I decided to start this one out with a little Toby Keith and "Drunk Americans," because I’m going to start out with a probably unpopular opinion
and say that although straight forwardly this is a feminist text, it is much more so
a humanist text. Toby's got his own little Utopia in his bar that works out perfectly fine and that is for one key reason: they don't give a rat's ass WHAT you are. I think that there is so much more to Gilman's work than the sex of a
person and what they’re capable of, and I believe that the overpowering female
to male ratio distracts us from something much greater than feminism. The most
powerful plea in this book is that for the “immense Loving Power [to work]
steadily… toward good” (98). Essentially, loving, “being loved…and understood”
(98). The understanding is most important, for if we can understand one another
on the most basic level of existing as human beings, the things we can’t change
don’t matter so much and the ability to love becomes much greater, opening endless
doors to a successful and united world.
During a discussion of philosophy and religion, Van says to
Ellador, “you do love one another— you
do bear one another’s burdens—you do realize that a little child is a type
of the kingdom of heaven. You are more Christian than any people I ever saw” (98).
This specific reference about religion at the end of the text is one that
defends the humanist part more so than the feminist. It’s not what doctrine a
person follows that matters. Rather, it is the actions they take and the view
they personally possess solely because it’s what they have come to value, not
what something or someone tells them to value. We can stretch this concept
further than simply religion and beliefs as well. This “sameness,” as symbolized
by the all-female society, stretches further than just the gender. In fact, I
think the intrusion of the men into this society helps to identify which “sameness”
matters.
Perhaps the absence of the male for so long, in combination
with the quick acceptance and even admiration of them upon their arrival, represents
that the physical things or the things we cannot change shouldn’t create
friction in a community. At the end of the day, we’re all people. Republican, Democrat, Black, white,
male, female, straight, homosexual, whatever it may be. These aren’t the
factors that should throw off a Utopia. So, while I can understand the
frustration that Gilman’s allowance of the men and the relationships that
flower with them may cause, I view it as a really strong statement about
humanism. Meanwhile we all thought we were reading a feminist book. Who knew?
I really like your thought that the men joining Herland brings to light which "sameness" is important. That isn't something I necessarily thought of, but it makes a lot of sense. I don't think the overpowering message of this novel is feminism; it seems more to be about moving outside your comfort zone and questioning your own beliefs. It's a bit frustrating because most of the characters in the book don't do that, but it's also nice because we seem them suffer due to their inability to see beyond themselves (not that I'm fond of people suffering, but hey).
ReplyDelete