I Who Have Never Known Men

Issue 17: Isolation and It’s Impact On The Human Experience, As Written by Jacqueline Harpman

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I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman has been one of my favourite books this year. I’d seen countless social media reviews of creators who had absolutely adored this book and I can see why. This book is written with so much consideration for the nuance and complexity of circumstances that it bridged the gap between the two worlds for me. A story that initially seemed completely beyond my comprehension, became an immersive experience as I’m sure it does for many other readers. This book leaves an impact for long after you’ve read the final page.

I Who Have Never Known Men will incite both empathy and give insight into the complexity of the human experience. Whether the story’s given circumstances contribute to that or not, I believe that we can all at any time experience a sense of existentialism. Although the plot itself is quite dark, the story keeps readers captivated by including all the nuanced and intimate thoughts of the protagonist throughout her journey. Which not only transports us into the character’s world, but also give us the opportunity to develop true understanding of the protagonist’s experience.

Books are a way to delve into the minds and worlds of others, especially when well-written. It accounts for the circumstances and perspectives of the characters wholly, which allows readers to develop empathy and adopt perspectives which we may otherwise not have connsidered. Excellent writing can help us develop as people in that regard. Although much of this story encompasses elements of survival, this book also describes feelings of isolation and disassociation from connection and civilization. It asks the question, how do we create meaning in a world where we can’t see it?

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In this email we’ll cover:

• What’s New

• Reflections

• Insights

• Closing Remarks

“The landscape had changed a little, and the long undulations had become hills, and I never climbed them without hope.”

Jacqueline Harpman, I Who Have Never Known Men

Photo by Mark Tegethoff on Unsplash

Book of the Week:

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Genre:

Distopian Science Fiction

Synopsis:

I Who Have Never Known Men plunges the reader into a dystopian world where forty strange women are locked in a cage with no indication time and space. With nothing to rely on by the guards that occasionally rotate with provisions such as food, water and other necessities, these women are left to rely entirely on the circumstances that they find themselves in.

However, one day a siren goes off just as a guard is about to open the cage. It prompts the guards to completely abandon their station, and a young nameless woman, brave enough, takes the opportunity to grab the keys and unlock the cage to their freedom.

Although initially apprehensive annd hopeful, they soon discover that the outside world is nothing like what they expected. Relying on each other, the forty women set out to together to regain a sense of humanity, connection and purpose.

Why We Love It:

This book is so beautifully written, despite the heavy context. It felt as though I was living out the details of the narrator’s experience based on how poignant and nuanced the writing was. Although I don’t naturally lean towards sci-fi as a genre, this book opened my eyes by introducing me to a completely different world.

This is a story that touches on much of what isolation can accomplish in a person. Not just in terms of stripping the person away from people, but also stripping an individual from everything that we consider to connect us to humanity; knowledge, connection, civilization, love, skills such as reading, or our connection to the possibilities that people have created. It is a complete eye-opener to what our world looks like when we have very little to work with.

This book left me in a trance upon completion, and the only real element that the protagonist brought to the story that would prevent a reader from consuming further, would be that there was always a hint of hope. Every forward movement of the protagonist went in search to advance her life in some way, whether it was through creation or knowledge acquisition. Hope was so prominent in her life that her pursuit for connection didn’t end until she eventually passed away. A resilient spirit.

With thoughtful attention to the protagonist’s experience, this book is an immersive story that captivates readers. It engages us through the quality of the writing as well as the internal monologue of the protagonist's thoughts. It’s a fantastic read to gauge with if you’re interested in challenging your perspective and reading a book with limited plot points, but excellent questions. Although the story is sad, I enjoyed how much the book activated my critical thinking mind and opened various avenues for consideration.

Key Message:

Despite the bleak circumstances, our protagonist always clings to a sliver of hope. Her curiosity about the world and her drive to seek more keeps her actively engaged in this story. While she often attributes this optimism to her youth, I would argue it might also stem from having no past to compare her present to. Without memories of a previous life, she sees her world in a uniquely unfiltered way, with little to contrast against her current reality. Everything she anticipates lies ahead, for she has no past to reflect upon.

