Winter is a time for isolation.

The planet Gethen does contribute to the theme of isolation and loneliness in The Left Hand of Darkness. Just thinking of the season, Winter, it's cold, stays dark longer, and the ground is covered in snow and ice. This type of weather is not warm and inviting, just like Ai himself. Genly Ai is a very lonely character in The Left Hand of Darkness. He is an alien from another planet, which makes him a huge outcast. He has left his family and friends behind and traveled long distances to an unfamiliar environment. Us, as seniors who are getting ready to go off to college, can empathize with Ai. Leaving home, going across the country, and not knowing anyone or the area could be a very scary experience. Ai's isolation is harder because his physical appearance makes him extremely different from the Getherians. Not only are his looks different, his ideas, beliefs, and thoughts are also unlike the people on Winter. Ai's biggest challenge is his inability to be both male and female. Also, the weather on Gethen is not like Earth. Ai has experienced Earth which has four different seasons. Unlike Earth, it is constantly cold and barren on Winter much like Ai's acceptance of the Getherians. He isolates himself because he doesn't see himself as the alien; he views the Getherians as the aliens. Ai states, "Though I had been nearly two years on Winter I still far from being able to see the people of the planet through their own eyes" (12). He is there only to serve his mission, and he doesn't feel the need to establish any true relationships with others. It takes Ai a long time to realize that he can't fight Winter. He needs to learn to accept his new environment, and when he can do this, he will then be able to relate and form relationships with the people of Gethen.