I Stand Here Ironing

Term Paper Title	I Stand Here Ironing
# of Words	386
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	1.54

I Stand Here Ironing

The short story by Tillie Olsen, I Stand Here Ironing, is an example of a
mother daughter struggle. From what I understand, the young mother initially has
a rough life, and can barely keep track of herself and her daugher, Emily.
Because the mother must work to support them, she always put Emily into other
people�s care, and even had to send her away for several different periods.
This caused the distance between the mother and Emily to become greater, even to
the point that Emily does not like physical affection such as hugs from her
mother. The mother loves her daughter greatly, but she does not have the means
of providing for her child as she would like to. As there are other children and
husbands added to the family, Emily seems to move farther from them all.

As Emily grows older, the mother is regretful of the way Emily has grown up.
The mother says, �We were poor and could not afford for her the soil of easy
growth� (pg 29). The mother criticizes and blames herself for this, causing
tension in their already stressful relationship. The mother is obviously
suffering from guilt and wretched memories of Emily suffering. Emily, too, is
suffering. ...

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