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The Thirty-Three
A difficult-to-translate Orgota word, which comes from a word meaning “to eat together.” It refers to the governing body of Orgoreyn, the Heads of District that make up the governing body, and the citizens of Orgoreyn. It refers variously to both the whole (Orgoreyn) and its component parts.
Commensal Quotes in The Left Hand of Darkness
The The Left Hand of Darkness quotes below are all either spoken by Commensal or refer to Commensal. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 10 Quotes
Obsle, speaking to persuade others, had said, “Either Karhide will fear the strength this alliance will give us—and Karhide is always afraid of new ways and new ideas, remember—and so will hang back and be left behind. Or else the Erhenrang Government will get up their courage and come and ask to join, after us, in second place. In either case the shifgrethor of Karhide will be diminished; and in either case, we drive the sledge. If we have the wits to take this advantage now, it will be a permanent advantage and a certain one!” Then turning to me, “But the Ekumen must be willing to help us, Mr. Ai. We have got to have more to show our people than you alone, one man, already known in Erhenrang.”
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After Genly Ai leaves Karhide for Orgoreyn, he becomes involved with the Orgota government. Some officials believe that he is really an alien and are enthusiastic about helping him with his mission, but their motivation seems to be primarily linked to their desire to improve Orgoreyn’s status relative to Karhide’s. Although Ai’s mission is not political, the Orgota Commensals see him as a political tool to be manipulated in their centuries-long conflict with Karhide. Ai’s offers of interstellar trade and vast archives knowledge from many corners of the universe do not interest Obsle and his compatriots. Although they do not Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. V
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Commensal Term Timeline in The Left Hand of Darkness
The timeline below shows where the term Commensal appears in The Left Hand of Darkness. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 6
...the Orgota government, who come the next day to collect him from his boarding house. Commensal Yegey takes Estraven in as his secretary, which makes him a dependent—a term he dislikes,...
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Estraven continues to praise Ai to the Commensals. He wonders, “How shall we deal with strangers, except as brothers?” and adds that if...
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Chapter 8
...hours. His passport is eventually taken for further inspection and Ai is sent to a Commensal Transient-House for the night.
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Ai is taken to a Commensal and fed. Everyone else is already sleeping and he goes to bed as well. He...
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...name. He is relieved to be “named, known, recognized.” He is taken to the Local Commensal Farm Centrality, which is filled with Inspectors who recognize him not as the Envoy, but...
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Chapter 13
...small room. When a guard enters, Ai asks if he can send word to the Commensal, but is informed the Commensal is already aware of his arrest, and the guards are...
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Chapter 20
...governments of Orgoreyn and Karhide have fallen. In Orgoreyn this means a new group of Commensals has replaced the old, and the Open Trade faction eventually takes over. In Karhide this...
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...the Ekumen. Argaven is also happy Ai has made “liars” and “fools” of the Orgota Commensals. Ai reminds him that both Orgoreyn and Karhide will soon be allies of the Ekumen,...
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