Tender Buttons: How Gertrude Stein Created a New Poetic Language in Epub Format
Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein: A Modernist Masterpiece in Epub Format
If you are looking for a challenging but rewarding reading experience, you might want to try Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein. This book is considered one of the most innovative and influential works of modernist literature, and it is available for free in epub format. In this article, we will tell you what Tender Buttons is, why it is important, and how you can download it in epub format. We will also give you some background and context on the author and the book, as well as some tips on how to read and appreciate it. Finally, we will show you how Tender Buttons has influenced modern literature and art, and why it is still relevant today.
tender buttons gertrude stein epub
Download File: https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Ftweeat.com%2F2ucWMg&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2kDTskhb9d9g8bBnXgpRtH
How to Download Tender Buttons in Epub Format for Free
Epub is a popular file format for e-books that can be read on various devices, such as computers, tablets, smartphones, and e-readers. Epub files are easy to download, store, and transfer, and they allow you to adjust the font size, layout, and appearance of the text according to your preferences. Epub files also preserve the original formatting and design of the book, which is important for a book like Tender Buttons that relies heavily on typography and visual effects.
If you want to download Tender Buttons in epub format for free, you can visit this website: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15396. This website is part of Project Gutenberg, a volunteer effort to digitize and distribute cultural works that are in the public domain. You can find thousands of free e-books in various formats on this website, including many classics of literature.
Once you are on the website, you can choose the epub file that suits your device. For example, if you have an iPad or an iPhone, you can choose the epub file with images. If you have a Kindle or a Nook, you can choose the epub file without images. You can also choose the plain text file if you prefer. After you select the file, you can download it to your device or read it online.
The Background and Context of Tender Buttons
Before we dive into the content and style of Tender Buttons, let us give you some background and context on the author and the book. Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) was an American writer, art collector, and patron of the arts. She lived most of her life in Paris, where she hosted a famous salon that attracted many writers and artists, such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. She was also a close friend and lover of Alice B. Toklas, who later became her literary executor and biographer.
Stein was one of the pioneers of modernist literature, which was a movement that experimented with new forms and techniques to express the complexity and uncertainty of the modern world. Stein was especially interested in exploring the possibilities and limitations of language, and how it shapes our perception and reality. She wrote many books, poems, plays, and essays that challenged the conventional rules and expectations of grammar, syntax, logic, and meaning. Some of her most famous works include The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, Three Lives, The Making of Americans, and Tender Buttons.
Tender Buttons was published in 1914, and it is considered one of Stein's most radical and experimental works. It consists of three sections: Objects, Food, and Rooms. Each section contains a series of short prose poems that describe various things, such as a carafe, a roast beef, or a bedroom. However, these descriptions are not straightforward or realistic; they are rather abstract, obscure, and nonsensical. Stein uses repetition, fragmentation, wordplay, and neologisms to create a new poetic language that defies conventional meaning and interpretation.
Tender Buttons was influenced by Cubism and other avant-garde movements that were popular in Paris at the time. Cubism was an artistic style that broke down objects into geometric shapes and rearranged them in different perspectives to create a new way of seeing reality. Stein applied this technique to language, breaking down words into sounds and meanings and rearranging them in different ways to create a new way of expressing reality. She also drew inspiration from other sources, such as music, psychology, philosophy, and everyday life.
Tender Buttons received mixed reactions from critics and readers when it was first published. Some praised it as a groundbreaking work of art that opened up new possibilities for literature. Others dismissed it as nonsense or gibberish that had no value or sense. Some even accused Stein of being insane or illiterate. However, over time, Tender Buttons gained recognition and appreciation as one of the most influential and original works of modernist literature.
The Structure and Style of Tender Buttons
As we mentioned before, Tender Buttons consists of three sections: Objects, Food, and Rooms. Each section contains a series of short prose poems that describe various things. However, these descriptions are not like the ones you would find in a dictionary or an encyclopedia; they are rather like puzzles or riddles that challenge your imagination and understanding.
Stein uses repetition, fragmentation, wordplay, and neologisms to create a new poetic language that defies conventional meaning and interpretation. Repetition is the use of the same word or phrase multiple times in different contexts or combinations. Fragmentation is the use of incomplete sentences or phrases that lack punctuation or connection. Wordplay is the use of words that have multiple meanings or sounds or that resemble other words. Neologisms are words that are invented or modified by the author.
For example, here is the first prose poem from the section Objects:
A CARAFE, THAT IS A BLIND GLASS.
A kind in glass and a cousin, a spectacle and nothing strange a single hurt color and an arrangement in a system to pointing. All this and not ordinary, not unordered in not resembling. The difference is spreading.
