The Speaker

The speaker does not have a defined personality or set character traits meant to be scrutinized. Instead, Stein uses the speaker as a means to encourage the study of language and meaning through repetition and word play. In describing the complexity of domestic management, Stein aims to communicate "the continuous present" of existence. This is done in the context of a woman who manages a household and the desire to write. It seems she and other female writers will always be considered "wives of great men" even if they are writers in their own right.

Other Names

Although the names Willie, Henry, Lizzie, Ethel, Jack, Rose, Emily, Anne, Susan, Anna, and Jane are mentioned, they are not further introduced or developed as characters. The names are almost indistinguishable from other objects that appear in the poem.