Introduction
The story I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen tells the readers about the maturation of a young girl, Emily. The narration is done by Emily’s mother, who speaks to an unnamed person while handling the housework, that is, ironing. The story portrays Emily as a victim of circumstances, especially during her early childhood and adolescence. In this context, a close inspection of these circumstances and the true causes of Emily’s difficulties indicates a rich Marxist context behind the story.
Financial Struggle
The fact that Emily’s family used to belong to the poorer part of the population plays a central role within the I stand Here Ironing story. As Emily’s mother shares more details regarding her daughter’s early childhood, she mentions two vital details – Emily’s father leaving the family and the mother’s inability to provide enough to take care of her. The message the father left behind stated that he “could no longer endure” staying with them (Olsen).
This, and the absence of a notion regarding him finding a new family, indicates that the reasons behind the father’s leave were purely financial. Most likely, he was the only person in the family who went to work. Hence, since he eventually came to view his wife and daughter as a financial liability, he clearly did not earn enough and could not be considered a member of the middle or higher classes.
The mother had to look for a job instead hastily but, having found one, still left Emily to the relatives on the father’s side, indicating that her job was also not a well-paid one. Later in the story, the mother shares she managed to remarry, which improved her financial situation. However, the fact that she was poor had already impacted the mother-daughter relationship.
Overall, the mother’s most prominent regret in Emily’s upbringing is her inability to devote sufficient time to it. In addition to financial struggles, which were the first reason for distancing from Emily, the mother mentions four other children she had to attend to in the second marriage. A family of many children can also be considered an indicator of a poorer family due to the tendency of wealthy families to have a single child. In this context, it becomes clear that poor class struggles caused much trouble for Emily’s early development.
Socialization Issues
When the mother speaks about Emily’s school years, she portrays Emily as a loner who cannot find friends nor fit into the school society. Partly, it was caused by the communication patterns imposed on Emily during her early childhood. That is, rejection, albeit forced, by her close ones and their inability to fulfill her personal desires. Olsen devotes a full paragraph to displaying Emily’s desperate attempts to spend time with her mother by always coming up with a reason not to go to school. The author then confirms that Emily accepted rejection since she never protested nor disobeyed (Olsen). This loner tendency consequently became a factor that distinguished Emily from the majority.
Emily’s loneliness was a product of psychological and physical reasons. Due to red measles, the girl lost seven pounds in weight, becoming thin and underdeveloped. When the mother compares Emily to her second child, Susan, she remarks only a single-year difference in physical development despite Susan being five years younger. In this context, Olsen provides another, more vivid comparison of Emily with Shirley Temple – the contemporary idol for girls’ beauty. Overall, the Marxist theory of class struggle in Emily’s inability to properly socialize shines through her inability to adhere to what was considered normal. The members of the middle and high classes always have their basic necessities addressed, leaving them enough time and resources to care about their looks and social status. Understandably, this was not the case for Emily, as she continued to be a victim of circumstances until her late adolescence.
Climbing Up the Social Ladder
Despite the substantial negativity at the beginning, it cannot be said that Olsen portrays the contemporary social status quo as completely unjust and unfair. Later in the story, the readers learn that Emily managed to find the inner strength to confront her weaknesses and pursue her theatrical talent. Eventually, she became known as a comedian, earning fame, money, and, most importantly, independence. The
mother states that despite looking different from the ideal version of a girl, Emily went on stage nonetheless and succeeded (Olsen). Consequently, the mother acknowledges Emily’s independence and comments on how much relief it brings. At the end of the story, Olsen comments on Emily, “She is more than this dress on the ironing board; she is helpless before the iron.” It symbolizes faith in the individual’s ability to overcome class boundaries in many ways.
Conclusion
The poverty, inability to fit with the higher classes, and social ladder ascent exemplify the Marxist nature of Emily’s life struggles. Due to their financial and familial state, Emily endured constant rejection by her mother. Later in school, Emily stood out from the crowd due to several physical and psychological reasons. However, she overcame them and utilized her talent to finally establish herself socially. The emphasis on an individual’s ability to overcome class struggles portrays the current social status quo as harsh but not wholly unjust.
Work Cited
Olsen, Tillie. “I Stand Here Ironing.” Genius. 2023. Web.