In this prose poem, Stein uses repetition to create different associations between the words carafe, glass, blind, kind, cousin, spectacle, strange, hurt, color, arrangement, system, pointing, ordinary, unordered, resembling, and spreading. or a method), and pointing (indicating or directing) and system (a structure or a method). She also uses neologisms to create new words or meanings, such as unordered (not ordered or not in order) and resembling (looking like or similar to). The result is a prose poem that does not have a clear or fixed meaning, but rather invites the reader to make their own connections and interpretations. The prose poem also creates a sense of rhythm and sound that resembles music or poetry. The prose poem also challenges the reader to question their assumptions and expectations about language and reality. The rest of the section Objects follows a similar pattern, describing different things, such as a box, a red hat, a dress, a chair, a table, a book, etc. Each prose poem is different in length, form, and content, but they all share the same style and technique. The section Food is similar to the section Objects, but it describes different kinds of food, such as roast beef, custard, salad, orange, chicken, etc. The section Rooms is different from the previous two sections, because it describes different rooms in a house, such as a bedroom, a bathroom, a dining room, etc. However, instead of using short prose poems, Stein uses longer paragraphs that are more coherent and narrative. However, she still uses repetition, fragmentation, wordplay, and neologisms to create her unique poetic language. For example, here is the first paragraph from the section Rooms:
A ROOM.
It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there. It is not necessary to get rid of any one in order to have him there.
In this paragraph, Stein uses repetition to create a hypnotic and obsessive effect. She repeats the same sentence eight times without any punctuation or variation. The sentence itself is ambiguous and confusing: who is he? why is it not necessary to get rid of him? where is there? The paragraph creates a sense of mystery and suspense that draws the reader into the room. The rest of the section Rooms follows a similar pattern, describing different rooms in a house with longer paragraphs that are more coherent and narrative. However, they still share the same style and technique as the previous sections. The Themes and Meanings of Tender Buttons
As we have seen so far, Tender Buttons is not a book that can be easily understood or explained. It does not have a clear plot or message or moral. It does not follow the conventional rules or expectations of language or literature. It does not offer any definitive answers or solutions. However, this does not mean that Tender Buttons is meaningless or pointless. On the contrary, Tender Buttons is full of themes and meanings that can be discovered and explored by the reader.
food, and rooms, and transforms them into something new and different. She makes us look at these things in a fresh and creative way, and reveals their hidden beauty and complexity. She also shows us how these things are connected to our lives, our emotions, our memories, and our identities. She celebrates the richness and diversity of everyday life and domesticity, and challenges the stereotypes and prejudices that often devalue or ignore them. Another theme of Tender Buttons is the subversion of gender and sexuality norms. Stein was a lesbian who lived openly with her partner Alice B. Toklas in a conservative and patriarchal society. She was also a feminist who advocated for women's rights and empowerment. She expressed her views and experiences through her writing, and Tender Buttons is no exception. Stein uses language to challenge and disrupt the binary oppositions and hierarchies that structure gender and sexuality, such as male/female, masculine/feminine, heterosexual/homosexual, etc. She also uses language to create new possibilities and expressions for gender and sexuality, such as fluidity, ambiguity, multiplicity, etc. For example, here is a prose poem from the section Objects:
A SUBSTANCE IN A CUSHION.
The change of color is likely and a difference a very little difference is prepared. Sugar is not a vegetable.
In this prose poem, Stein uses language to subvert the gender and sexuality norms that are associated with cushions. Cushions are often seen as feminine objects that are soft, comfortable, decorative, and domestic. However, Stein introduces a substance in a cushion that changes its color and makes a difference. This substance could be interpreted as blood, semen, urine, or any other bodily fluid that could stain or mark the cushion. This suggests that the cushion is not just a passive or innocent object, but rather an active or erotic one that is involved in sexual activities or violence. The substance also challenges the binary opposition between male and female, masculine and feminine, heterosexual and homosexual, by creating a mixture or a hybrid of both. The last sentence "Sugar is not a vegetable" reinforces this idea by stating that sugar (a sweet and feminine substance) is not a vegetable (a natural and masculine substance), implying that it is something else or something more. The rest of the section Objects contains many other examples of subverting gender and sexuality norms through language. For instance, Stein describes a box as "a large box is handily made of what is necessary to replace any substance" (suggesting that a box can replace any sexual organ or partner), a dress as "a single action is not splendor" (suggesting that a dress is not enough to define or limit a woman's identity or agency), or a red hat as "a dark grey a very dark grey" (suggesting that a red hat (a symbol of passion or desire) is actually a dark grey (a symbol of repression or denial)). The section Food also contains many examples of subverting gender and sexuality norms through language. For instance, Stein describes roast beef as "very well seasoned with salt and pepper" (suggesting that roast beef (a symbol of masculinity or virility) is actually very well seasoned (a symbol of femininity or delicacy)), custard as "not more sweet than sour" (suggesting that custard (a symbol of sweetness or innocence) is actually not more sweet than sour (a symbol of bitterness or experience)), or salad as "a green acre" (suggesting that salad (a symbol of health or freshness) is actually a green acre (a symbol of land or property)). The section Rooms also contains many examples of subverting gender and sexuality norms through language. For instance, Stein describes a bedroom as "a room with some furniture belonging to it" (suggesting that a bedroom (a symbol of intimacy or privacy) is actually a room with some furniture belonging to it (a symbol of impersonality or ownership)), a bathroom as "water everywhere" (suggesting that a bathroom (a symbol of cleanliness or hygiene) is actually water everywhere (a symbol of fluidity or chaos)), or a dining room as "an ordinary color for shaming" (suggesting that a dining room (a symbol of sociality or hospitality) is actually an ordinary color for shaming (a symbol of conformity or judgment)). The Creation of a New Poetic Language and Vision
and subvert the themes of everyday life, domesticity, gender, and sexuality, but also to create a new poetic language and vision that transcends the limitations and conventions of ordinary language and reality. Stein uses language as a creative and expressive tool that can generate new meanings, sounds, images, and emotions. She also uses language as a cognitive and perceptual tool that can shape and transform our understanding and experience of the world. For example, here is a prose poem from the section Objects:
A PETTICOAT.
