I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen - Essay Example

The memories of mother about Emily, her daughter is a painful one, justifying or explaining how she was so preoccupied with her struggles of life, poverty and singleness so that she was unable to give proper care for Emily, her first daughter. The mother was highly stricken in the circumstances of life that she could not help Emily during her childhood. Emily did not get any physical or emotional support and was nearly in a ‘forsaken’ state. Emily’s mother’s life challenges blocked her from giving proper care for her daughter.

A comparison of the feelings of mother and the daughter and their characteristics towards each other helps us understand the story better. Both of them had an unfortunate life circumstance that affected their actions; a comparison of their real life situation gives answer to every question in the story. As far as Emily is concerned mother was an invisible parent. Her reason for not being there for Emily was because she was a “young and distracted mother” (Olsen 1961). However careful analysis of the story shows that Emily’s mother was quite irresponsible, non-committed, and inattentive in her role as a ‘mother’ to Emily.

It is true that the real reason behind her inattentiveness was her inexperience and personal struggles. She was unaware how essential it is to be there ‘physically’ and ‘emotionally’ for the child. Emily did not receive any directions or guidance from her mother for her health or happiness which she should would never receive from a childcare center. Emily’s mother was of the belief that a nursery or convalescent home would give everything her child needs. Emily did not get any guidance regarding ‘school’ or ‘friends’ from her mother.

That lack of guidance resulted in her unsatisfactory performance in the school. It is mentioned that Emily was not good with school; she was a “slow learner” (Olsen 1961). She did not get any help or any suggestion or contribution from her mother how to upgrade herself and she was never encouraged or compelled for performing better. Emily never knew the importance of doing well in the school. The narrator of the story, Emily’s mother simply mentions that she was not good at school. She has not mentioned about any of her efforts ‘as a mother’ to bring Emily up in her academics.

The whole plot of the story appears as if it is narrated by a ‘third person’. The mother’s narration seldom reflects any intimacy with her daughter. The very mentioning of the name ‘Emily’ throughout the story itself shows her lack of intimacy with her daughter. Emily is portrayed as ‘lonely’ and ‘solitary’ in the story. She does not have many friends or close connections. . She is alienated from people because of her mother. Because her mother seldom smiled at her, “she does not smile easily” (Olsen 1961).

It is also mentioned that Emily was not a friendly looking person, “her face is closed and sombre” (Olsen 1961). She was unfortunate enough to miss everything in her childhood and these constituted her further life and her personality. Nobody not even her mother tried to give her a companion. She would have been a different person if she had her mother taking care of her in her childhood, studies and life. Emily did not have any favorable circumstance during her childhood. Her circumstances shaped her life.