Ch. 5 reminds me a lot of "Bead Women" because of the question about the meaning of life (p.60). In both stories there are negative views on the question, but it is presented differently. In "Bead Women", Beth knows the purpose of life but she is not allowed to tell people because they do not want to know and in The Left Hand of Darkness, the question is not answerable. I like the way Le Guin answers the question because it is more realistic. If they did know the meaning of life then that would mean they know everything, and what Faxe says about religion on p. 71 will be true. Everything will be facts instead of beliefs and opinions. If you know everything, what do you have to look forward to?
Although I am curious to learn about the unknown, I think it is better to leave some things a mystery. For example, if Lord Berosty rem ir Ipe (in Ch. 4) wasn’t so obsessed with finding out his death date, then maybe he would have lived longer (unless he is fated to die anyways). After reading the part about Erhenrang (p. 50) and how they keep everything at a slow pace, made me realize I don’t enjoy half the things I should. I am usually rushing from one place to another, even when I don’t have to because it is a habit. And since the people in the book are enjoying life slowly, the book is full of details and colors because they actually take to time to notice them.
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