The Word for World is Forest

The Word for World is Forest is a science fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1976 and based on a 1972 novella. It details an early effort by the people of Earth to expand into a galaxy loosely tied together by the Ekumen). The Terrans establish a logging colony and military base named "New Tahiti" on a tree-covered planet whose furry, big-eyed inhabitants have formed a culture centered on lucid dreaming. Terran greed spirals around native innocence and wisdom, turning the ancient society upside down.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - Novel - Ursula K. Le Guin - 1976 - 1972 - Ekumen - Lucid dreaming

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Colonists from Earth take over a planet that the locals call Athshea, which means "forest," rather than "dirt," like their home planet. They follow the 19th century model of colonization: cutting down trees, planting farms, building mines, and enslaving indigenous peoples. The natives are ill equipped to comprehend this, since they've never considered cutting the world down, and have no cultural precedent for tyranny, slavery, or war. The invaders take the land of these tiny forest people without any resistance.

Related Topics:
19th century - Colonization

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Their innocent, ingrained obedience and the fact that they never seem to sleep makes them seem to be ideal slaves. But the fact is that they take a few dreamless catnaps spread throughout the day, and go into a state of lucid dreaming at will, and quite often. Their masters make no effort to understand this, and drive them harder when they catch them "daydreaming." Deprived of REM sleep, the slaves' mental and physical health deteriorates. When a tiny native woman is raped by the Terran leader, and dies of her wounds, her husband begins to dream of war.

Related Topics:
Lucid dreaming - REM

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No one had dreamed of war before, but he is able to share his dream, and sing his plans with the rest of his people. The revolution upends the Athsean culture, but succeeds in ending Terran domination. For the atrocities he has committed, the Terran leader is exiled to an island of bare rock, that had been a thriving forest village before his rule, to be given food and medicine but no human contact for the rest of his life.

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The book was a winner of the 1973 Hugo award.

Related Topics:
1973 - Hugo award

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