Problems with Utopias: Self-Fulfilling Labels

One issue that I faced with my male Alim in His in Herland was,  

Why should he have to hide? 

The male intruders--Terry, Van, and Jeff--don't. So why Alim?

Interestingly enough, the answer lies in the underlying "forward-thinking" ideology of most utopias. 

In Gilman's Herland, Terry, Van, and Jeff are treated as representing a current, contemporary, forward-moving culture. Van is embarrassed to admit how much society has not advanced (considering that the world was on the brink of World War I, "not advanced" is something of an understatement). Jeff is gleeful at the comparisons, which put American/European society in the wrong. Terry doesn't care, except he wants to leave. 

The leaders of Gilman's Herland monitor and supervise the men throughout their stay, though Gilman pretends they don't. However, the men are never put to work. They are most certainly not given any "legal" rights, such as voting or governance--not even the equivalent of driver's licenses!

The implication is that Van and Jeff, at least, have progressed far enough, they can be "educated" to the new way of living. Terry is a throw-back and therefore ungovernable and unmanageable. In the book, when Terry attempts to rape his wife, Alima, the answer is either to eject him or kill him. Moadine pronounces that death would be "kinder" than locking him up. 

Astyanax has always been a symbol. In

one version, he is thrown from Troy's walls.

In my version, of course, Terry never goes that far. His exile is planned with Alim's help. 

But the leaders' reaction to Terry in Gilman's book--and Gilman's praise of eugenics--shadow the dangers to Alim. Alim is a literal representative of the unprogressive mindset. He is Astyanax, Hector's son, a lingering remnant of the so-called evil past. 

For a culture that believes in "breeding," Alim would be a throwback. After all, at the end of the book, only supposedly completely progressive Jeff actually breeds in Herland. (Van and Ellador leave, then return.)

As my Moadine points out to my Terry (she is as ruthless as Gilman's Moadine):

“You three men are acknowledged intruders. And, too, your presence has temporarily quelled questions about the ‘other sex.’ But Alima, Alim, is a citizen. Any restrictions on him would be resented—by Alima and by his friends. He would be defended. But yes, some citizens would wish to send him away—because of his past, because he represents going back rather than forward.”

Astyanax, Andromache & Hector

“He is a boy, not a symbol. What kind of society is this that you can’t incorporate him?”

“The truth of him would cause conflict.”

“You think conflict won’t arise anyway? You think male distinctiveness is the only distinctiveness? Suppose Celis was more of a go-getter? You really think Tyra and others could keep her in place?”

The smallest smile touched Moadine's lips. “No. But destruction is always to be deplored. Should we start that battle now?”

Over one boy, a boy who could be persuaded to leave.

The argument here is between the reality and the label, or, rather, self-fulfilling label. And, as with all utopias, the problem is created by the author (Gilman). 

If a society determines that certain people are "good mothers" and certain people are "bad mothers"--if it focuses on breeding as a way to remove the criminal element from human nature--if it insists that human nature must "progress," not in terms of functional governments and intelligent policies but in terms of inherent human nature--the enforcement of that mindset will follow. Tolerance ends at the point where "primitive," non-progressive, very human nature rears its head. It isn't supposed to return! Therefore, it must be eradicated! 

Rather than a frank and honest appraisal of human nature, labels become judgment--and self-deception. Terry's behavior in the book is unacceptable (as my Terry acknowledges). The utopia's downfall arises not from Alima's reaction--and Terry's exile--but from the surprise of the entire society that the label (we are a self-congratulatory pristine society who exercise the following advanced philosophies) didn't carry more weight than the circumstances. No infrastructure or law exists to handle the circumstances because, well, really, those circumstances shouldn't have arisen at all, now should they have?

Human nature is the battleground that utopias can never overwhelm and scorch from existence. The attempt to do so anyway--rather than accepting human nature as part of the equation--creates outcomes that far outstrip human nature in viciousness. Utopias are, in sum, dystopias in waiting.    

Chapter 14

His in Herland or Astyanax in Hiding