The opening chapter of Le Guin's novel follows the mind of Captain Davidson, and with that comes a highly subjective view of the new world. The focus is on humanity and human conquest, and the beauty that the world holds is hidden behind the dark mind of a killer. He describes the deer as "great creatures," marveling at their "crown of narrow golden antlers," yet quickly follows with "the finest game animal imaginable (p. 14)." Everything is spoken from the perspective of a conqueror: the inhabitants are slaves, the women are breeding stock, and the creatures are meant for sport. The only thing he describes as truly wondrous is the ship which arrives from home, a ship of metal, a thing of no natural beauty.
As the narrator switches from Davidson to the author of the story, the world abruptly changes. The first words, not dialogue or from Davidson's mind, invoke an image of peace and tranquility, in sharp contrast to the war-torn scene he leaves behind. "The sea under him was grayish with twilight, and ahead of him lay the island hills, the deep-folded, many-streamed, many-leaved forests in the dusk (p. 33)." This quick change from Davidson to narrator serves two purposes. First, it contrasts the inherent beauty of the world and the ugly situation that exists between the warring peoples. Second, it shows how little the conquering humans notice or care about their surroundings, and how one-minded Captain Davidson is in particular.
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