I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen [About the Author support her family during the Depression, Like the mother in “t Stand Here fro os, © Jing." Olen worked to support herself and a baby after ther husband lft them inthe 1930s. Active ln politica , during the Depression 1 and dere wt gather i all 3 the Young Communist League and was involve in lbor disputes. Her short story 222 ure uswes we ure were + nearronany 248NININININININGNG. collection, Tall Me a Riddle (1956) helped establish her eputation asa feminist weiter Wa riest Glance 1. Read the tide ofthe story. What hind of wor i ring? Whe severally performs this work? 2, rope and evens in Merature are sometimes smb fe lrger cers tat the wnters want to expres, Imagine a pert ona "What do you think the action of roning might symbolize? Now read the fist sentence of the story “Ttand here ironing, and what you asked me moves tor- ‘mented hack and forth wth the iron What does “tormented” mean? What piture da you have ia Your mind of the narrator? Guess who he or shes, ‘The second paragraph appears in qutatlon ars "wish you Would manage the de to come in and talk with ime about your daughter. 1m sure you can help me under stand her. She's a youngster who nods help and whom Tn deeply tterested in helping.” ‘Why do you tink this paragraph has quceation masks? Who 0 you tink is the speaker or weter ofthe words? 10? Hor ow dd you fel when you gota ace fom oor parents fel Reread the fst paragraph Why do you thin the nario feels “wemented" aly, before you rea, ou often read the frst ae ast parts ‘of story especialy if you want to know the ending. With, your group, oF as your instruaor reads alo, red earefuly {he next to the lst paragraph ofthe story, paragraph 5. What does this el you abou the story? Bike writer’ perspective 1. Tile Oe’ stary takes pce in “the preselef pre: [Work Projets Administration] wodd af the Depression,” that, in 1935 America before the goverment instigated federal aid programs in which unemployed Americans were sien public tors jobs suchas bullng highs, ‘Whar is meant by an economic depression? \What da you know abour this “Grea Depression,” which fected ot only the United Sexes, but the entire world? Olsen's story also deals wth family eaions. Do you think ‘yur parents have done a good Job In elsng you Have they nays given you and your siblings equal weatmen? Ifyou ae or plan to became a parent, how do you plan 19 tals your cdr differen than your parents di? In raising ‘Gidcen, do you think the paren’ good intentions are enough? urs «ear romnt 245NBNYNININININ ELGG, T Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen, T sae here ning, and what you asked me moves tor smenced back and fort th te on, sh you would manage theme to come in and tak wth ime about your daughter. sure you cin hep ae understand tee. She's & youngster who needs help and ho Fm Seely ‘rested in helping “Who needs help Bren iT came, what good would dot ‘You think bectuse {am her modher I havea ey, or that in some Wy you could use me 2 8 hey? She as Ine fr nineteen yea. ‘her ltt let as happened ouside of me, Devond me ‘And when i there time to remember, 0 sift 0 welgh 0 state to total? T wil satan there wl be an inerupion aod Tl have to guher all together again Or 1 wal become ngule! witha Ted ocd not do, wit mba should have been and what cannot be helpe, ‘She was a beat baby. The fst and only one oF ou five thar was beat at bie. You dances how pew and ey her ean it Mes noone lo ow hee all those year she was doh homely or see er perng" over het baby pictres, making me tell her one ad one how beaut he ad been-and woul be, {mould cl erand 8 now, othe sceing eye, But the seting eves were few or Don-exitent. Including mine Turse hee Tey fe at's important nomads. nursed al the ere, bu with her, wh al the free nity of est ‘motherhood, ie the tons then si. Tough heres buted me wo rembang and my best ached wth Swolen ex vated el the cock decreed” ‘Why do pu ha Fes? donot even know I mates of ie expane aching Site was a Beau baby She blew shining bubbles 0 sound ‘Taurean, @ compton, S aace, «ang, & Waa 6.060, 7rd 216 ure uvoues ao ummeine WMININININININGNG 2 She loved motion, loved ight, loved color and music and tertures She mould le on the floor in her bive overalls patting the surfce so hardin corns? her Bands and feet would blur ™ She was a mice to me, but when she was eight months ol had to leave her daimes with the woman downstals to whoen ‘she sas no miracle at al fo | worked o Toked. for work and for Emiy’s father, who "could no longer endure” (he wrote tn hls good-bye not) “sharing want Wicd Us ‘as nineteen twas the pretebe, pre WPA woeld ofthe Depression. I would Start running as sooa a5 {got ofthe street, running up the sais, the place smeling Sour, and sake or asleep fo stare avake, wien she sav me she woul! brea into a dogged weeping that coud not be comforted, 2 ‘weeping Ican yet eae ‘Ater'a while | found job ashing! at night 0 ¥ could be wither day, and i was Deter Buti came to where Thad to Tring her to his ity anc eave het Tetook lng tne 10 ste the money for her fae back, Then se got chicken por and I hid to wai longer When she Enaly ‘ame, Tharly knew hes, walking quick and necvous lke ber father, looking lke her father, hin, and dressed na shoddy red ‘hat yellowed her skin and glared tthe pock mars All the baby loveiness gone. ‘She was two. Old enough for nursery schoo they sad, and I ‘ido no then what I know now the fue othe ng, (ay the lacerations" of group fe in nurseries that are only pirking places for ehidren xcept tha it would have made no dfference iI had known. Ie wr the only place there was Ie was the only ay we could be together, the ony way’ could ald job. ‘And even without knowing, Tew 1 knew thatthe teacher vei ell because all hese yes i has cued” Ino my memory the tle boy hunched in the comer, her sp. “Why ace you ‘outside, becuse Alvin hits you? Thar’ no fexson, go Ou, ‘Scared [new Emly hated! even she cin hoch and implore, "Dont go, Mom” ike the other chien, mocrings ‘She always had 2 reason why we should stay home. Momma, "Basra wha Bb an araps 610 bore har eu, ‘tet Paet crimson, 12. chin, coskng na chap Insturr arch od te ground astro hath 14 congo ich causes rd aoe. 1. remaining pemarart mars tom cen {i wouras, 17. mated, 1, harsh vole, 19:held on