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Motifs
Definition of Personification
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... read full definition
Chapter 8: The Girls of Herland
Explanation and Analysis—Patriotism:
In Chapter 8, Van notes that the Herlandians' love of their country eclipses the western sense of patriotism. He personifies western patriotism as someone with "a chip on its shoulder:"
Patriotism, red hot, is compatible with the existence of a neglect of national interests, a dishonesty, a cold indifference to the suffering of millions. Patriotism is largely pride, and very largely combativeness. Patriotism generally has a chip on its shoulder.
What Van means is that western patriotism, which is supposedly a love of one's country, seems less invested in the well-being of its country's inhabitants than it should be. The women of Herland love their country completely because it is the place that raised them and the place that raised their children. Back home for Van, people think of the private household as the place where they and their families are raised. Meanwhile, they can profess to be "patriotic" while turning "a cold indifference" to the injustices that are happening in other people's private households. Van's personified form of patriotism has the masculine traits of "pride" and "combativeness" as well as individualism. A self-professed patriot might think of himself as a proud supporter of his country while also seething in bitterness if his neighbor makes more money than he does. Similarly, he might profess to want what is best for his country while also celebrating when his neighbor falls on hard times.
A "warmer" patriotism would be something like what the Herlandians have. It would reject "pride" and "combativeness" and would instead embrace the idea that the well-being of the collective is the very meaning of national success. While Van does wish for a traditional household with Ellador, he begins to admire the Herlandians for treating their entire country as their own household, taking pride in everyone's success and pain in everyone's suffering. This version of national pride might require giving up some degree of the individualism the men have long coveted, but it is far less hypocritical than anything that exists in the United States.
Related Themes:
