Herland: Ellador Character Analysis

          Ellador, of all the characters, is my favorite for a variety of reasons, but most importantly because I can connect and relate to Ellador, because I can see myself in her. Although Ellador is not one of the main characters, I feel connected with her more than I do with Jeff, Terry, or any other main character, not only because she is a girl, but because we have the same attitudes, likes, personality, interests, and endeavors. Ellador is a character full of personality and life, which may not seem important to the story itself, but when digging deep into detail, her place in the story happens to be very significant for the story to be successful.
          To Gilman, Ellador is her idea of  "the ideal woman", and by this I mean that Gilman created her in order to portray the purity, and overall mediocre yet charming personality Ellador accommodates. I think that she and I share many traits and aspects in character. Ellador is described as athletic, and curious about the world around her. I feel that some way or another I carry these traits as well. Ellador is also a hard worker, and I feel that in some way or another, these traits carry out more in me.
          "The ideal woman" in todays society, differs from when Gilman came up with her "ideal woman", who was Ellador. Although the idea of an ideal woman is the same, characteristics have changed. Today, the ideal woman is a hard worker, and supports her family and kids, and also tends to be positive and loving towards the people around her. An ideal woman is supposed to be a representative woman, or a woman that you strive to be, in the eyes to society. In earlier society, the ideal woman seems to be somewhat the same as today, considering Ellador's personality, but the obvious changes would have taken place. Earlier in history, the ideal woman would probably consist of the woman that did more "work", and more intense jobs and tasks.
          Ellador is an athlete, just like I am. Although, this is not a major characteristic in her part, it's a similarity we share, and we both exemplify it well. By athletic, Gilman means that Ellador is active, and I am the same. I play soccer, volleyball, i swim, and also run track. Even though this shy's away from the topic, it is necessary that i share this, only too share the similarities in our characters.
          We both share a unique trait, which is that we are both curious about the world. Many people can think about this in different ways, including what ways in which we are curious, how we find these ideas interesting, etc. For me, I am interested in the sports world ahead of me, and Ellador is interested in her upcoming life, and the things ahead of her, and where she will be in the future. Along with wanting to know more about the athletics in the future, I also care about, and am curious about my future, and where I will end up and who I will know.
          Ellador and I share traits, and personalities, and i felt that this entry was an important one, not only because it shows our similarities, but it brings out the femeninity in the book, and the different angles and aspects that Gilman bring out in her book, Herland.
       

Herland Plot/Summary

          "Herland", by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, has an adventurous plot, that leads to explain the three friends' exploration, and journey through Herland. Terry, Jeff, and Vandyck went on an adventure or a trip to an abandoned area of the world, in which they named Herland. The three friends travel, and as they do, they heard rumors about this deserted island, in which they called "Herland". When they get there, they realize that it's a land that only has women in it. They travelers were thrown off that there weren't any men living in the society and has constant thoughts as to why is was the way it was. 
          Then, they started to explore the land they had come across, and they realize that they are limited on where they can and can not travel. There are women that seem awkward and somewhat scary to be around. It's almost as if these women are hypnotized and under the control of "something else".  The women wanted the men to assimilate to their ways and ideas, rather than bringing forth their own. The men were forced to learn their languages, traditions, and ever day activities, in order to stay. They then feel like they are being too controlled and try to escape, but when they get caught, they meet three girls, named Ellador, Celis, and Alima. Because they were held captive again, they decide to stay and learn about Herland. The men eventually come to learn that Herland is the women's utopia, where it is violence free, and education is very important. Both the men and women end up teaching each other their own ways about culture and life. When the men explain to the women how the "outside" world was corrupted with violence, and poverty they were shocked and disgusted.  Later on, we see the two of the men to enjoy the women's presence, but Terry is stubborn and still believes that men rule over women and that this land of Herland is pointless and not worthy. 
          Eventually, after traveling and learning about one anothers ideas and cultures, the six people, both boys and girls, all lovers, grew onto one another, and formed relationships worth keeping. The rest of the people in Herland were obsessed with the three couples and watched what they did, and eventually came to like what they were doing with Herland, and they could see Herland coming to be a land in which both men and women lived. Now, the couples are married, which is important to notice why Gilman included this, in order to express the intertwining of gender, and the quick and loving way they get to feel around one another. A while after being happily married, things started to go wrong for Tery and Alima, because Terry rapes her. Alima leaves him and in the end, the only people to return back to the outside world are Terry, Vandyck, and Ellador. 