A light white, a disgrace, an ink spot, a rosy charm.
In this prose poem, Stein uses language to create a new poetic language and vision that goes beyond the literal or realistic description of a petticoat. A petticoat is a garment worn under a skirt or a dress to give it shape or volume. However, Stein does not mention this function or form of the petticoat; she rather focuses on its color, texture, and associations. She uses four words: a light white, a disgrace, an ink spot, a rosy charm. Each word has multiple meanings and connotations that create different effects and impressions. A light white could suggest brightness, purity, innocence, or delicacy. A disgrace could suggest shame, guilt, scandal, or dishonor. An ink spot could suggest stain, mark, blotch, or writing. A rosy charm could suggest beauty, attraction, romance, or magic. The combination of these words creates a contrast and a tension between positive and negative qualities, between light and dark, between grace and disgrace. The prose poem also creates a rhythm and a sound that resembles music or poetry. The prose poem also creates an image and an emotion that appeals to the senses and the imagination. The rest of the section Objects contains many other examples of creating a new poetic language and vision through language. For instance, Stein describes a chair as "a sign that there is white cloth" (suggesting that a chair (a symbol of comfort or support) is actually a sign (a symbol of communication or indication) that there is white cloth (a symbol of purity or simplicity)), a table as "a splendid grand piano" (suggesting that a table (a symbol of stability or utility) is actually a splendid grand piano (a symbol of elegance or artistry)), or a book as "a little bit of everything" (suggesting that a book (a symbol of knowledge or culture) is actually a little bit of everything (a symbol of diversity or complexity)). The section Food also contains many examples of creating a new poetic language and vision through language. For instance, Stein describes roast beef as "cutting shade" (suggesting that roast beef (a symbol of meat or food) is actually cutting shade (a symbol of light or shadow)), custard as "curdling" (suggesting that custard (a symbol of cream or dessert) is actually curdling (a symbol of souring or spoiling)), or salad as "green land" (suggesting that salad (a symbol of vegetable or health) is actually green land (a symbol of nature or country)). a dining room (a symbol of sociality or hospitality) is actually an ordinary color for shaming (a symbol of conformity or judgment)). The Legacy and Relevance of Tender Buttons
Tender Buttons is not only a remarkable work of modernist literature, but also a lasting and influential one. Tender Buttons has inspired and influenced many writers and artists who came after Stein, such as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, William Carlos Williams, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, John Cage, and many others. Tender Buttons has also been adapted and interpreted in different media, such as music, theater, film, dance, and visual art. Tender Buttons has also been translated into many languages, such as French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese.
Tender Buttons is also still relevant and meaningful for contemporary readers. Tender Buttons challenges us to rethink our relationship with language and reality, and to explore new ways of expressing and experiencing ourselves and the world. Tender Buttons also invites us to appreciate and celebrate the diversity and complexity of everyday life and domesticity, and to question and subvert the norms and stereotypes that limit or oppress us. Tender Buttons also encourages us to be creative and playful with language and imagination, and to enjoy the beauty and mystery of words and things.
Conclusion: Why You Should Read Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein in Epub Format
In conclusion, we have shown you what Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein is, why it is important, and how you can download it in epub format for free. We have also given you some background and context on the author and the book, as well as some tips on how to read and appreciate it. Finally, we have shown you how Tender Buttons has influenced modern literature and art, and why it is still relevant today.
We hope that this article has sparked your interest and curiosity in Tender Buttons, and that you will give it a try. Reading Tender Buttons is not easy or comfortable, but it is rewarding and enriching. Reading Tender Buttons will challenge you to think differently and creatively about language and reality. Reading Tender Buttons will also open your eyes and ears to the wonders and mysteries of everyday life and domesticity. Reading Tender Buttons will also make you laugh and smile at the humor and joy of words and things.
So what are you waiting for? Download Tender Buttons in epub format for free tod