I Stand Here Ironing is a short story by Tillie Olsen. It tells the story of a mother and her daughter, and the struggles that the mother faces as a parent.
The protagonist of I Stand Here Ironing is a mother who is trying to do the best she can for her daughter. However, she feels like she has failed her daughter in some way, and she tries to make up for it by ironing her daughter’s clothes. The mother is clearly struggling with her own problems, and she is not always able to be there for her daughter.
Although I Stand Here Ironing is a relatively short story, it manages to convey a lot of emotion and depth. The protagonist is a relatable character, and the reader can understand her struggles and her motivations. Olsen does an excellent job of portraying the complex relationship between a mother and her daughter.
I Stand Here Ironing is a powerful and moving story, and it deserves to be read by as many people as possible. It is a great example of the power of literature, and it shows how fiction can be used to explore important topics and issues. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy I Stand Here Ironing.
The Iron (Fist) of the Circumstance, by Tillie Olsen, is a narrative told by an unnamed mother who battles to maintain a normal family life while also providing for her children. The mother retells her story of raising Emily, the eldest daughter of the family, who experiences both emotional and physical problems such as depression, separa- nt from her parents
The mother is constantly at war with herself, trying to reconcile her desire to provide for her family with her guilt over not being able to do more. The most notable thing about this story is the mother’s ironing metaphor which she uses to describe her attempts to fix the problems in her daughter’s life. She says:
I stand here ironing, and I wonder why I am successful with the iron and unsuccessful with the child. I can’t I don’t know how it is that I can make something so smooth and flat and take all the wrinkles out of it without destroying it.
The mother faces many challenges in “I Stand Here Ironing”, but she never gives up on her daughter
In “I Stand Here Ironing,” Olsen suggests that fulfilling society’s expectation of a selfless mother is in fact an impediment to any kind of genuine self-discovery. Motherhood, rather than assisting women in achieving self-actualization, instead ties them down in lives full of work and responsibility.
The speaker in the story is ironing a shirt for her daughter, and she reflects on her own experience as a mother.
The speaker argues that society expects mothers to completely devote themselves to their children, and this leaves little time for self-reflection or growth. She laments the fact that many mothers never get the chance to develop their own identities, since they are so busy taking care of their children. The speaker also observes that motherhood can be a burden, especially when it comes to raising difficult children. She expresses frustration with the fact that some mothers are forced to deal with extremely challenging kids without any support from their partners or families.
Ultimately, the speaker urges mothers to take some time for themselves, in order to reflect on their lives and find ways to improve them. She argues that it is essential for mothers to have a sense of self, in order to provide their children with the best possible upbringing. The speaker’s words are powerful and insightful, and they offer a fresh perspective on motherhood.
Throughout the narrative, the mother is constantly ironing clothes, signifying her parental obligations that ironically prevent her from spending time with her children and symbolizing the impact of the mother on Emily’s development. The mother contemplates young Emily’s wants and temperament while she sends her to school, “I think of our others in their three-, four-year-oldness — the explosions, tempers, denunciations, demands — and I feel suddenly ill. I set down my iron. What compelled me to demand good in her? ” (Olsen).
The mother is worried about the lack of warmth in her daughter and wonders what she did wrong to make Emily so distant. She also recognises that, as a mother, she has had a great impact on her daughter, for better or for worse. In the end, the mother decides to keep ironing in order to provide for her family, but also to show her daughter that she cares.
Ironing can be seen as a symbol of the mother’s love and dedication to her family. The mother is constantly working to keep them clothed and fed, even though it leaves her with little time to herself. By ironing, she is sending a message to her daughter that she will always be there for her, no matter what. Even when Emily is older and doesn’t need her mother as much, the mother still finds ways to show her love. Ironing is just one example of the many sacrifices that mothers make for their children.
Tillie Olsen’s I Stand Here Ironing is a short story about a mother’s struggles to connect with her daughter. The story is told from the mother’s point of view and covers a period of several years. The mother is constantly trying to figure out what she did wrong to make her daughter so distant and unapproachable.
I Stand Here Ironing is a poignant portrayal of the challenges that mothers face in raising their children. Olsen brings to light the sacrifices that mothers make for their children, both physically and emotionally. The story is a reminder of the importance of the mother-child bond and the impact that it can have on a child’s development.
I Stand Here Ironing is a short story about the challenges that mothers face in raising their children. Written from the perspective of a mother, Tillie Olsen’s I Stand Here Ironing highlights all of the sacrifices these women make for their families – both physical and emotional. The character reflects on how her own upbringing affected her parenting skills as she ironed clothes and sent Emily to school while also noticing that she was not warm enough with her daughter. I Stand Here Ironing is an insightful portrayal of what it means to be a mother: through understanding one woman’s experience, we learn more about ourselves and our relationships with those around us.
