I just finished “Left Hand of Darkness”, and I have many thoughts about false divisions and dichotomies, patriarchy, and trans/non-binary issues. But I think it was a love story between >!Genly Ai and Therem Harth ren ir Estraven!<.
A common theme of the novel is that two things that appear separate, even opposite, are really two halves of one whole. Hell, the title is a reference to a Gethenian psalm about how you can’t have light without darkness, a perfect metaphor for the Gethenians themselves… and for >!Genly and Estraven, who start off as so inscrutable to each other to consider themselves antagonists. But over the course of the story, they become so dependent on each other, respectful of their differences, even friends so close as to seem like lovers from an outside perspective.!<
Another false dichotomy: friend vs lover.
>!Genly even feels the need to comment on it in his narration, stating that while they never laid with each other, his feelings for Estraven can only be described as love!<
What do you think?
by corran450
3 Comments
I mean…what is love?
I don’t think you’re wrong at all. The book gave me enough for me to also feel this way, it’s very clearly intentional in some aspects. Or at least it totes that line between intimacy and sexuality, and what a difference in gender can affect.
The back of my copy mentions love as a theme in the synopsis.