Ironing as setting and metaphor

The image of ironing serves two purposes in “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen. It is both the setting of the story and a metaphor for the narrator’s struggle to straighten out her understanding of her troubled daughter. The ironing continues throughout the story without a clear conclusion about the fate of the daughter.

From the context provided by the narrator (288), the setting is a few years after World War II in a home where the mother is ironing late at night. The ironing gives the mother a chance to review the entire 19 years of her daughter’s life. The need for reflection has been precipitated by a teacher or counselor who wants to help (283) the daughter, Emily. The fact that the narrator is ironing also informs the reader that the mother works long hours as she must do this chore after the family has gone to bed.

Ironing as the metaphor of the mother’s struggle is reflected in key quotes as the reader is constantly reminded of the ironing task. For example, the narrator says, “… and what you ask me moves me tormented back and forth with the iron.” (283) Then as the mother can not seem to determine what harm has been done or not to the daughter, the daughter demands, “Aren’t you ever going to finish the ironing?” (288) Again at the end of the story, the narrator pleads, “She is more than this dress on the ironing board, helpless before the iron,” (289) suggesting that Emily does not have to give in to the powerful forces that have shaped her life.

Continuing the iron analogy, it seems the consequences that Emily experienced cannot be “straightened” out like an iron can press out the wrinkles in clothes. It is not possible for a person to be returned to a state of being “un-wrinkled” once serious problems have been experienced. The troubled person Emily has become is a direct result of the decisions that her mother and others made when Emily was growing up. The mother surprisingly is not willing to take responsibility for her role in the creation of Emily. For instance the mother says, “I will never total it all.” (289) Emily can not undo what has happened and must live with the decisions of others and the consequences. Up to this point, Emily’s adaptation uses humor (288) and goodness (284) showing that she is strong; some might even say “made of iron.”