Herland :: essays research papers

Are men seen as the problem with our society in Herland?The fiction is described as a feminist novel. Yet, this is not exactly acurate. The absence seizure of men in the utopian society may seem ut just about(prenominal) to some, and it is. This is how Gilman makes her point. She does not create a piece without men because men ar terrible creatures who have corrupted the world. The utopia which lacks men is a clean amicable place, which surpasses in almost every way the competitive societies that we live in. But, it is uncomplete the absence of men nor the presence of women that makes this to be the case. Gender, in this novel, is symbolic for the most part. Gilman does separate the two grammatical genders to destroy stereo types, plainly also to micturate a concrete difference between the two worlds. The male world is not bad, and the female good is not good. The world in which flock argon defined by others and limited is bad, while the world in which people atomic number 18 free to grow without being defined or compared to others, and are able to see the unity of every last(predicate) people is good. equivalence Herland to the real world, Gilman begins destroying gender based stereotypes. Because there are no perspicuousions of gender in Herland, nor any superficial characteristics which accompany gender, Herland women take on the roles of all people without considering any limitations. These women are strong, agile, nurturing, intelligent, cooperative, and able to rely on themselves. They are not "typical" females. As Gilman explains through the male character Van, "Those feminine charms we are so fond of are not feminine at all, but mere reflected masculinity developed to please us because they had to please us, and in no way essential to the real fulfillment of their great suffice" (p59). In the same way, stereotypes about men can be thrown and twisted up as well. Gilman shows the reader that if people stop basing their ident ities on what others want, they leave no longer be slaves to limitations. They will be free to crack their true selves and will allow others to do the same. Gilman shows readers that men and women are distinct people, but reminds us that they are people first. This can be seen when cardinal of women of Herland named Somel, questions the men by saying, "But surely there are characteristics plentiful which belong to People, arent there?