Lesson 5 - Activity 5.1-5.3

Discovering Theme in Herland

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What constitutes your idea of Utopia? No pain? Unlimited wealth? Peace? Perfect health? An exploration of Utopian literature reveals an endless variety of “ideal” societies. In this unit, you’ll read a classic novel published in 1915 that still resonates as well as epitomizes some of the characteristics of Utopian literature.

Benchmarks:

11.4.2.2 - Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

11.4.5.5 - Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

11.4.6.6 - Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

11.5.5.5 - Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in her or her exposition and argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing and engaging.

Learning Targets

• I can identify multiple themes in Herland and analyze the impact of their interaction.
• I can analyze how Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s structural choices in writing Herland contribute to its merit as a Utopian novel.
• I can analyze Herland for its implications as a cultural criticism.

Essential Questions

How is Herland rendered more complex and rich by the interaction of multiple themes?

How does the structure of Herland contribute to it being considered a Utopian novel?

What are the cultural criticisms embedded in Herland?

What you’ll need

Internet access

Materials to create 2 graphic organizers

Approximately 3-4 class periods

Resources

Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Note: The Gutenberg Project ^[2] offers this novel free of charge in a variety of formats.

Pre-Reading Resource

Essay Rubric

Pre-reading Activity:

Discussion: As you might have imagined from the title, Herland is a society of women. There are no men. Given that fact, what would you expect to be some features of life in this society?

Activity 5.1

Processing the novel.

STEP 1:

Read Chapters 1-6 of Herland in preparation for a class discussion centered on the questions listed on the Pre-Reading Resource

STEP 2:

Complete the novel, reading chapters 7-12.

STEP 3:

Upon completion of the novel, you will work in teacher-determined small groups. Each group will analyze a separate character to determine what theme the character’s experience conveys and how. Specifically focus on

• the character’s role in the novel.
• how distinguishing what is directly stated in a text differs from what is really meant (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
• what cultural criticisms are made through this character’s personality, experience, and his ability/inability to change.

When completed, prepare a short summary of your findings to share with the class. Submit it for feedback.

Activity 5.2

Analysis of society and structure

STEP 1: Individually, create a comparison/contrast graphic organizer, comparing the society of Herland to the society of the visitors. Does this activity lead you to discovery of any additional themes conveyed? Post your thoughts in the class discussion and respond with questions and/or comments to the posts of two classmates.

STEP 2: 

Submit the graphic organizer for feedback.

STEP 2:

Utopian fiction often has a specific type of plot structure. To analyze how the structure of Herland lends itself to the story, create a second graphic organizer on which you will plot out the story. Focus on the interactions between visitors and residents. What does the structure allow Perkin’s to accomplish? Write a short summary of your findings, and submit the organizer and summary for feedback.