Growing Up in I Stand Here Ironing Essay - 1291 Words

Growing up The oppression of women by society has never been a secret. Many times it has been documented in works of literature, and one classical example of this occurrence is I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen. This story illustrates the consequences of oppression in womens lives. The story leads the reader on an exploratory journey to witness the neglect by Emilys extremely guilty mother. This is described by the childrens cry when they are left with strangers, lacking attention and love due to the fact she is a single parent at a time where this was not commonly accepted in the community, causing a lot of emotional distress. The mothers pain and torment is apparent from the very beginning of the story. Her†¦show more content†¦There is irony in this story in that it begins with a nineteen-year old Emily, the same age of the mother at Emilys birth, I was nineteen. It was the pre-relief, pre-WPA world of depression (Olsen, 368). The societal changes and different expectations for women are illustrated through the description of Emily as a single college student and assertive, while her mom was a product of the 1930s, uneducated, forced to work very young to make ends meet. While Emily has the advantage of a contemporary upbringing, she is still vulnerable and fearful as an adult, as she was a lonely, sick and unpopular child. When she finally came I hardly knew her, walking quick and nervous like her father, looking like her father, thin, and dressed in a shoddy red that yellowed her skin and glared at the pockmarks (Olsen, 368). In many ways, the mother has control over Emilys destiny, which seems to relinquish weakly. For example, she didnt have to bear other children, knowing she was struggling with Emily, emotionally, physically, and financially. It seems as though she didnt even give her new marriage time to develop before there were new babies and responsibilities kept on upon her. She seems to approach life ignorantly, simply succumbing to her circumstances in a passiveShow MoreRelated Examining Conflict in I Stand Here Ironing Essays1416 Words   |  6 Pages In the short story I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen the conflict between a mother whose giving is limited by hardships is directly related to her daughters wrinkled adjustment. Ironing, she reflects upon when she was raising her first-born daughter, Emily. The mother contemplates the consequences of her actions. The mothers life had been interrupted by childbirth, desertion, poverty, numerous jobs, childcare, remarriage, frequent relocat ions, and five children. Her struggling economicRead More The Mother Daughter Relationship in I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen854 Words   |  4 PagesThe Mother Daughter Relationship in I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen I stand here ironing, a unique phrase uttered by a woman in her conquest of life. 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