Conflict Between the Real and Unreal in Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea – A Study

Abstract

Ursula K. Le Guin's first novel in the series of the Earthsea Cycle deals with the evolution of Ged as a great wizard in his career as a novice in his education to become a wizard, he makes a trial and error on many occasions. In his early period of education as a wizard, he makes an error pronouncing a spell of creating an unreal being called Shadow. This shadow has no concrete figure, form and identity. Yet it follows Ged and attacks him. Thus, a Conflict between Ged as real and Shadow as unreal develops. Ged, who always runs away from shadow in fear, faces Shadow face to face on the advice of his friend Vetch and discovers that he is not weaker than Shadow. On the last encounter, Ged pronounces the name of ‘Ged’ as it is the name of Shadow, Shadow merges With Ged. The conflict between Real and Unreal is resolved in the merging of the Unreal with Real. The novelist has employed fantasy of various kinds to convey the Wisdom that unreal does not come exists on its own, but it is a creation of Real only. The conflict can be resolved in not running away from the un real but embracing the unreal with real.