Nature Vs. Nurture in Sherri S. Tepper's The Gate to Womens Country

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Nature Vs. Nurture in Sherri S. Tepper's The Gate to Womens Country

Personality traits, are they learned or innate? Is it possible that once one is conceived his/her life and ways of communicating with other individuals are already set in stone and parents, environment, and peers have absolutely nothing to do with the ways in which one acts. Or could it be a combination of both genetics and learning? Reading The Gate to Womens Country by Sherri S. Tepper, I believe playing with the idea of learned or innate traits are the backbone for her novel. Knowing very well the nature vs. nurture perspective can be controversial to many, giving the reader an idea to ponder and debate.

This novel is set in a time 300 years after a convulsion, a great war that was brought upon by men. It was men who were the diplomats and men who made the speeches about national pride and defenseand we died (pg. 301). The beginning of the novel starts out as a reflection and continues to be a reflection until the end, although the ways in which Tepper words happenings, put the reader in the moment so that he/she forgets they are reflecting and thinks that each happening is going on as you read, giving much more meaning to the piece. The reader is taken on a journey through the experiences of one girl from adolescence to adulthood, and as she comes to understand the way of life in Womens Country so do we the reader. Stavia (the main character) is reflecting everything that has made her who she is up to that point in her life. When Stavia was young the only worry she had to deal with was the coming and going of the male counterpart.

Yes, it was a confusing emotional act at a young age, which would only become more confusing and emotional with age and wisdom. Stavia is a very intelligent, trustworthy, honorable, curious, open, loving girl, and to a point she conforms to the ways in which the council believes are appropriate. I believe the reason she is conforming is because either you agree with the council or you leave womens country. The councilwomen have worked to long and hard to have a revolting girl destroy what they have come to create and with high hopes of perfecting. In this novel there is a division of the two genders and they are put in their own communities, known as Womens Country and the Garrison, with the exception of few men who chose to return to Womens Country.

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