I Stand Here Ironing

May 5, 2012
Outline
“I Stand Here Ironing” A. Plot:
The story begins with a woman ironing her daughters dress. It causes her to recount the life she as provided for her daughter Emily. As she considers her actions she wishes that she had done some things differently. Unfortunately, the depression era had left her with very few choices if any at all. So to survive and provide for her children the mother, abandoned by her husband, had unintentionally, not protected nor not made the best choices for Emily. Several times, during the course of Emily childhood the mother would leave her to the care of other, a few of these times for extended stays. The mother knew that some to these situations were not to Emily’s best interest but she would leave her just the same. The outcome would mold Emily into emotionally, mentally, and physically deprivation. It also caused Emily to lose the beauty she was born with which resulted in self-esteem issues. This might have been the reason for the conflict she had with her siblings, the siblings that she helped to care for who were younger than her. Even thought Emily had a low self-esteem and grow to be frail, sickly, and nonchalant, she discovered that she had talent as a comedian after winning a talent show at school. Emily became a comedian and preformed at other schools, colleges, and community fairs. With new confidence and growing in maturity Emily’s acquired a beauty all her own. The mother observed this as she completed her ironing and prepared for bed, than she wondered why she even worried at all. She figured out that even though she helplessly made mistakes along the way raising Emily, causing for many imperfections in her child whom was now nineteen, that she still had the power to reassure Emily of herself worth. She still had time to be a better mother.

B. Characters: 1. Emily a. physical frail, sickly, asthma, dark, thin, foreign looking b. mentally challenged, slow learner c. emotionally passive, unenthused, nonchalant, insecure d. abandoned by father and mother to the care of others e. comedic talent 2. Mother f. insensitive g. tormented h. easily influence i. hard worker j. regretful k. willing to change 3. Father l. deserted the family because of poverty m. selfish 4. Stepfather n. World War ll veteran 5. Susan o. second child, younger sister by a year p. blond hair q. chubby and cute r. confident

C. Setting: 1. In the family’s home 2. Looks back into a. The Depression era 1930’s b. World War ll 1940

D. Narration: 1. Omniscient point of view a. Anonymous- single character point of view b. As parents we do the best we know how to do at the time but as we learn better we should do better. It’s never too late.