Describe the article The Lathe of Heaven.
In Chapter 8, Heather describes George as “the strongest person she had ever known, because he could not be moved away from the center.” She has realized that George is “Like a block of wood not carved” (Le Guin 96). Re-read this passage and the chapter itself. Then analyze this characterization of Orr, relating it directly to the Taoist concept of “Wu” and/or “Wu wei”. In other words, what does Heather mean and how is her view particularly significant at this moment in the novel? Note: I am NOT asking you to do any outside research on Taoism- simply consult the definitions and audio included in the Lathe of Heaven PowerPoint (included). And remember, George is not a Taoist or anything else for that matter. He has no particular faith, because if he did that would be taking a position…2. George Orr lives with contradiction of the multiplication of realities. As I noted, this is Le Guin’s tribute to Orwell’s concept of doublethink. For the most part, Orr can manage these multiple versions of reality, of dream altered history, until what point? What happens to disrupt the essential continuity Orr has been accustomed to and what effect does this have on our protagonist?
