The Darker Side of Being a Parent in “I Stand Here Ironing” “I Stand Here Ironing”, by Tillie Olsen, a short story, begins with the narrator receiving a phone call from an un-named person. The story develops a central theme of the unspoken burdens in motherhood that show the darker side of being a parent to a child. While the story starts off with a phone-call, the real conversation takes place in the narrator’s head as she struggles with the conflicts of her past that has led her and her daughter to the place they are at now.
“I Stand Here Ironing”, by Tillie Olsen begins with the narrator speaking on the phone with an unnamed person. The individual is never explicitly stated, but their status could be a social worker, teacher or principal. The person on the phone discusses the narrator’s child, Emily and ask if there is anything that can be done for her. The person on the phone believes Emily is struggling in her life and needs some kind of guidance or help. The narrator does not believe that she can provide any insight on what to do about her daughter just because she is her mother, and the story further develops with reminiscent memories of the narrator with her daughter. Both characters grew up in poverty and the narrator has to work long hours just to get by. This results in her being unable to care for Emily and she has to leave Emily in the care of neighbors. However when problems started to pile up, the narrator sends Emily away in the care of other people. Eventually Emily returns to her mother at the age of two, but she is a sick child and she returns very frail and weak. The mother feels justified in sending away her daughter because of the work that she has to do. This leads to Emily being subsequently ignored by her mother, and when her mother has other children, it further exacerbates the situation. Emily grows up to be a young lady who does not know her purpose and the mother ends her thoughts with hoping Emily to realize who she is one day. This short story centers mainly on the conflict between the narrator and her daughter, Emily. The story reveals the underlying theme of how the unspoken burdens of motherhood shed a darker light on how trying being a parent is. The narrator understands that she fails as a mother where it concerns her daughter, Emily. In the beginning, the narrator is unable to care for Emily because she is constantly working and she is forced to place Emily in daycare. However, she believes her neglect came from the burden of her trying to make ends meet. The narrator has to constantly work, and there came a time where Emily needs to be sent away and the narrator has to “leave her” (Olson 248). After she is able to have Emily back in her care, she states that, “I hardly knew her”. (Olson 248). This kind of attitude further leads to Emily’s neglect and her increasingly growing fragility as a child and later when she grows up. The neglect that is instilled upon Emily is not purposeful. At the core, this story shows how the burden of poverty leads to a mother being unable to care for her daughter as she should. Because the narrator is forced to work to make ends meet for her family, and her other children, she is unable to give Emily the care she needs. The story develops a rather, bitter tone towards Emily’s predicament. While the narrator realizes the problems of her daughter, she seems to understand that she can no longer do anything about it. With her other children she brought more attention to them, but with Emily, it was “too late for Emily” (Olsen 249). This leads to no motherly attention being directed towards Emily. When the un-named individual calls, the narrator ruminates on all the years she had been working and how it has led to how Emily has become. The narrator understands the turmoil that she put her daughter through but she believes that whatever she is doing to provide for her
another literary work. Passive voice: in the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is neither a do-er or a be-er, but is acted upon by some other agent or by something unnamed. Pastoral: a literary work that has to do with shepherds and rustic settings. Pathos: occurs when the audience experiences the emotions of pity, tenderness, or sorrow. Personal essay: a first person narrative. Personification: giving human characteristics to an animal, object, or idea. Persuasive essay: an essay designed…
Literary Movements Proof Several articles written during the prime of transcendentalism embodied the tenets which defined the movement. In particular, the essay Self Reliance written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, displays the importance of rejecting materialism. The title of the passage gives way to one of the major themes: to rely on one’s own spirit and mind, rather than on material items. It is apparent in Emerson’s writing that he fully advocates the importance of putting one’s character and self-worth…
Quick List of Common Literary Terms (Terms most applicable to AP Literature are in bold.) Abstract Language-Language describing ideas and qualities rather than observable or specific things, people, or places. The observable or "physical" is usually described in concrete language. Ad homonym—Latin for "against the man." When a writer personally attacks his or her opponents instead of their arguments Ad populum—Latin for "to the crowd." A fallacy of logic in which the widespread occurrence…
Literary terms :D By: Charles Huang =_= SHENG ZHANG X_X Roger Weng QAQ 1.Rhetorical modes 2.Satire Rhetorical modes - Narration Description Exposition Argument Narration Definition: It is used to tell a story or to narrate an event or series of events in a logical sequence Example: “I have been hiding away from the society for the past ten years, but I could still remember clearly what happened ten years ago. It was a nightmare, people started to eat each other like they’re supposed to, the…
Utopian Literature: Imperium in Imperio Throughout history, white men and women generally wrote literary utopias. These authors paid very little attention to other races, focusing on class and gender issues within the white race. However, over time new African-American authors came into the picture with their version of literary utopias. These African-American authors aimed to tackle the racial issues they were going through within their writings by sometimes proposing racist solutions. Over…
People always have different views on government. Some want change ideas and others want to keep the old ideas of government. There are always arguments about how a government should be rune and controlled. During the enlightenment in Europe, to men Thomas Hobbes and John Locke’s had different views on having a government should be. The views I agree with are john locks type of government. John lock had more positive views than Thomas Hobbes. He believed that people could learn from experience…
Compassion Essay The author, O. Henry, wrote The Gift of the Magi, which is a story about how a married couple goes out of their own way to show compassion and love for one another by their gifts. They sacrifice their most precious possessions in order to have enough money for each other’s gifts. The author, Ascher, wrote On Compassion, which is an article that gives her opinion and feeling toward compassion and how it is used in the modern day. She uses examples of what she has seen and gives…
Literary Essay (The Crucible) Andrea Hope Ms. Kyle English November 23 2014 We have nothing to fear but the accusation of witch craft and fear itself. Abigail has started everything to do with the witch craft, everyone is in believes of what she is doing and saying. John is scared for his wife Elizabeth, afraid that Abigail will win and everyone will think and believe that Elizabeth is the culprit for starting the witch craft. Marry Warren is standing up for Abigail while not…
How did the narrator of “Marigolds” define “coming of age”? { Entry Task: 9/26 Materials Needed: Spring Board, journal, writing utensil Literary Terms: FORESHADOWING a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story Literary Term: JUXTAPOSITION the arrangement of two or more things for the purpose of comparison. Examples of Juxtaposition Paragraph 60 is especially rich in juxtaposition. What textual examples of this did you find? What is the…
Literary Elements (15 questions as definitions; additional questions in reading comprehension) Define the following: 1. Allusion a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or fictitious, or to a work of art. ex: talking about cupid in romeo and juliet. 2. foil a character that contrasts another character to highlight traits of that other character. ex: king duncan is a foil to macbeth 3. analogy the comparison of two pairs who have the same relationship. ex: hot is to cold as fire is to ice…