"As I Stand Here Ironing," by Tillie Olsen is a story about inner angst and rationalization. The main character is both the mother and the narrator of the story. The mother has been asked by a counselor to come and talk about Emily, her daughter. This starts her thinking about Emily growing up. She recalls being a single mother in the beginning Emily's father left before she was born. She read books on parenting and stoically kept to them, "though her cried battered me to trembling... I waited till the clock decreed" (895). She never really gave herself credit and took the advice of others, once such instance was to send Emily to a convalescent home She did the best she could and has since learned better. The reader can see that though mistakes one learns and becomes better.

In this story the mothers is the protagonist and is also round and dynamic. Throughout the story she re

members raising Emily. She was alone in the beginning, "Emily's father ...good-bye note" (896). She had to take Emily to be with her fathers' family for a while, "it took a long time to raise the money for her fare back" (896) ). She remembers Emily having measles when her daughter Susan was born and not being able to hold or got Emily when she needed her mother. She followed everyone else's advice, but not her own feelings. Her growth is what makes her dynamic.

"As I Stand Here Ironing" offer us a tale of learning and growing together. Emily may be the victim of anxious love, but it was love nonetheless. The reader can infer that even though Emily pushed her mothers affections away, her mother will always be there for her. The mother has taken the reader on a journey or self-development. One can clearly see that through mistakes lessons are learned and people become better because of those very mistakes.

Emily is her mothers' a

Some common words found in the essay are:
Tillie Olsen, Stand Ironing, Emily Emily, stand ironing, child emily, beginning emily's father, beginning emily's, round dynamic, dynamic emily, emily's father, emily mother, story mother,
Approximate Word count = 635
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)