Just ordered the book...can't wait to get into the forum.

I just read the first chapter so here goes!

As far as color, I think Le Guin uses it to enhance the theme of duality, in sexuality, personality, as well as the social aspect. Instead of using purple, the most common color used for royalty, she surrounds Argaven in red and Estraven mentions several times that he doesn't consider the king sane, nor thinking in the way of a rational man, but as the the necessary mouthpiece for a country. However, the king wears yellow during the parade (a very happy energized color) but his living quarters are in red, as is the city he rules over. Perhaps Le Guin means Argaven to be a fairly optimistic character with secretly optimistic hopes for his future and that of his people, but the his house and his city (perhaps his country?) is surrounded in red (which I used with her reference to the blood in the joints, and therefore I see the city being severe and bound to it's traditions and past). Although he wishes to change, maybe the weight of tradition makes him hesitate?

I know I'm overreading into everything and making alot of obvious

Tibe is heavily associated with yellow, which I personally associate with energy, but it's focused on his teeth, signifinying uncleanliness. I would take that to show Tibe as heavily motivated, but in a weasly, negative way. He smiles often, flashing his teeth as a predator would do. He is obviously unsincere with his gestures, such as his dialogue with Estraven at the parade, and mentioning to Ai that he "intended" to give him a ride, but withdrawing the gesture in the same sentance. He practically yells at everyone that he intends to stab them in the back, without remorse, and with lots of secret humour for himself.

That Ai perceives several exchanges concerning Estraven as "feminine", when they might simply be subtle, intrigued me. I thought, as an ethnologist, Ai might not catergorize things in such a stereotypical way. But then I remember he'd been on the planet for two years. Perhaps when he first arrived he tried to see it without prejudice, but is now growing weary and resorting to stereotypes to simply make things easier. Perhaps he is viewing feminine overtures more significantly in the men of this planet than that of his own because he knows that they have the potential to be fully female. Maybe at this point the androgynous nature of the people of this planet unsettles him so much he is clinging to any signal of a defined sexuality.

I know I'm overreading everything and making alot of obvious statements, but this is the first book discussion I've ever had! Lol, I appologize if I went on alot of unrelated tangents!

3amd5.Royo wrote:I just read the first chapter so here goes!

As far as color, I think Le Guin uses it to enhance the theme of duality, in sexuality, personality, as well as the social aspect. Instead of using purple, the most common color used for royalty, she surrounds Argaven in red and Estraven mentions several times that he doesn't consider the king sane, nor thinking in the way of a rational man, but as the the necessary mouthpiece for a country. However, the king wears yellow during the parade (a very happy energized color) but his living quarters are in red, as is the city he rules over. Perhaps Le Guin means Argaven to be a fairly optimistic character with secretly optimistic hopes for his future and that of his people, but the his house and his city (perhaps his country?) is surrounded in red (which I used with her reference to the blood in the joints, and therefore I see the city being severe and bound to it's traditions and past). Although he wishes to change, maybe the weight of tradition makes him hesitate?

I know I'm overreading into everything and making alot of obvious

Tibe is heavily associated with yellow, which I personally associate with energy, but it's focused on his teeth, signifinying uncleanliness. I would take that to show Tibe as heavily motivated, but in a weasly, negative way. He smiles often, flashing his teeth as a predator would do. He is obviously unsincere with his gestures, such as his dialogue with Estraven at the parade, and mentioning to Ai that he "intended" to give him a ride, but withdrawing the gesture in the same sentance. He practically yells at everyone that he intends to stab them in the back, without remorse, and with lots of secret humour for himself.

That Ai perceives several exchanges concerning Estraven as "feminine", when they might simply be subtle, intrigued me. I thought, as an ethnologist, Ai might not catergorize things in such a stereotypical way. But then I remember he'd been on the planet for two years. Perhaps when he first arrived he tried to see it without prejudice, but is now growing weary and resorting to stereotypes to simply make things easier. Perhaps he is viewing feminine overtures more significantly in the men of this planet than that of his own because he knows that they have the potential to be fully female. Maybe at this point the androgynous nature of the people of this planet unsettles him so much he is clinging to any signal of a defined sexuality.

I know I'm overreading everything and making alot of obvious statements, but this is the first book discussion I've ever had! Lol, I appologize if I went on alot of unrelated tangents!

I like the way you've noticed color as playing a large role. I didn't look at it that way, so this concept is fresh and interesting. I also think it would be helpful for you to know that yellow is often associated with cowards, or as being cowardly. So maybe Tibe is described in so much yellow because he is cowardly, and I think we see that in the conniving, backstabbing kind of ways in which he tries to take control of the throne. Maybe that sheds some new light for you? I hope it does, and I really do find your color read of the book to be new and fascinating. Keep reading!

Edit: Sorry, now that I read a few of the posts above you (I was behind in this thread, yikes!), I see that you didn't introduce the color idea, but I like that you were looking for it and what you took from it. So don't be discouraged that I miscredited you with a good idea, because you still put forth great ideas.