Tillie Olsen was an american writer who was associated with the political turmoil of 1930s and the American feminists. Quite parallel to that, the story has been written during the great depression in world economy(1929-1932). The main themes covered are - parenting rather mothering issues, issues of gender and quite significantly the problematic times in which the story has been plotted.
Not to forget Tillie Olsen won the O'Henry award in 1961(America) for the title story for her collection of "Tell me a riddle".
My point of view
And then to get hit by the car wasn't the beggar's fault and to hit the footpath due to long hours of work wasn't the sleep deprived driver's fault either. Both were hurt.
You know, at times I look up, but then I am compelled to look down.
Is it really always in our hands? is willingness enough? A blind person willing to see, how much so ever she wants, CANNOT. But we often fail to understand in capabilities of others and ourselves. We fail to understand that there are situations, circumstances, places, people and a lot more that makes us act in a certain manner. We cannot always play the blame game.
Tillie Olsen, in my view is trying to repeatedly emphasize on this. I stand here ironing is an indirect narration, where the narrator's thoughts have been portrayed in a much- appreciable manner. The author starts as the narrator stands ironing and thinks about a statement passed on to her regarding her child. This takes the narrator to old times and she factually narrates her coarse behavior towards her first child, Emily. However, it is very interesting the way the narrator does NOT blame herself for the same until she finds it reasonable. It is also interesting the way the narrator accepts her own mistakes and all the harsh realities even in her thoughts. She was being honest. To herself. So, to begin with she speaks about her first motherhood and her trials to make it pleasant. She was 19 and a single mother during the great depression in America. This can be found out as the author talks of pre-WPA (work progress administration) which was formed for dealing with world depression in America. The mother was young, and so was the child. No experience, no knowledge, the mother had no job(which indicates she had no family support and probably was a migrant)or money to sustain or raise her child. It has been shown how she tried to the best of her knowledge to live and grow Emily best in the worst scenario. However the question that rises here is, is willingness enough? Did the mother choose to be where she was? and Emily? who was constantly neglected, ignored, left alone, choose to feel the way she did? At times we feel what we feel, and its not simple to explain, justify, classify or even understand it. At times situations are hard and people's behavior hurt. No matter what. The intensity of the feeling cannot be measured in accordance to the action always. The person might feel worse or better than imagined and might react in a different manner failing to understand the reason behind the act from the perspective of the actor. Emily here feels, in simple words, horrible. (as per the narration) She has been sent to the neighbor, the father's family, the nursery school,convalescent home neither of which were welcoming and she had not had oh-so-great-time at home either. At a young age she had delusions as she heard the wall clock talk. She was a weak child caught by numerous diseases throughout her childhood. She did not look 'Shirley Temple' which was again an irony as the narrator calls her the most beautiful by birth. When sent for education she was found slow which was easily declared as inability to learn for the world worked (and still does) on glibness and quickness. Later she suffered asthma. She grew in the age of depression, of war , of fear. She was trained as the mother of her sisters and brothers and quite evidently missed her own childhood. But here is the catch. Does the story really revolve around Emily? Or what her mother feels of her? Her guilt? And her regret and her pride? Pride? yes towards the end the author has given a twist by showing our protagonist Emily as a 'comedian' in the story's present! The mother is then filled with pride and hope. And optimistic feeling. In the present Emily's age is 19. The author is clearly trying to draw the difference between Emily and her mother's life at that age. The narrator( mother) seems to be content about her daughter AT LEAST not falling in the same fate. And so questions the remark given on 'does Emily really need help'? She feels she can find her own way. But can she really? Is a big question mark to the reader.
SemestaCruinneArt
Tillie Olsen, in my view is trying to repeatedly emphasize on this. I stand here ironing is an indirect narration, where the narrator's thoughts have been portrayed in a much- appreciable manner. The author starts as the narrator stands ironing and thinks about a statement passed on to her regarding her child. This takes the narrator to old times and she factually narrates her coarse behavior towards her first child, Emily. However, it is very interesting the way the narrator does NOT blame herself for the same until she finds it reasonable. It is also interesting the way the narrator accepts her own mistakes and all the harsh realities even in her thoughts. She was being honest. To herself. So, to begin with she speaks about her first motherhood and her trials to make it pleasant. She was 19 and a single mother during the great depression in America. This can be found out as the author talks of pre-WPA (work progress administration) which was formed for dealing with world depression in America. The mother was young, and so was the child. No experience, no knowledge, the mother had no job(which indicates she had no family support and probably was a migrant)or money to sustain or raise her child. It has been shown how she tried to the best of her knowledge to live and grow Emily best in the worst scenario. However the question that rises here is, is willingness enough? Did the mother choose to be where she was? and Emily? who was constantly neglected, ignored, left alone, choose to feel the way she did? At times we feel what we feel, and its not simple to explain, justify, classify or even understand it. At times situations are hard and people's behavior hurt. No matter what. The intensity of the feeling cannot be measured in accordance to the action always. The person might feel worse or better than imagined and might react in a different manner failing to understand the reason behind the act from the perspective of the actor. Emily here feels, in simple words, horrible. (as per the narration) She has been sent to the neighbor, the father's family, the nursery school,convalescent home neither of which were welcoming and she had not had oh-so-great-time at home either. At a young age she had delusions as she heard the wall clock talk. She was a weak child caught by numerous diseases throughout her childhood. She did not look 'Shirley Temple' which was again an irony as the narrator calls her the most beautiful by birth. When sent for education she was found slow which was easily declared as inability to learn for the world worked (and still does) on glibness and quickness. Later she suffered asthma. She grew in the age of depression, of war , of fear. She was trained as the mother of her sisters and brothers and quite evidently missed her own childhood. But here is the catch. Does the story really revolve around Emily? Or what her mother feels of her? Her guilt? And her regret and her pride? Pride? yes towards the end the author has given a twist by showing our protagonist Emily as a 'comedian' in the story's present! The mother is then filled with pride and hope. And optimistic feeling. In the present Emily's age is 19. The author is clearly trying to draw the difference between Emily and her mother's life at that age. The narrator( mother) seems to be content about her daughter AT LEAST not falling in the same fate. And so questions the remark given on 'does Emily really need help'? She feels she can find her own way. But can she really? Is a big question mark to the reader.
SemestaCruinneArt
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