The Left Hand of Darkness: Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis

Ai resumes his report. He has spent the summer more as an Investigator than a Mobile, gathering information and learning about the culture. He notes that in his early days as Mobile he was a “marvel and monstrosity,” and appreciates the ability to blend in more easily. The people he meets are generally warm and welcoming. In Karhide strangers are not your enemy—threats come instead from your neighbors.

Ai observes that very little in Gethen has changed in thousands of years. They are in a Machine Age, but have had no true Industrial Revolution. Gethen has developed much more slowly than Terra, but in its steady development it has avoided environmental or societal disaster. Ai suspects that the planet itself is so unforgiving that it discourages risky and rushed behavior.    

Ai hears on the radio that Argaven is pregnant. He finds it funny because he had seen Argaven as a man. People in Karhide also find it funny, but because they think Argaven too old to have a child. 

Ai realizes, as he travels, that Karhide is a disjointed nation, made up of “pseudo-feudal tribal economic units,” or small aggressive towns, often united by blood ties.

Ai returns to Erhenrang, where he now feels unsafe. Argaven has taken time off for his pregnancy, and Tibe is in charge in the interim. While Argaven was insane and fearful, his political cabinet did good work. Tibe, in contrast, is insane and logical, capable of doing great harm.  Ai notices Tibe speaks on the radio much more than Estraven ever did. He talks about pride of country, but not shifgrethor, or personal pride and honor. This seems to be intentional, forcing listeners to become fearful and angry on Karhide’s behalf. He frequently discusses the Sinoth Valley conflict, referring to Karhidish farmers as “true patriots,” and discussing his plans to escalate the violence. 

Tibe also talks about Truth, and claims to be “cutting down beneath the veneer of civilization.” Ai sees this as dangerous—the implication being that primitiveness is the opposite of civilization, and that civilization is artificial and unnatural. He believes the two to exist on a spectrum, with the true opposite of civilization being war.

Orgoreyn has, in the past few centuries, achieved material stability, which allowed it to centralize its government and build up its power. Karhide now has the opportunity to do the same thing, having “got a little ahead of Nature.” Ai sees that Tibe wants to unite Karhide into a nation. He can mobilize it either through a new religion, which isn’t available, or war, which is.

Ai informs Tibe of his question to the Foretellers, to no response. He then goes to the Orgota Embassy and requests to enter Orgoreyn. Ai is excited to leave Karhide. He feels less welcome than he did earlier in his mission, less like a sideshow and more like a political suspect.

One evening Ashe comes to visit Ai. He introduces himself as “a friend of one who befriended you.” Ai assumes he’s referring to Faxe, but Ashe is referring to Estraven. Ashe can see Ai has no feelings of friendship towards Estraven, and becomes angry. He is playing shifgrethor but Ai is not, which offends him. Ashe feels he has made a mistake in coming to Ai and tries to leave, but Ai catches him.   

Ashe wonders bitterly if Ai feels himself in debt to Estraven, who was exiled partially because of his support for Ai’s mission. Ai explains that his mission “overrides all personal debts and loyalties,” which causes Ashe to argue that it is therefore “an immoral mission.” Ai is taken aback. He concedes, “the shortcomings are in the messenger, not the message,” and encourages Ashe to speak his mind.

Ashe wants Ai to take money to Estraven, since Ai has no political ties and cannot be punished for it. Ashe, however, feels he has misjudged and forgotten that Ai does in fact have his own (interplanetary) politics.

Ai agrees to take the money, and Ashe is overcome with emotion, crying easily. He tells Ai he was Estraven’s kemmering, which surprises Ai. Ashe makes a gesture of friendship to Ai (one that Ai notes is not made lightly) and wishes him luck. 

Two days later, Ai leaves for Orgoreyn. Some higher-up has expedited the immigration process. Ai walks to the border, relying on the hospitality of Karhidish townsfolk, who by code must provide three days of lodging, but will often happily provide more. Ai feels warmly towards Karhide, a land he found “indifferent to the Envoy, so gentle to the stranger.” He is nervous to leave and begin again in a new nation.

At the border, the Karhidish bridge-keeper happily lets Ai cross, whereas the Orgota Inspector reviews his documents for hours. His passport is eventually taken for further inspection and Ai is sent to a Commensal Transient-House for the night.

Ai is taken to a Commensal and fed. Everyone else is already sleeping and he goes to bed as well. He wakes up to an attack upon the village. He manages to escape his boarding house with his papers and his pack, which luckily holds a change of clothes and the rubies he’s used as money. Ai joins a crowd of people evacuating their smoking hometown. Orgota guards eventually stop the group. They separate out those without papers, including Ai, who has no passport. This group is locked in a cold, lightless storage barn for the night. Ai is surprised by the compliance of the men locked in with him, who were first attacked and driven out of their homes, and then imprisoned by their own government.

In the morning the group is let out into the sunlight, but Ai is singled out by an official who knows his 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 as a “distinguished person.” They help get him a new passport and send him on his way to Mishnory.

On the radio Ai is happy to hear calm announcements about the weather and the economy, worlds away from Tibe’s ranting. He is happy to be out of Karhide, which he now considers “an incoherent” and irrational land. It takes Ai two days to reach Mishnory. During his travels he notes that the Orgota seem incurious, a welcome change from Karhide’s passionate people. Arriving finally in Mishonry, even the architecture makes Ai feel as though he has “come out of a dark age.”

Ai is greeted in Mishnory by Commissioner Shusgis. Shusgis also recognizes Ai as Envoy, the first in Orgota to acknowledge his origin. Ai suspects Karhide has kept his presence as a national secret. Shusgis reveals he expected Ai to look like a monster, tall and dark, but was surprised to find Ai looked almost Gethenian. 

As they talk and tour his home, Shusgis tells Ai that Karhide was afraid of him, and afraid that if they mishandled him there would be celestial retribution. Shusgis professes he is not afraid of Ai or his mission. He is ready to introduce Ai to various people who are interested in him and his goal. 

Ai is given new clothing, and driven to his first dinner. There are almost thirty guests at the dinner, but Ai is the center of attention. He believes the government officials want to use or manipulate him in some way, but he is not sure what they plan to do. It is considered rude in Gethen to talk politics over dinner and so Ai remains in the dark as to the meeting’s purpose, talking instead with Obsle about life on his home planet, Terra, and the wider universe.

Obsle is distracted and turns away to another conversation. At this point Ai looks to his right, where he realizes Estraven is sitting. Ai remarks he is surprised to see him, and tells Estraven he has money for him from Ashe. Ai has no desire to talk to him further, and feels Estraven doesn’t want to talk to him. He becomes unhappy as he realizes Estraven has summoned him to Orgoreyn.