The Suffering of Women in "I Stand Here Ironing"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how society oppressed women during the 1930s, when the story takes place. Women have been oppressed in numerous societies since time began, and the United States is no different. This story vividly illustrates how women suffer in their struggle to raise a family, especially when they struggle against society norms.

Table of Contents
Introduction with Thesis Statement
Short Introduction of Author
Illustration of Female Oppression in Story
Mother's Neglect
Mother's Regret
Doing chores
Society's Sanctions
Society's Blame on Mother and Daughter
Mother as a Victim
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The oppression of women by society has never been a secret. In fact, many works of literature have well documented it since the beginning of the Twentieth Century. Olsen demonstrates a classic example of this domination in "I Stand Here Ironing." The story illustrates the oppression of women during the era of the Great Depression in the United States, and how difficult that oppression made life for women. It also shows its affect on later generations, when it affects the daughter Emily's life, too. She has to take care of the younger children, and really never has a childhood of her own. Her mother remembers, "I was a young mother, I was a distracted mother. There were other children pushing up, demanding" (Olsen). In the story, it is obvious that society's oppression of women created the situation that forced a mother to neglect her young child. As the mother irons, she remembers, and the story draws the reader into her world."

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