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In the story, Omelas is a city of happiness and delight, whose inhabitants are intelligent, cultured and refined. Everything about Omelas is pleasing, except for the secret of its happiness: the good fortune of Omelas requires that an unfortunate child be kept in filth, darkness and misery.
The title describes the reaction of some of the city´s inhabitants to this state of affairs.
Ms. Le Guin hit upon the name of the town on seeing a road sign for Salem, Oregon, in a car mirror.
See also: scapegoat, the problem of evil
Fictional towns and cities