An Ironic Author

The story Herland is written from the point of view of Vandyck Jennings, one of three young men to crash land in a nation full of women. As Jennings reveals characteristics of the land and describes the strong, capable, and solely female presence that exists there, one reading would most likely believe the author is either Jennings himself or some other male who would see a land of females in such way. But as the story continues, Jennings point of view, especially in comparison to those of Terry Nicholson and Jeff Margrave, becomes extremely understanding of such a maternal and feminine way of life. After reading about the far too manly Terry and the far too kind Jeff, one realizes that Jennings himself is much to perfect of a man. Jennings describes himself through his words and the actions he takes as almost a female himself. In fact his tutor mentions the funny fact to him after his first interaction with a large group of inhabitants in the land as a somewhat "teacher" of world history.

These traits that Jennings possesses and the way in which he is able to grasp exactly what the women in the land believe and accept can be better understood by readers when you look at the front cover of the book. The author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a woman. After realizing the gender of the author the irony behind the story and the greater message Gilman is trying to get across becomes much clearer. Jennings is in fact a woman, of course not physically in appearance to his friends, but in mind he is due to his creator as a character. Gilman uses Jennings to show the medium between two strong, polar opposite personalties of males. Jennings goes on to receive the best acceptance in return from the women, becoming very popular and succeeding in a relationship with Ellador. Therefore, with Gilman using Jennings's character and his frequent successes to reveal her own thoughts and self, she portrays what she believes are the right choices and actions a man should take in society.

Women with Men

From the start of the 19th century, women in America (as well as all over the world) have struggled with their status in society in comparison to men. The issue of women's rights still exists today on a different scale through new and fitting issues. Women are often seen as inferior, which leads the opposite sex to treat them either with carelessness, unfairness, or as if they are dainty and breakable. Most prominently seen during the second great awakening, the women's suffrage movement, and again in the 1980s and 1990s, women have spoken out about the rights they believe they deserve. in most cases the rights women wish for are already available for men. For whatever reason, society and unfortunately males seem to think that women want to be treated differently for reasons such as maternity, protection, or in order to be more presentable as a lady. Women in the early 20th century would be scoffed at if they chose to act like a man or present any "male" qualities. Gender and sexuality norms were extremely common during that period, as they are today for different reasons, and any time those normalcies were pushed or stretched society would freak out. 

In Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the three men who arrive in a land populated solely by females find themselves appalled due to their being accustomed to such normalcies, since they were traveling from America themselves. For different reasons, depending on personality, each man in the story finds himself treating the strong, confident, intelligent, and capable women around them the way they would a women at home in America. The only problem is that in a land where a male presence is unknown and no gender norms exist, the women refuse to receive such treatment and indirectly treat the men that women do not need to be treated differently for any reasons. 

Terry, the most self-centered and cocky of the three men, presents the stereotypical yet truthful type of male who simply believes himself to be superior to the female due to his brutish strength and her daintiness. His treatment of Alima with such qualities leads to countless problems. Jeff, who most often has good intentions presents the type of male who unconsciously insults women by worrying over them and trying to protect them. Jeff tells Celis that she should not carry a light and simple basket because a lady shouldn't have to, a man would rather do it for her. Though the reasoning seems polite and kind, Celis explains that women are proud of their abilities and do not need men to enhance them in any way. Therefore through the difficulties in interactions between the male and female characters of Herland, Gilman gives her explanation for women's want for equality throughout history. 

Finding Differences

In Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, three men find themselves in a land full only females. Such a large difference leads them to look for and learn about as much as possible, involving the comparisons and contrasts between their home country of America and their new surroundings of Herland. The complete lack of males is the most obvious contrast that provides the protagonists with the most confusing problems. The men are so accustomed to their life and culture in America, where at the time women were very much inferior to men, that they find themselves loathing the land while also envying the culture within it. The men struggle to understand that women could create and maintain a society all on their own, and do so incredibly well. The search for flaws and though they cannot find any, they do find themselves frustrated with certain customs and actions they are forced to follow or agree to.
As I am writing this blog I am in Madrid, Spain. I am on an exchange trip that I imagined to be a relaxing and unbelievably fun vacation. I knew that I would have to think and experience the spanish culture and language but now that I´m here I have been confronted with so much more. The culture shock was enormous for me as well as everyone, and not only being in a different country during the day but living with a family that finds everything new for you to be normal can really mess with your head. I can relate to the men in Herland so easily because the Spanish lifestyle, even for someone my exact age, is so very different and in a lot of ways different negatively. For the majority of this trip I have been extremely homesick, just as the men in the book would start to feel when they had to deal with things that were very new. I have enjoyed the trips with my classmates and experiencing the cities greatest treasures more than anything, but the home life and the way of communicating with poeple my age here has been rough. Having to adopt a family you do not know and cannot understand most of the time as your own, as well as on your own is very difficult. Therefore, while reading Herland during freetime her and brainstorming blog ideas this was the best I could think of. I actually feel as if I am one of the men landing in a foreign place that does almsot nothing the same. I know that when I leave Spain I will have an abundance of memories and will never regret my decision to come here, but I will be so glad to be home.