Genly’s Reformation of His Self through Intersubjective Encounter in The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Year 2022, Volume: 20 Issue: 2, 206 - 213, 28.06.2022

Yağmur Sönmez Demir

https://doi.org/10.18026/cbayarsos.1055863

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to display the transformation in the self and identity of the protagonist Genly Ai in The Left Hand of Darkness (1969). Having spent two years on what he calls as a “damned planet”, Genly (master) has a chance to recognize the other (the slave), namely Estraven closely, thus experiences intersubjective encounter. In the framework of the Hegelian dialectic, Genly comes outside of his own self on Gethen and recognizes the other as a self consciousness that is other than himself. This process makes him transform as a person, develop an attachment to Gethen, and feel at home there. Hence, this study claims that Genly, an alien on another planet, reconstitutes his own self in three stages: journey, intersubjective encounter, and feeling at home on Gethen.

Keywords

Hegel’s intersubjectiviy, Master-slave dialectic, reformation, journey

Ursula K. Le Guin’in Karanlığın Sol Eli Eserinde Genly’nin Öznelerarası Karşılaşma ile Benlik Reformasyonu

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı Ursula K. Le Guin’in Karanlığın Sol Eli adlı eserindeki ana karakter Genly Ai’nin benliğinde ve kimlik algısındaki değişimi metin analizi yaparak göstermektir. “Lanet bir gezegen” dediği Gethen’de iki yıl geçirdikten sonra, Genly (efendi) başkasını (köleyi) yani Estraven’i daha yakından tanıma fırsatı bulur ve öznelerarası karşılaşmayı deneyimler. Hegel’in diyalektiği açısından değerlendirildiğinde, Genly kendi benliğinin dışına çıkarak başkasını da kendisinden bağımsız bir benlik olarak kabul eder. Bu süreç onun benliğinde bir değişime sebep olur, ve Gethen gezegenine bağlılık hissetmesini ve kendini orada evde hissetmesini sağlar. Bu makale, başka bir gezegende uzaylı olan Genly’nin benliğini yolculuk, öznelerarası karşılaşma, ve evde hissetme aşamalarıyla yeniden oluşturduğunu öne sürer.

Keywords

Hegel’in öznelerarası kavramı, Efendi-köle diyalektiği, yolculuk, reformasyon

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