I Stand Here Ironing Answers

“I Stand Here Ironing”
Responses to questions:
1. The narrator is not a good mother because she does not care about Emily’s future. The narrator is the mother of Emily, Susan, and Ronnie. She says that the father of Emily left her “[…] before [Emily] was a year old” (paragraph 55). She had to get a job and work during Emily’s “[…] first six years” (55). The narrator went to Nursery School because she believed that it was the only way “[…] [she] could hold a job” (13) during the Great Depression. She work very hard in order to provide for her family; however, she never really provide emotional support to her children. The narrator says, “I was working, there were four smaller ones now, there was not time for her” (44). We can see that the
The narrator had “Mornings of crisis and near hysteria trying to get lunches packed, hair combed, coats, and shoes found, everyone to school or Child Care on time […]” (44). Emily never really shared many things with her mother, she would tell her “everything and nothing as she fixes herself a plate of food out of the icebox” (51). Moreover, when the narrator saw Emily’s gift for comedy, she says that “[she] ought to do something about her with a gift like that – but without money or knowing how, what does one do?” (49). This demonstrates that the narrator have no intentions to help Emily to become successful or even to help her to pursue her passion. She is not willing to sacrifice herself for her children. The narrator says to the teacher that “[Emily] is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear” (55). We can see
Based on the evidence in the story, Emily and her mother would never be able to share a close relationship because her mother does not care about Emily’s future. Emily’s mother says, “I was working, there were four smaller ones now, there was no time for her” (45). This demonstrates that Emily’s mother thinks that she never really had time to be with Emily and develop a close a relationship with her due to her busy life as a mother and worker. On the other hand, Emily never really felt a strong connection with her mother either. When her mother asks her “Are you awake, Emily?” “Can I get you something?” Emily’s answer will always be the same, “No, I am all right, go back to sleep, Mother” (25). We can see that there was a lack of communication between the daughter and the mother. Emily’s mother do not even try to develop a bond with her daughter, she believes that “[…] it is too late” (25) for her to care about Emily in a deeply emotional way. Emily’s mother says to the teacher that when she saw Emily’s gift for comedy, she “[…] ought to do something about her with a gift like that ---but without money or knowing how, what does one do?” (50). We can see that she is not willing to make any sacrifice for Emily, not even learning more about comedy. Emily’s mother does not want her child to succeed in life; therefore, she will only hold her back. Emily, on the other hand, needs someone to help her but her mother believes that she is old enough to help herself. Emily and her