Examples Of Utopian Society In Herland

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland (1915) paints the idea of a perfect life in the form of a utopian society. A utopian society is a group of people attempting to live together in a perfect way to form a perfect society. In this society, every person has a place to live, a job to work, and food to eat; additionally, everyone is physically healthy and the crime rate is low. Other characteristics of a utopian society are that the figureheads bring the individuals of the society together, the citizens embrace the natural world, and promote the use of informed thought. Moreover, in a utopian society, the citizens embrace social and moral ideals and there is no fear of the outside world. Furthermore, the society evolves with the change to make a

Claire P. Curtis, an assistant professor of Political Science at the College of Charleston states, “[A]ny attempt to make all humans agree with one set of values will necessitate violence against those who disagree. Furthermore, this violence is always justified because the goal of the society makes obvious the need to purify any element that refuses to acknowledge such truth” (149). The leaders in this society also breed out people that they consider unfavorable. Breeding out people is a type of violence, but no one questions it for if they do they will fall victim to this violence. Somel states, “We have, of course, made it our first business to train out, to breed out, when possible, the lowest types” (Gilman 70). It is upsetting to read that the leader’s first business is to get rid of the lowest type. This statement leaves readers wondering what kind of scientific processes are used by the leaders to do this. As such, Gilman completely ignores science when she wrote this statement. Back in her time and now it is not possible for humans to breed other humans out. In a utopian society, not everyone can live in it so it cannot be considered perfect by any

As I mentioned earlier, men are not willing to take the role of a child. Men do not want to be suppressed in a utopian society. Men will do what they want to be fathers. Biologically speaking the protectors of the young and women are men. Gilman ignores the scientific fact that children receive half of their genetic code from the father and the other half from the mother. Therefore, science illustrates that solo reproduction would not be possible. This is the way the leaders control the population without killing anyone to do so. If the leaders had to kill people to control the population this would cause a rebellion and would test the citizen’s ability to blindly trust its leaders. The ways of controlling this utopian society would not be possible with two sexes leading to overpopulation and the end of this society. There would be more people than resources. There would also be sexual love not just friendship love. This would also cause issues with cooperation. Jealousy would arise between the citizens that they do not know how to properly control. Out of control jealousy could result in citizens killing other citizens. It is also important to remember that Herland started out with men. Herland did not start as an independent nation; they had help from men to build the society up before a set of numerous disasters ceased them from society. In the real world, this set of numerous