A Responsive Essay to I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen
The short story I Stand Here Ironing written in 1961 by Tillie Olsen starts out with the main character ironing. As she is ironing, she ponders the life of her eldest daughter, Emily. She recounts everything from her birth to schooling to present day when Emily is a teenager. She also gives her feelings on how she raised her daughter. After reading I Stand Here Ironing I am left with the feeling of sorrow. Her tone and her language and her simple subtlety create an unsettling feeling for the reader. The main character begins ironing after getting a troubling telephone call about her daughter. As ironing is a mundane task, it allows the mother time to ponder her problems. At this point, her daughter is in some sort of trouble, which is never specified for the reader. However, the mother (who is the main character/narrator) now needs to “iron” out her problems.