Beginning of Essay
In the novel Herland author Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses character development, plot, and symbolism to reflect the prevailing prejudices of the suffrage period. Herland is a visit to an island inhabited by a community of women under the rule of the New Motherhoo ....

Middle of Essay
.... It is no wonder that the three American explorers--Terry, Jeff and Van --who stumble on Herland are shocked and confused. Before they arrive, they joke about the mythical land, assuming that there must be men it, since women could not possibly cooperate well enough, or be competent enough, to run a country. When they see how successfully Herland is run, only one of them, Van, praises its all female population as a group of exemplary human beings whose behavior all persons, male as well as female, should seek to emulate. As he sees it, the women of Herland exhibit virtues that are neither feminine nor masculine, but simply fully ....