Shevek's time on Urras is a clear case of estrangement and criticism of our contemporary world. Shevek is bewildered by many of the things we take for granted, and this bewilderment, and the knowledge that life could be different (like on Anarres), forces us to reconsider how our world was built and why. In particular, it exposes the power systems that keep some people poor, powerless, and subjugated to others. Most impressive was Le Guin's treatment of the shopping experience, painting it as a nauseating spectacle of unnecessary overabundance.