In four pages this paper discusses a fictional portrayal of the first group of women to travel to the South Pole and examines feminine issues such as society pressures along with personal motivations for taking on this challenge. One source is cited in the bibliography.
Name of Research Paper File: D0_GSLeGuin.rtf
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but are restricted by both society and themselves. "Sur" stands for "South", and the premise of this story is a group of women who, in 1910, go on an
exploration expedition to the Antarctic. They stay away from the spotlight and from publicity because their true purpose is not for limelight, but for self-fulfillment.
The story is told from a female perspective, and although the narrator is definitively female, she remains unnamed throughout. She tells of how
she became fascinated with Antarctica and stories about its exploration from a young age, protesting just how satisfying the realization of her dream actually is - especially given the era
and the general unavailability of adventure in a mans world. The group which convenes for the expedition is varied, consisting
of women of several nationalities, and they take of in Yelcho - a steamer. What ensues is a series of struggles, triumphs, battles, and insight into gender identity which
is resoundingly astute. The women are bright, inquisitive, and overcome extreme obstacles. One of the women even learns on the trip that she is pregnant, and together the
women unite to help with the birth of her baby. Upon their return there is news of the Amundsen Expedition
which has been first to reach the South Pole, and the women allow this which shows how they remained confined by societies expectations of them regardless of how hard they
already worked to prove their capabilities. And yet, they settle for knowing in their own hearts what they achieved and what that means to them individually. The narrator