The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) | How Woke Is It?

Our VerdictHyper Woke

80%

The Left Hand of Darkness1969

In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected speech. These reviews reflect personal opinions and not statements of fact.

What We Think

An early prototype of what we’d now call a ‘woke’ science fiction novel, The Left Hand of Darkness was ahead of its time in challenging gender norms, sometimes at the cost of rich, multi-perspective storytelling. Well-written, but undeniably heavy on ideology.

Score Breakdown

Compromised:Narrative Integrity

Woke

What is this?

Le Guin’s story, while well-written, deliberately centers around androgynous characters and the deconstruction of gender roles, hard to ignore the ideological priorities at play. Identity is emphasized consistently, sometimes at the expense of organic character development or adventure.

Compromised:Cultural Foundations

Hyper Woke

What is this?

The novel’s core premise is to upend traditional views of gender, family, and even sexuality. Masculinity and femininity are both blurred and, in some readings, called into question, an explicit subversion of time-honored cultural norms.

Compromised:Ideological Monoculture

Hyper Woke

What is this?

Dissenting, traditional views on gender roles are largely sidelined. The few non-conforming perspectives are usually tinged with a sense of backwardness. There’s little room allowed for sincere debate over the world’s radical norms.

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Disclaimer: In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected as a form of free speech and freedom of expression. The reviews and commentary on this site represent personal opinions and interpretations. They are not statements of fact and should not be taken as factual claims about any individual, company, or creative work.