Stanley Elkin's Short Story 'A Poetics For Bullies'

Raphael Nwadike
In Stanley Elkin’s short story, “A Poetics for Bullies,” the main character is a bully named Push who uses the “sleight of mouth” and his courage to terrorize the school. He makes it clear that no one is free from his harassment. In the story, Elkins characterizes Push as a boy who struggles for power over others due to his feelings of loneliness and jealousy.
In the opening paragraphs of the short story, the readers get a sense of what Push is all about and gets some insight into the mind of the bully (Push). Push defines his art of bullying in a bold sentence, when Push says, “I'm Push the bully, and what I hate are new kids and sissies, dumb kids and smart, rich kids, poor kids, kids who wear glasses, talk funny,

show off, patrol boys and wise guys and kids who pass pencils and water the plants — and cripples, especially cripples. I love nobody loved.” This shows that Push is filled with hate and doesn’t like people who are loved and have an identity. Hate is a crucial component in Push’s characterization. Hate, in Push’s terms, is the love that nobody loves. He doesn’t like people who are loved because he has nobody to love him. He elaborates his definition by giving an example of the red-haired kid that he bullied and his reasons for bullying were actually, because of his desire of the red hair.
After describing all the various kinds of people he hates, he goes on to say that he is a coveter. This becomes evident, when Push says, “I wish I were tall…I’m a coveter, a Boston Blackie of the heart, casing the world. Endlessly, I covet and case.” (173). This quotes shows Push is discontent with himself and wishes to seek another identity, but he can only uses bullying as his form of expression. All the attributes that Push presents are actually traits that he wished he had. He hates and picks on those people because he is jealous that they have a unique attribute that makes up their identity. His bullying stems from a profound jealousy. When picking on a boy with red hair while the boy’s mother is watching, she shouts from her car that Push only bullies her son because Push wishes that he had hair like her son. And to some extent that is true. Push indeed admits, “It’s true; I did wish I had his red hair.” (173). He longs for something, a quality or trait, which makes him unique and loved by someone.
In the end of the second paragraph, Push says “(Do you know what makes me cry?

The Declaration of Independence. "All men are created equal." That's beautiful.)” (173). This shows that Push doesn’t fit the stereotype that all bullies are dumb and heartless. This quote shows that not only is Push insightful. For him to be able to understand the Declaration of Independence and even cry shows he is actually intelligent and insightful. He is also very smart in the way that he knows exactly how to control most of the people around him, of course until he meets John Williams. Push is very different from most other bullies in that he is a smaller and weaker kid, and he seems to be much more intelligent than most kids his age. He uses his intelligence and “sleight of mouth” to gain power and affluence from his classmates.
In the third paragraph, the reader sees how Push not only uses his strength but his intelligent and courage to gain power. This becomes evident when Push says,“Toughness isn't enough. You beat them up, they report you. Then where are you? I'm not even particularly strong. But what I lose in size and strength I make up in courage. I'm very brave. That's a lie about bullies being cowards underneath. If you're a coward, get out of the business.”(173).This shows that Push is courageous and doesn’t fear anybody or thing even though he is not that strong, he is still up to the

task.
Push bullies people with special and unique qualities. In Push’s mind, these qualities are flaws that he uses to torment them. Push says “I have lived my life in pursuit of the vulnerable: Push the chink seeker, wheeler dealer in the flawed cement of the personality, a collapse maker.”(180). He also picks on little kids with no protection. He picks on kids who vulnerable and naïve. For example: “A kid is going downtown on the elevated train. This is a kid going to the travel bureaus, the foreign tourist offices to get brochures, maps, pictures of the mountains for a unit at his school — a kid looking for extra credit. Pretending confusion, I walk on his paper Florence. I grind my heel in his Riviera. I climb Vesuvius and sack his Rome and dance on the Isle of Capri” (176). This shows Push steps on the feelings of other people. He torment and destroy the little kids endeavor because he was vulnerable and little. Push stood there and analyzed this kid so he could torment him. Not only does this quote demonstrate the type of people he bullies, it also shows the form in which he bullies. He is very thoughtful and vigilant when bullying people. Nevertheless, he likes to pick on vulnerable people because he feels powerless and his only sense of power comes from ridiculing and tormenting kids. In his life no one pays attention to him or thinks his important so he bullies people in order to gain power. This craving for dominance seems to be both a conscious and subconscious desire. Push actively bullies other kids to satisfy his own lack of self-esteem.
Push also bullies people with unique qualities. All the attributes that Push presents are actually traits that he wished he had. He hates and picks on those people of because he is jealous that they have a unique attribute that makes up their identity. For example: When picking on a boy with red hair while the boy’s mother is watching. Push torments kids with unique and special qualities because he wants them himself. He also says, “what I hate are new kids and sissies, dumb kids and smart, rich kids, poor kids, kids who wear glasses, talk funny, show off, patrol boys and wise guys and kids who pass pencils and water the plants — and cripples, especially cripples. I love nobody loved.” This shows that he hates and bullies kids with identities. He bullies people with something special or unique about them because he wants those traits. This becomes evident when picking on a boy with red hair while the boy’s mother is watching, she shouts from her car that Push only bullies her son because Push wishes that he had hair like her son. And to some extent that is true. Push indeed admits, “It’s true; I did wish I had his red hair.” (173) Perhaps what Push is noticing is that he hates all the attributes in people that other individuals find distinguishing and lovely. He covets other people’s traits but ridicule them for it because he could never have. He desires a quality that which makes him unique and loved by others. Push’s desire to be unique and have his own claim to fame in school urges his hostile traits. Push is frustrated that he doesn’t have any special characteristic that will make him stand out in school so he reverts to bullying tactics that he hopes will catch the attention of his fellow classmates. Therefore, he bullies kids with special and unique qualities because he is jealous.
By the definition of Dictionary.com, “poetics is a literary criticism treating of the nature and laws of poetry.” Push’s boasting is rife with puns. He says that there is “only casuistical trick. Sleight-of-mouth, the bully’s poetics.” When Push refers to “sleight of the mouth” he is saying that Push uses his words and poetic license to abuse and torture the kids. Push bullies by using his words instead of his fists and arms. “The bully’s poetic” gives Push the power to bully and torture. This becomes evident when Push exclaims, “Physical puns, conundrums. Push the punisher, the conundrummer.” (179). This shows that Push uses puns to punish; and, conundrums to drum and beat up the kids. He uses his smart mouth and his poetic license to abuse and degrade kids at his school.