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Those that approach Tender Buttons expecting a sensical, linear narrative are sorely mistaken. As a hallmark work of the Modernist Avant-Garde, Stein eschews traditional linguistic usage, grammar, and syntax. The result is a disorienting, bizarre, un-categorizable and wholly unique piece of art. The very genre of the work remains in question.
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Nov 21, 2023 · Gertrude Stein's 1914 publication Tender Buttons is an experimental prose poetry project that presents everyday objects using experimental diction. The work is divided into three sections: Objects ...
- 5 min
- A Carafe, That Is A Blind Glass.
- Glazed Glitter.
- A Substance in A Cushion.
- A Box.
- A Long Dress.
- A Blue Coat.
- A Purse.
- A Cutlet.
- A Paper.
- In between.
In this first poem from "OBJECTS," Stein tells the reader a carafe belongs to the family of objects made of glass, a "cousin" of such vessels as bottles and stemware. It is a "spectacle" because it can be seen through and into, but it does not improve one's vision. Stein describes a carafe as a "blind" glass, which some have interpreted to mean its...
This is the second poem in "OBJECTS." It begins with a one-line paragraph that names a metal ("Nickel"), asks a question about it ("what is nickel"), and answers the question with an assertion rather than a definition ("it is originally rid of a cover"). In other words, to truly define something, one must see it as it was before it was given "a cov...
This is the third and longest piece in the section. Like "GLAZED GLITTER.", it is at least in part a conscious defense of Stein's deconstruction of language. The "cover," or cloth that holds the cushion together, is the "cover," or name, given to an object that limits what it actually is. The substance is "in" the cushion. It is separate from the c...
"A BOX." is the title of two very different poems in "OBJECTS." The first, with its references to "rudeness," "research," "selection" and seeing "a fine substance strangely," seems to be a critique of the process of learning, or at least of the educational establishment. As some have suggested, the poem may be a reaction to Stein's negative experie...
A long dress is a covering that hides what is underneath; this poem is not about a physical dress, but one that will speak to the many "covers" of language. This poem evokes the image of a long dress to illustrate language as Stein would like to see it used. Though the first lines of this poem are presented as statements, Stein is asking the reader...
One of the seemingly more accessible poems in this section, the reader likely first assumes it is a description of a piece of clothing. While this may be so, the text gives equal support to other conclusions—that it is a "coat" of paint or an animal's "coat," for instance. As with so many of Stein's descriptions, the coat can validly be said to dep...
This poem is one of several in which Stein uses thinly veiled symbolism to present a statement about female sexuality and the role of women in society. The "purse" here is almost certainly a euphemism for female genitals. Using that term underscores society's connection between a woman's genitalia and her economic value as a wife, bearer of childre...
This poem is a short, ambiguous description of "blind agitation," which may be rage and/or sexual arousal in men. Stein's description of it as "uttermost" is likely sarcastic, mocking the idea of the agitation being described is an exclusively male attribute, with women sexless and passive. The title may be a phallic reference and a play on the wor...
This poem seems to present its subject from at least two vantage points—noble and ignoble uses for paper—simultaneously. As she does often, Stein omits punctuation as a way of giving different perspectives equal weight, as a single thought taking place in a single moment. Here she seems to be elucidating the presence of paper at both highbrow (cour...
Often cited as a feminist poem, "IN BETWEEN." seems likely to be a description of the path from loneliness to sensual romance ("candy"). The phrase "a perfectly unprecedented arrangement between old ladies" is almost certainly a humorous reference to Stein's relationship with her partner, Alice B. Toklas.
Study Guide for Tender Buttons. Tender Buttons study guide contains a biography of Gertrude Stein, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. About Tender Buttons; Tender Buttons Summary; Character List; Glossary; Themes; Read the Study Guide for Tender Buttons…
- Gertrude Stein
Tender Buttons (book) Tender Buttons. (book) Tender Buttons is a 1914 book by American writer Gertrude Stein consisting of three sections titled "Objects", "Food", and "Rooms". The short book consists of multiple poems covering the everyday mundane. Stein's experimental use of language renders the poems unorthodox and their subjects unfamiliar.
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At a Glance. Gertrude Stein's Tender Buttons is a collection of experimental poems loosely organized into the categories of objects, food, and rooms. First published in 1914, the abstract text puzzled critics and continues to confuse readers today. Despite the poems seeming "nonsensical," Tender Buttons continues to be read as an example of ...