Herland Themes

      Two major themes stick out to me in Charlotte Gilman's book, "Herland". These two themes are Herland as a woman's utopia, and the idea of Motherhood. I find these two themes important because Herland itself, is focusing on the life of the women and they way the three men assimilate and learn from their ways and cultures.

      Herland, a women's Utopia, is the way it is because these women are not open to the outside world. There is no violence, abortion, unemployment, or negativity, while the women are intelligent, athletic, strong, self-confident, and independent. This only seems to be a Utopia because of the corrupted world that we live in. Our world in full of corruption, violence, poverty, stubbornness, greed, vulgar, negativity, filth, and harm. Herland, has never been exposed to this behavior before the men found them, and when the men were explaining to them the corrupt-ness, the women were disgusted, and almost horrified to hear the words come out of their mouth. The utopia is important in this story, to understand the purity of the women, encompassed within the greater, corrupted, outside world. 

       The second theme, of motherhood, is conquering this story hence the overpowering society of women in Herland. "We soon grew to see that mother-love has more than one channel of expression. I think the reason our children are so—so fully loved, by all of us, is that we never—any of us—have enough of our own". This quote, from chapter six, is about Van and his discussions with Somel. Gilman's purpose is to show that even though the women have lived their lives without men for so long, the coming of men does not make them any less feminine and they still do not lose their feelings. Not only are these women showing and expressing motherhood with children, but with kindness of heart and loving affection in general. 

Herland Prediction

          After reading the first few pages of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's book, "Herland", I have come to conclusion that the story seems to be about the life of a group of friends, who go on an adventure around what seems like an abandoned part of the world. Then, one of the three friends is telling their story of the adventure, as a book. The place they go to must be called "Herland", or at least that might be the name the three people have given it after traveling all around it. I suspect that there will be a life changing event that takes place for the three travelers, only because if there weren't a "change" occurring, I don't feel like there would be enough plot to keep the story going.
          By the visual aspects on the cover of the story, and knowing the title of the story as "Herland", maybe the three men travel to a place where they find the love of their lives, or maybe its just a land of women (Herland). I can see the three men finding three beautiful women and end up staying in "Herland", together forever, building friendships, relationships, and maybe even ending up getting married and growing old together.  Because only one of the men are telling the story, maybe he is telling it as an old man, after everyone else has either parted ways or passed away, years after the adventure had taken place, and many years after they had been married to the women they met in Herland.
          To me, this story seems like an interesting love story, with a peculiar plot twist somewhere in there that will throw everything off. Although I have a weird vibe about this story, I do feel like it will turn out for the best, and the three friends will have traveled through, and experienced a life changing event that is worth telling the rest of the world, in hopes that they can take on these miraculous adventures as well, changing the world "one step at a time".

The Snake

      "The Snake" and the snake relate to American Literature by looking at it through Transcendentalism.  Transcendentalism itself is a time period of nature and realization about oneself and the things and world around you. "The Snake" has to do with transcendentalism because its a poem about the snake, who is actually symbolic to a man who has grown to have and notice self realization.   He (the snake), has grown and learned more about himself and the dangers, and opportunities around him.   The snake in  "The Snake" seems to be referring to a person.  The speaker uses description and adjectives that tend to describe the actually snakes every move. The first stanza explains the action in which the snake is taking. The snake here, is coming out of the shade and finds another shelter on a rock. This stanza describes the snake being relaxed and calm, while also implying the speakers tranquil attitude towards his life. The second stanza then turns the tone around, where we see the snake hide and draw away with fear. The speaker himself is showing the reader that he relates to the snake because he too, was shunned, and drew away from an uncomfortable state. The third, and final stanza along with the last two lines, talk about and explain the snakes "final steps", which can mean that the snake realizes he is better off hidden and not being out in the open for people to see and be judged. The speaker is relating himself to the snake here, by saying that they are comfortable lying behind the crowd and laying low. To end, the author could have wrote this poem to point out his adventures and longings to become who he is through all of his struggles and pains, and also the happy and positives moments in his life, which just might end up being the idea of laying low, and being content with solidity.