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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What surprises the explorers about the women in town?

2. What color are the houses that the men see?

3. What is the purpose of the expedition the three men are on?

4. Who names the land, "Herland"?

5. What do the men figure out they will be doing at the tables?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did the women's society discard their pantheistic gods of war?

2. As time goes on, how do the men come to feel about their tutors?

3. Why did Gilman take her own life?

4. What was Gilman's childhood like?

5. What is Social Darwinism?

6. Briefly describe Vandyck and his two friends.

7. Why do Vandyck and his friends believe there must be men in the society? Where do they suppose the men might live?

8. What do the men discover when the find their plane in Chapter 4?

9. What do the women get the men to admit about keeping dogs as pets?

10. What do the three men suppose an all-female society would be like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Herland rejects tradition as much as the men's society values it. Why might this be so? What effect does this have on Herland's society? What are the pros and cons of a society which values innovation over tradition?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss and analyze the protagonist of the novel, Vandyck. What are his defining characteristics? What is his occupation? Why does his occupation and overall perspective make him a reliable narrator in this situation?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the importance of motherhood in Herland. Why has motherhood become so significant in this society? In what ways does life in Herland evolve around the birthing and rearing of children?

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