Being the youngest among the group of women, she recalls very little of her life before the cage. Consequently, she struggles to grasp societal norms or imagine what her life might have been. This blank slate leaves her reliant on the others for a sense of direction, even as she learns from them. While they remember a time of civilization, she does not—and this dynamic forces both sides into a mutual dependence that, with all its pros and cons, ultimately supports their survival until it can no longer do so.

Even knowing she may never experience a different life, our protagonist keeps her humanity alive by creating and seeking knowledge. With no past to compare her present to, she finds ways to engage actively with her life, imbuing it with meaning in the present while working toward an uncertain future. In contrast to her peers, who remain shackled by memories of what once was, her lack of a personal past might actually propel her to forge new meaning. Her strength and hope remind us that even when stripped of everything that connects us, we can still live meaningfully by creating our own connections.

Ultimately, it seems the protagonist needed both the company of her peers and a strong sense of individuality to survive. Her peers provided a connection to a past life, while her individuality fueled hope for the future. Though she often feels detached from the group, over time she learns—through reflection and the discovery of love—what it means to add purpose to life, even one seemingly devoid of human civilization. In a world that has stripped them of their sense of humanity, she finds a way to reclaim it on her own terms.

Quote of the Week:

“I only know the stony plain, wandering, and the gradual loss of hope. I am the sterile offspring of a race about which I know nothing, not even whether it has become extinct. Perhaps, somewhere humanity is flourishing under the stars, unaware that a daughter of its blood is ending her days in silence. There is nothing we can do about it.”

Jacqueline Harpman, I Who Have Never Known Men

Reflection Questions:

1. The book strips away all forms of humanity from its characters.

   1. What do you consider in your world to be a connection that grounds you to humanity?

2. There were several holes in the plot that left us just as just as disoriented as the characters in the book.

   1. What effect did that have on you as a reader?

3. This book reminds me of a play I studied in high school called, “Waiting For Godot.” In many ways the women of this story experience a similar outcome, but approach their world more actively.

   1. If you were to be placed in a similar position, what are your thoughts on being active in that situation?

Author Spotlight:

Jacqueline Harpman

Background:

Jacqueline Harpman is a multi-faceted author that not only has several literary accomplishments to her name, but has trained in a variety of different fields as well. Although she already had already studied French literature, After WWII, she began training as a doctor, although she unfortunately couldn’t complete her studies. her life took a turn to writing, Once she has written her fourth book she eventually qualified as a psychoanalysit, put writing to the side, annd eventually picked it back up 20 years later.

Other Works:

“Orlanda”

Beyond the Book:

This story explores the core essence of humanity and our innate drive to bring meaning into our lives. Both our connections with others and our sense of individualism shape that meaning. Whether through love or purpose, these forces help us combat the existential weight that can press upon us, regardless of our circumstances.

While themes of isolation are deeply woven into this book, intimacy is just as present. As the YouTube creator hunter is kinda cool notes, there is an intimacy in the way these women interact with the narrator. Though she often feels detached from the group, in some ways, they are protecting her—shielding her from knowledge that could deepen her sense of loss, as they have already experienced.

Despite their isolation, it is empathy and consideration for one another that make their existence bearable. Though their circumstances are far from fulfilling, their connection sustains them for as long as it can. This highlights the profound importance of both connection and individuality in human life. How does one keep the light of hope alive? By holding onto traditions and seeking out the unknown.

In many ways, it is the narrator’s lack of knowledge that drives her forward. The awareness that there is more beyond her current reality, even without knowing what it is, compels her to seek meaning. This reflects a fundamental part of the human experience—our need to explore, to uncover, and to create purpose for ourselves.

The book leaves room for multiple interpretations. For instance, as the creator above suggests, it can serve as a metaphor for the experience of being a woman—particularly for those who have lived under systems of restriction. How many societies have existed where women were governed into despair?

Until Next Time!

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Keep living life on your terms.

Warm regards,

June Tara
Founder of Spark Siren