guin was 37 (my current age), when she wrote her first published novel in 1966; and she was 39 in 1968 when she published \u201cA Wizard of Earthsea,\u201d the beginning of her genre-defining Earthsea fantasy series, for which she became the first author to fully flesh out the \u201cmagic school for wizards\u201d idea \u2014 a first that J.K. Rowling would go on to quietly accept credit for decades later. <\/p>\n
Part of the New Wave sci-fi movement of the 1960s and 1970s, Le Guin was one of several writers whose curious, open-minded nature and strong sense of morality pushed the genre in a new direction, often exploring themes of power and identity. Many also credit Le Guin\u2019s influence for the popularity and general prevalence of socially conscious themes in her genre, as well as for playing a big part in breaking down the walls of fiction\u2019s subgenres. Having become famous for her works of speculative fiction, science fiction and fantasy, Le Guin could never be put in a box. <\/p>\n
Though Le Guin passed away in 2018, we \u2014 Portlanders, Oregonians, writers, artists, fans, thinkers and world citizens \u2014 can and should look to her legacy, continually revisit her wise words and follow her profound example.<\/p>\n
Balance, baby<\/p>\n
A voracious reader of topics like non-violent resistance, pacifist anarchism, feminism and philosophical Taoism, Le Guin was drawn to anarchists who focus on mutuality, interdependence and solidarity. She was fascinated by the idea of a world free of hierarchy and oppression, in which freely associating individuals worked together for the greater good. In general, these ideas came through in themes about identity, power and the consequences of violence; and in \u201cEarthsea,\u201d balance and equilibrium as it relates to Taoist principles.<\/p>\n
In addition to \u201cA Wizard of Earthsea\u201d (1968), among Le Guin\u2019s most remarkable works are \u201cThe Left Hand of Darkness\u201d (1969), a Hainish universe story way ahead of its time in terms of gender fluidity that explored themes of gender, sexuality and the limitations of gender roles via a fictional planet where humans have no fixed sex. (The book won both the Hugo and the Nebula Awards for best novel, making Le Guin the first woman to win them.) \u201cThe Lathe of Heaven\u201d (1971) is about a man whose dreams have the power to alter the past and present reality; and \u201cThe Dispossessed\u201d (1974) criticized established social structures and considered the potential for a genuinely free and utopian anarchist society. <\/p>\n
Inspired by Le Guin\u2019s anger over the Vietnam War, and exploring themes of colonialism and militarism, her 1973 book, \u201cThe Word for World Is Forest,\u201d is widely thought to be one of the major sources of inspiration for the film Avatar, which Le Guin once said completely flipped around the message and the spirit of her book. Both tackle human colonialism of an alien planet, resource exploitation and the oppression of an Indigenous community. Her short story, \u201cThe Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,\u201d depicts a utopian society in the city of Omelas, whose entire well-being and success is wholly dependent upon the pain and misery of one child. <\/p>\n
She also wrote about the craft of writing in \u201cSteering the Craft,\u201d and she was adamant about supporting independent bookstores. While accepting the National Book Foundation\u2019s Medal for Distinguished Contribution in American Letters at the 2014 National Book Awards<\/a>, Le Guin continued her lifelong career of calling out harmful power structures, criticizing Amazon and the control it exerted over the publishing industry, specifically referencing Amazon\u2019s treatment of the Hachette Book Group during a dispute over e-book publication.<\/p>\n Feminism<\/p>\n Le Guin advocated for women writers to \u201chave it all,\u201d and not feel like they have to choose between career and family \u2014 also realistically noting that it\u2019s not possible and unadvisable for one person to do two full-time jobs, but absolutely possible for two people to do three full-time jobs. Le Guin\u2019s writing schedule was certainly constrained when her children were young; she began publishing her groundbreaking book series when her children were 4, 9 and 11. <\/p>\n As in her 1978 novel \u201cThe Eye of the Heron,\u201d Le Guin\u2019s career and activism consistently centered on women\u2019s realities, issues affecting marginalized communities and re-evaluating harmful power structures \u2014 like confronting the societal burden placed on women and mothers balancing career and family life. As in \u201cThe Fisherwoman\u2019s Daughter\u201d essay from her book \u201cDancing at the Edge of the World,\u201d a collection of talks, essays and book\/movie reviews from 1989.<\/p>\n In the 1970s and 1980s, it was uncommon to read a portrayal of motherhood from the mother\u2019s perspective \u2014 let alone a sci-fi story written by a woman. Strikingly, the children in Le Guin\u2019s stories are often represented as full human beings, with motherhood often depicted as a joyful and meaningful role, as opposed to portraying children as weighty, burdensome, life-sucking offspring. <\/p>\n During a 17-year hiatus from the \u201cEarthsea\u201d series, Le Guin became increasingly influenced by feminist literary criticism \u2014 a period in which Le Guin once said she \u201clearned how to be a feminist,\u201d and started to write like a woman instead of an \u201chonorary man,\u201d and stopped subconsciously imitating the masculine writing style that was so prominent at the time. Le Guin revisited her \u201cEarthsea\u201d series in \u201cTehanu\u201d (1990), the fourth book in the series, and challenged some of its ideas. Notably, the fourth installment directly confronts and critiques the patriarchal world established in the earlier \u201cEarthsea\u201d books, where men hold all the magic and power. In Earthsea\u2019s male-dominated society, the \u201cwomen\u2019s work\u201d of homemaking, healing and rearing children is dismissed and devalued as insignificant. The magic of witches like Le Guin\u2019s Moss character is seen as inferior to the high magic of the male wizards. In \u201cTehanu,\u201d Le Guin deliberately elevates these domestic and marginalized artforms to show their importance. <\/p>\n Garnering Le Guin her third Nebula Award for Best Novel, the book shifts the concept of power away from the grandiose, masculine demonstrations of magic and moves to focus on the quiet, powerful strength of everyday domestic life. The main character, Tenar, finds empowerment from her role as a mother and nurturer, rejecting the path of a powerful mage to instead live a simple but thoroughly fulfilling life. <\/p>\n In the last decade of her life, Le Guin voiced her disenchantment with the modern feminist movement on more than one occasion, specifically criticizing the trend of stories repeatedly creating cookie-cutter female versions of male heroes; strong fighting sheroes who act, think and talk just like their male counterparts, right down to the sci-fi trope that violence solves problems.