I Stand Here Ironing Analysis Freshmen English Essay Example

I Stand Here Ironing Analysis Freshmen English Essay Example I Stand Here Ironing Analysis Freshmen English Essay I Stand Here Ironing Analysis Freshmen English Essay Short Story Essay There were three things that affected the overall mood of the short story I Stand Here Ironing. The choice of perspective, which was first person, played a major factor. The mood was also influenced by various methods of characterization used by Olsen in the story. The last thing that affected the mood was different stereotypes that were incorporated into the story. The overall mood of the story was remorseful. The perspective greatly impacted the mood throughout the course of the story. Most of the story happened in the mother’s mind. Even though this doesn’t actually affect the mood of the story, the story would have never made sense without a first person perspective. Also, you can tell her emotions when she has the flashbacks, like when she tells of something she wishes she had done for Emily, you can tell she feels guilty. â€Å"What in me demanded this goodness? And what was the cost, the cost to her of such goodness† (Olsen 211). â€Å"Twice, only twice, when I had to get up for Susan anyhow, I went in to sit with her† (Olsen 212). This shows that the mother wishes she had been a better parent for Emily. This is how the perspective of the story affected the mood in the short story I Stand Here Ironing. The different methods of characterization Olsen used to describe her characters also influenced the mood of the story. Emily was described as a dark-haired, thin girl who was reserved and almost never smiled. The mom feels like this is her fault and if she had given the girl more reassurance she would have smiled more and not felt so bad about how she looked. Months later she told me how she had taken pennies from my purse to buy him candy. ‘Licorice was his favorite and I brought him some every day, but he still liked Jennifer better’n me. Why Mommy† (Olsen 213). The mom felt guilty that she hadn’t encouraged Emily’s talents instead of frowning upon her faults. Most of all, she just wishes she had followed her own maternal instinct instead of just going by the book. Those are the ways that methods of characterization affected the mood in the story. The last thing that played a major factor in determining the mood of this story was all the different stereotypes weaved into the story-line. One stereotype was that the mother was the typical â€Å"young mother†, always listening to exactly what the books say. â€Å"Though her cries battered me to trembling and my breast ached with swollenness, I waited till the clock decreed† (Olsen 210). When the mother was with the other children, she waited until she thought it was long enough, not just going by the book. She also let other people talk her into making bad decisions for Emily. â€Å"They persuaded me at the clinic to send her away to a convalescent home in the country† (Olsen 212). Also, as the family grew, Emily had to help more and more. â€Å"I was working, there were four smaller ones now, there was not time for her. She had to help be a mother, and housekeeper, and shopper† (Olsen 214). As the mother had more children, she grew wiser. â€Å"She kept too much in herself; her life has been such she had to keep too much in herself. My wisdom came too late† (Olsen 215). As for Emily, she was the complete opposite of the stereotype that all girls at that time should be â€Å"a chubby blonde replica of Shirley Temple† (Olsen 213). The mother never comforted her about this and wished that she had. This is how stereotypes influenced the mood of the story. I Stand Here Ironing had a very remorseful mood. The mother was inexperienced and often put Emily in situations that she shouldn’t have put her in. She was extremely guilty about this and has regretted it ever since.