Analytical essay

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Analytical Essay on “I Stand Here Ironing”
“I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen, is a story about a mother's struggle to balance the demands of raising children and having to work to make ends meet during the Great Depression. The story’s primary focus is on the relationship between the narrator, a mother, and her first child, Emily. Throughout the story, the narrator reflects on the decisions and mistakes she made while raising Emily. The narrator was detached from Emily almost completely during her younger years, but she desires an emotional connection to her, like she has with her other children. She also wants Emily to have a better life than she had.
In the opening of this story, someone, perhaps a teacher, has asked the narrator to talk to them about Emily. The narrator’s response makes it appear that she does not care about her daughter. However, the narrator loves Emily deeply, but feels like she shows it by working to support her.
“I wish you would manage the time to come in and talk with me about your daughter. I’m sure you can help and whom I’m deeply interested in helping.” “Who needs help.”… Even if I came, what good would it do? You think because I am her mother I have a key, or that in some way you could use me as a key? She has lived for nineteen years. There is all that life that has happened outside of me, beyond me. (Olsen, 1953-54, p. 814)
In a time when most mothers typically stayed home to raise their children, the narrator had to look for work when her husband left their family. With no other daycare options available, the narrator leaves eight-month-old Emily in the care of a neighbor who neglects her.
She was a miracle to me, but when she was eight months old I had to leave her daytime with ...

... middle of paper ...

...suaded to send Emily away to live in a convalescent home so that she could get better, and it would free Emily’s mom to care for the new baby. When Emily was released from the convalescent home eight months later, the narrator desired a connection with Emily, “I used to try to hold and love her after she came back, but her body would stay stiff, and after a while she’d push away” (Olsen, 1953-54, p. 817).
Emily and her mother lack any real connection or mother-daughter bond because they were apart during most of her childhood. The narrator wants Emily to know that she can rise above and become something great. Looking back, the narrator wishes she could “iron out the wrinkles” from Emily’s upbringing.

Works Cited

Olsen, T. (1953-54). I stand here ironing. In K. Mays (Ed.). (2013). The Norton introduction to literature (pp. 814-820). New York: W. W. Norton.

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