Herland

Vandyck, or Van, is a sociologist from California. He is friends with Terry and Jeff, whom he met in college. He is the protagonist and the narrator of Herland.

Van is depicted as logical and reasonable. He assumes a scientific perspective in most matters, which is intended to contrast with Terry, who is strongly influenced by the patriarchal culture of the US, and Jeff, who is more poetic and sensitive. Van, before meeting the Herlanders, used science to support his prejudice against women, and his character arc is based on his shifting perspective toward women that is the result of his first-hand observations in Herland. When he arrives in Herland and begins working with tutor Somel, his opinions start to sway as he recognizes the strength and intelligence of the women in Herland. He is further impacted by comparing Herland to the US—a process that forces him to acknowledge that women are oppressed under the patriarchy, which implies that women may be socially superior to men. Of the three men, the Herlanders prefer Van because he stops relying on gender differences in his social interactions, and he treats the Herlanders like fellow people rather than as women, as Somel explains, “But surely there are characteristics enough which belong to People, aren’t there? That’s what I mean about you being more like us—more like People” (66).