The Female Man Theme of Visions of America

The Female Man may be set in four different versions of Earth, but by comparing and contrasting them, we wind up with a captivating portrait of America as Joanna Russ saw it in the early 1970s, along with a vision of what it might otherwise be. The America of The Female Man is one of marked inequality, particularly between genders. It's a nation in which white men hold all of the political and economic power, while women and other minorities are confined and exploited by restrictive social roles and stations.

1. Whileaway is a feminist utopia, but could it be called an American utopia too? Do any aspects of Whileawayan society seem like variations on more traditional American dreams?
2. The people of Whileaway speak pan-Russian. What might this suggest about the novel's vision of America's long-term future? (Keep in mind that The Female Man was written during the Cold War.)
3. What is the significance of Anytown, U.S.A.? What kinds of landscapes and social formations define Anytown, and what do they suggest about the novel's vision of America more generally?
4. On Jeannine's Earth, World War II never happened, and the Great Depression "is still world-wide" (2.10.2). In this alternate history, what is America's role on the international stage? How is Jeannine's America different from the America of Joanna's world?

The Female Man can't really make up its mind when it comes to the idyllic image of American pastoralism. Whileawayans value the simple life and, as a trustworthy, hardy farmer, Janet embodies a utopian pastoral ideal. But in the novel's depictions of Anytown, U.S.A., pastoralism is also associated with restrictive conservatism and old-fashioned principles.

The novel's satirical portrait of America is most cutting in the passages that deal with Joanna's Earth. Since her version of America is the most like our own, her jabs and criticisms come too close for comfort (ouch). This diminishes the effectiveness of the novel's humor, and makes its arguments less convincing.