<\/p>\n She repeatedly acknowledged how formative and validating the women\u2019s movement of the 1960s and 1970s was for her development as a writer and a feminist, helping her learn to honor and write from her own perspective and life experience. When asked during a 2015 talk if she believed there had been progress toward making more room for feminine voices in a largely male-dominated genre, Le Guin answered in the affirmative, though she added that it\u2019s more complicated than that. <\/p>\n \u201cOf course, it\u2019s not just the woman\u2019s voice that\u2019s missing,\u201d she said. \u201cWomen are\u2026 probably the largest part of the voices that have not been heard, and generally speaking, that\u2019s not just women but all kinds of other genders. And in white America, in white Europe, people of color\u2026 in a sense it\u2019s the unheard voices. If we are going to get anywhere, we really have to start listening to the voices that we have not listened to because I have to say that the dominant European, white imperial voice has gotten us to where we are and it\u2019s not a very good place to be right now.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cEarthsea\u201d was initially written for teenagers but ultimately became a lasting example of how Le Guin\u2019s writing has the ability to resonate with readers of all ages.<\/p>\n Her vast catalog of texts stands the test of time, and will, no doubt, continue to ignite imaginations and inspire minds for generations to come. As a fellow writer, I could also listen to her, speak, read and answer random audience questions all day. And it appears I\u2019m not the only one. On YouTube, countless of the late Le Guin\u2019s book talks abound, and typically see her reading passages from her most popular books to sold out, swooning audiences, then fielding myriad questions from aspiring writers, students and sci-fi fans. They ask Le Guin about everything from creativity and her personal writing process, to where she gets her inspiration and story ideas, to what she makes of this present cultural, existential moment on our planet. Even when the questions are basic, Le Guin\u2019s responses are always measured, thought-provoking and brimming with compassion. And indeed, Le Guin prioritized connection with her avid readership. In 2010, she started a blog, where she offers practical nuggets of advice that are still painfully relevant, from her musings on politics, American life, art and more. In a blog from February 2017, Le Guin compared the rise of President Donald Trump to Reagan\u2019s mastery of television \u2014 and the subsequent obfuscation of our news media into a 24\/7 entertainment machine.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he does something weird (which he does constantly in order to keep media attention on him), look not at him but at the people whom his irresponsible acts or words affect \u2014 the Republicans who try to collaborate with him (like collaborating with a loose cannon), the Democrats and Government employees he bullies, the statesmen from friendly countries he offends, the ordinary people he uses, insults, and hurts,\u201d she wrote. \u201cLook away from him, and at the people who are working desperately to save what they can save of our Republic and our hope of avoiding nuclear catastrophe. Look away from him, and at reality, and things begin to get back into proportion. I honestly believe the best thing to do is turn whatever it is OFF whenever he\u2019s on it, in any way. He is entirely a creature of the media. He is a media golem. If you take the camera and mike off him, if you take your attention off him, nothing is left \u2014 mud.\u201d<\/p>\n Portland\u2019s obsession with its favorite American author is basically set in stone, and Le Guin is pretty much literary royalty \u2014 her spirit continues to live on in a multitude of ways. One exciting way: Literary Arts is working and fundraising to honor Le Guin by preserving the Portland home where she lived and worked for more than 50 years, and converting it to a residency program where diverse cohorts of writers can have dedicated time and a serene space to work \u2014 something the author emphasized is vital to aspiring writers who are parents, particularly mothers. <\/p>\n Arguably the most important and influential science fiction writer of all time, and one of Oregon\u2019s best-known artists, Ursula K. Le Guin is beloved for her distinctly poetic writing style, epic versatility, ethical prowess, defying expectations, rule breaking and undying obsession with mastering language. When she was alive, Le Guin always seemed so present, thoughtful and refreshingly authentic. Gone, she left so much treasure behind to discover.<\/p>\n A Larger Reality will be at Oregon Contemporary from Oct. 31 through Feb. 8. www.oregoncontemporary.org\/a-larger-reality<\/a><\/p>\n Street Roots is an award-winning\u00a0weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. The newspaper\u00a0is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and\/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity.\u00a0Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and\u00a0is a part of the Street Roots organization.\u00a0Learn more about Street Roots<\/a>.\u00a0Support your community newspaper\u00a0by\u00a0making a one-time or recurring gift today<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a9 2025\u00a0Street Roots. All rights reserved.\u00a0 |\u00a0To request permission to reuse content, email\u00a0editor@streetroots.org<\/a>\u00a0or call\u00a0503-228-5657<\/a>, ext. 40. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In her works Le Guin explored humanity\u2019s darkness \u2014 and potential for redemption. 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Le Guin was not a social media user, though she did read and respond to her own email, and even answered her own phone. In the years since his mother\u2019s 2018 death, Downes-Le Guin has been sharing some of his mother\u2019s work, words and legacy on social media, and he\u2019s warned there will come a time when Le Guin\u2019s social media accounts will cease. However, a couple weeks before the exhibition, Downes-Le Guin also announced the launch of a new Ursula K. Le Guin newsletter. <\/p>\n