Herland depicts a feminist, socialist society in which men have been "eliminated." Based on the women of Herland and the travelers reaction to them, how are women viewed in each world? Are the view of men also stereotypical, and what is the author attempting to convey about the way in which gender plays a role in our society?
I am hoping to use specific passages in which the Herland women and the travelers discuss differences, and also more subtle ways in which gender roles are either challenged or enforced. What do you guys think?
I think that the question is really concise and will allow for a good, specific paper. Maybe instead of just asking how are the women viewed in each world, also ask why they are viewed this way? What caused and contributes to women being seen in this specific way? Also, in addition to discussing the way gender plays a role in our society, you could discuss how different genders interact with one another and look at the relationships between men and women. The ending of Herland, when the men actually become involved with the women, may help with looking at the differences between men and women and the ways in which they react to one another.
ReplyDeleteI like the question of exploring gender roles in society. I do like how you explored the fact of if men are viewed as stereotypical. I think that this a great start and that you could write a great paper about this.
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren,
ReplyDeleteLike the other members who've commented here, I think this question is a great start. I urge you to focus on one particular aspect of Herland's women - i.e., social organization, childrearing, sexuality, etc. - and use this closer reading to reflect on the text's larger critique of gender roles.
Now let's see if I can get this to post... (I think the blog erased my last two attempts!).
I agree with what Alyse said about how the men in Herland are also viewed as stereotypical. They really seem to represent each end of the spectrum along with the middle "average" man. I think it would be interesting to see how the stereotypes and roles might change if the author carried this out even further.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of stereotypical gender roles, but I think you should focus on one sex. The men may be difficult because they have three different personalities but neat if you could do it. The female comparison would be easier and you could have strong support from the text (and plenty of it). Whatever you choose to do I am sure it will be great!
ReplyDelete