Style and Technique
Gertrude Stein's The Making of Americans defies easy classification, challenging literary norms and blurring the lines between novel and other forms of writing. Often described as both a groundbreaking modern text and a parody of the Great American Novel, this 550,000-word opus showcases Stein's innovative approach over nearly a decade of writing. Despite its unconventional style leading to publishing difficulties, the work ultimately emerged in 1925, with an abridged edition following in 1934.
Breaking Away from Narrative Conventions
Rather than adhering to traditional novelistic expectations, The Making of Americans diverges from the customary focus on plot-driven action. Stein's narrative does not follow a linear timeline or embrace familiar dramatic structures like rising and falling action. Events occur in a non-sequential manner, devoid of evident cause-and-effect relationships, which can perplex readers accustomed to conventional storytelling.
Innovative Perspective and Characterization
Stein's work further complicates the standard framework for establishing perspective in literature. The text does not rely on a continuous narrative voice, nor does it maintain a single, overarching point of view. Characters are not developed in the traditional sense; some remain nameless, while others share names with previously introduced figures, creating a sense of ambiguity. The text's structure, often suggested by the characters' names, serves more as nominal references than as explanatory elements.
Eluding Closure and Resolution
The Making of Americans also resists offering a traditional resolution. The novel's final book, though echoing the subtitle "Being a History of a Family’s Progress," does not provide closure or restore order among the narrative's events. This absence of resolution further underscores Stein's departure from conventional literary forms, leaving readers to grapple with the text's open-ended nature.
Critical Reception and Interpretation
Critics have thoroughly examined Stein's textual irregularities, yet opinions vary on their significance. Some view her stylistic choices as a bold redefinition of literary form, while others see them as an audacious parody of the traditional novel. The text's resistance to genre classification invites ongoing debate and analysis, highlighting its place as a pivotal work in the evolution of modern writing.
Historical Context
Gertrude Stein's experimental writings left an indelible mark on the modernist movement, influencing luminaries such as Marcel Proust and James Joyce. Stein boldly challenged traditional conventions and reader expectations, cultivating a heightened awareness of language as a cultural practice. Her literary ventures were diverse, encompassing a wide array of forms. In true modernist fashion, she engaged in genre-blurring, genre-blending, and genre-busting, which drew attention to habits of perception and expression and exposed the inequalities embedded within them.
Many feminist critics believe language upholds the existing social order, perpetuating oppression based on gender, race, class, ethnicity, and religion. To drive social change, it becomes crucial to confront the inherently conservative nature of language. Long before feminism became a recognized movement, Stein asserted that cultural critiques are most potent when aimed at language itself. Her unconventional writings sought to reclaim language by crafting oppositional strategies against the hierarchies and patriarchies rooted in linguistic norms.
Traditional literary criticism often measures a writer's significance by their influence on others. According to this criterion, Stein's impact is both pervasive and lasting. During her lifetime, she directly affected writers like Sherwood Anderson, Ernest Hemingway, and William Carlos Williams. Recognized as part of a "first generation" of experimental women writers, Stein's influence extends to Edith Sitwell, Djuna Barnes, Jean Rhys, Anaïs Nin, and many others. Her legacy is evident in the works of authors such as Barbara Buiest, Anne Waldman, Rochelle Owens, Jane Bowles, H. D., Christine Brooke-Rose, and many more.
Moreover, Stein is often hailed as a precursor to the Language poets of the late twentieth century, including Michael...
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Davidson, Larry Eigner, Lyn Hejinian, Bob Perelman, and others. As readers explore the works of those influenced by Stein, new ways of understanding her own writings emerge, revealing the depth of her impact on literary tradition and cultural critique.
Setting
Gertrude Stein's novel The Making of Americans introduces readers to two distinct family settings, exploring the dichotomy between the traditional East and the evolving West. The Herslands, rooted in the western town of Gossols, symbolize the burgeoning American frontier spirit, while the Dehnings of Bridgepoint represent the established norms of Eastern society. Through a rich depiction of these families and their environments, Stein delves into the cultural and social contrasts shaping early 20th-century America.
Gossols: A Western Landscape
Gossols, a town situated in the heartland of the western United States, serves as the backdrop for the Hersland family's narrative. Stein uses Gossols to signify the new American frontier, contrasting it with the traditionalism of the East. The Herslands, described as "really western," embody the pioneering spirit, having ventured far into the untamed territories. This sense of community is vividly captured by Stein when she describes the locals collecting roses from the Hersland's hedge, symbolizing a connection to the land and to each other.
While the Herslands enjoy considerable prosperity, Stein paints their neighbors as a "poor queer kind of people," highlighting the socio-economic disparities within Gossols. This dynamic fosters tension between the Herslands and the town's immigrant population, as they navigate the clashing social strata. The friction resulting from these interactions both energizes and troubles the Hersland family, setting the stage for their complex narrative.
The Hersland House: A Reflection of Simplicity
The Hersland house, a wooden structure from the early days of Gossols, stands on a slightly elevated patch of land. Surrounded by nature, with vegetables, fruit trees, and hay fields, the house epitomizes the simple, agrarian lifestyle of the Herslands. Stein’s rare descriptive prose captures the essence of their daily life, celebrating the raw, unrefined joys of eating freshly plucked radishes and savoring the wind's embrace. The house and its surroundings are more than a mere dwelling; they represent the Herslands' connection to the earth and to their roots.
Bridgepoint: The Eastern Bastion
In contrast, Bridgepoint, an Atlantic coastal town, embodies the old Eastern establishment, with its entrenched social and cultural norms. The Dehning family, representing this long-standing heritage, calls this place home. Their upbringing in Bridgepoint, coupled with their city and country residences, underscores their deep ties to the Eastern way of life.
Dehning Houses: Symbols of Affluence and Heritage
The Dehning country house is a grand estate, surrounded by expansive lawns, meadows, and marshes leading to the sea, where family members find leisure in riding, sailing, and fishing. Their city house reflects prosperity, though Stein hints at a "nervous restlessness of luxury" permeating its walls. Comparing it to a "splendid canvas" filled with voids, the house's design speaks to a time of assured wealth and European influence. The decor, rich with ornate marbles and onyx stands, ties the family's American experience to a refined European past.
Stein encapsulates the essence of Eastern living through Julia Dehning, noting that she is in her element in Bridgepoint but feels "cut off" when in Gossols. This sentiment highlights the cultural disconnect between the two worlds and the challenges faced when navigating both.
Farnham College: A Microcosm of Democratic Values
Farnham College, a liberal arts institution for women located somewhere in the Western United States, plays a crucial role in the narrative. Martha Hersland's husband, Philip Redfern, who hails from a small southwestern town, teaches here. Representing rural America, Redfern and Farnham College mirror Stein’s own experiences at Radcliffe and Johns Hopkins, embodying a "democratic community" ethos. The college stands as a testament to the evolving educational landscape and the broader cultural shifts in America during the period.
