I Stand Here Ironing

“Ironing” Analysis

It is said that a mother’s love is unconditional. A mother will always be there to care for and support her daughter in times of great need. A mother is selfless, and will sacrifice all that has meaning in her life for the wellbeing of her daughter. Or at least, that’s what society expects. In Tillie Olson’s short story, “I Stand Here Ironing”, these common societal views are challenged when a mother recalls enduring the unspoken burdens of motherhood. Instead of presenting the ideal example of a nurturing mother and role model that guides her daughter to success, Olsen gives us a protagonist who illustrates the harsher realities of family life. Through an array of literary resources, Tillie Olsen characterizes a regretful …show more content…
Since the story is told from the main character’s thoughts and position, there is almost no better way to characterize her. The mothers 1st person point of view reveals her guilt when she contemplates the wrong decisions she made while raising her child. For instance, the mother reveals that she “was a distracted mother” whose guidance and “wisdom came too late” on her daughter to change any influences that made her who she was. The narrator feels distant and regretful when she contemplates her decisions from a mother’s perspective. Another way Olsen uses point of view is to show the narrator shirts of worry. When the mother is pondering her final worries about her daughter, all she wishes is that her daughter finds a sense of who she really is, instead of being like the dress, “helpless before the ironing board” (Olsen 651). Here, the reader sees the mother’s perspective on the iron is one in which the mother’s problems and worries move back and forth in attempts to “flatten out” the rugged path of Emily’s development to adulthood. In brief, Olsen’s use of point of view directly allows readers to see into the mind of the main character and gather unique perspectives of her characterization. In closing, Tillie Olsen’s use of literary devices and recourses effectively characterize the mother in the short story “I Stand Here Ironing”. Olsen’s ability to use the creative process in her writings have given to

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