Essays on I Stand Here Ironing

I Stand Here Ironing is a short story written by Tillie Olsen in 1961. The story follows an unnamed mother as she reflects on her daughter Emily’s life, and how the choices she made as a parent have shaped Emily’s existence. The story begins with the narrator feeling overwhelmed by being asked to iron out her daughter’s past. She explains that she was just nineteen, dulled from childbirth and nursing, lacking knowledge of or counsel about children. Despite her best intentions to raise Emily properly, the narrator admits that there were times when she could not provide what was necessary due to financial hardships and other familial concerns. We learn through flashbacks that Emily had been born premature, which left her sickly throughout childhood; this led to multiple hospitalizations and a lack of physical activity compared to other children her age. The narrator also discusses how she often struggled emotionally with raising Emily since she wanted so badly for her child to succeed but lacked both knowledge and resources at times. Her guilt over these shortcomings leads her to feel responsible for any inadequacies in Emily’s life”for instance, when reflecting on their conversations during stints apart due to work or illness, the narrator admits that they were often awkward because the topics did not always lend themselves well toward meaningful communication between them. In spite of all these challenges, I Stand Here Ironing reveals hope in its ending: after recounting all of these difficult moments from Emily’s past, the mother finally concludes But I stand here ironingand what you asked me moves tormented back and forth with the iron. This suggests that although it may be difficult for a parent like herself who has so many regrets about how things unfolded in the past, instead of dwelling on those mistakes it is better for them (and their children) move forward into a brighter future where strong relationships can be built once more .”