Dune

The novel Dune by Frank Herbert is a futuristic story set on a desolate desert planet that serves as a resource colony amongst an empire that spans across a universe. It mixes the future setting with mystical and fantasy-like elements such as psychic mind powers and divining the future. The book explores the concept of gender and sexism and the balance of female and male elements, specifically in the powers of the main character, Paul.

            Paul, while having an extremely ordinary and dull name, demonstrates extraordinary abilities that combine powers previously divided between males and females. He shares the psychic and mental abilities of the Bene Gesserit with his mother Jessica, such as the powers of persuasion (“The Voice” – not the show) and knowledge from genetic/instinctual origin. He also shows abilities from training as a Mentat – a person who thinks in logical, rational terms, seen in men. By combining these two methods of thinking – male and female, Paul is able to show extraordinary new mental abilities, seeing into the future and grasping knowledge he would have no way of knowing.

            While Paul is proclaimed to be an extraordinary being who combines the mental teachings of both males and females, his personality and thoughts don’t really reflect this. He just seems to become more distant and emotionally detached. He seems ordinary still, despite his powers and knowledge. With this combination of male and female elements, you might think he would exhibit more gender-neutral aspects, maybe being attracted to both genders or none. Instead, he still thinks like any other normal male. Other than being more mature than the average 15-year-old boy, Paul’s personality doesn’t really live up to the reverence of his abilities.

            While the book is progressive in its concepts of combining elements of both genders for being written in 1965, Paul’s character seems to fall a bit flat. This may be a tool for the author to demonstrate how someone who explores both genders can still be normal. With modern perceptions of gender, however, I feel like it just misses a few marks. Of course, this is just how it resonates in modern times with values and perceptions that have shifted drastically from 1965. For its time, the novel is remarkably progressive and forward thinking.