I Stand Here Ironing

Marissa Anthony
Dr. Brennen
English 111 October 15, 2014

We all have our Flaws
“The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story that discusses how the narrator suffers from both depression and anxiety. The mother has a little boy who she is unable to care for due to her illnesses, and that is only making her suffer even more. She wants more than anything to take care of her child and live a normal life, but she can’t. The narrator lived in the restrictive Victorian time period, and experienced how difficult it is to have your voice heard as a woman. “I Stand Here Ironing” written by Tillie Olsen is a short story about a mother who has a daughter during the Great Depression, and the father leaves her to care for
the daughter, Emily, as a single mother. Both mothers want what’s best for their children, but have different ways of showing them their love, time, and attention they deserve.
In this story “The Yellow Wallpaper” Jane starts off saying, “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do? So I take phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to “work” until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas.” Jane is not well, but she still wants to work, surround herself with family, and be a mother to her child. She believes that the plan for her to be cured of both depression and anxiety are not going to help her at all. Jane recently had a baby boy and isn’t able to care for him the way she planned due to her illness. John, Jane’s husband, has a sister Jennie, who is both the housekeeper and caregiver for Jane’s child. Jane describes Jennie as an enthusiastic housekeeper and hopes for no better profession. Jane may not be able to be the immediate caregiver for her child, but she is making sure he is in great hands. Jane is being restricted from being the mother she is capable of being, but she still prides herself in knowing the baby is in great hands.
“I Stand Here Ironing” begins with an unknown person saying, "I wish you would manage the time to come in and talk with me about your daughter.
I'm sure you can help me understand her. She's a youngster who needs help and whom I'm deeply interested in helping." The mother paid this woman no attention and didn’t believe that she needed anyone to tell her how to raise her child, but she was wrong. Emily, a child who experienced pain and neglect, had no true mother to care for her. Emily’s mother faced several challenges while raising her. She had to work the night shift, didn’t have anyone to watch Emily, and she wasn’t making much money from her job. She had to send Emily to live with some family on her dad’s side, and she missed some of Emily’s childhood years, but it only got worse when she met her second husband Bill. Instead of trying to spend more time with Emily she just kept popping out children like it was her second job, and left Emily to fin for herself. Emily’s mother said, “They persuaded me at the clinic to send her away to a convalescent home in the country where she can have the kind of food and care you can't manage for her, and you'll be free to concentrate on the new baby." The mother is only focusing on herself, and not Emily. She can barely take care of her first child and she shouldn’t keep conceiving children until she is more stable. Susan, her second child was a beautiful blonde haired blue-eyed baby who resembled Shirley Temple. That only made Emily more insecure since she has brown her and darker
skin.
Emily suffered as a result of her mother placing her in another home. She couldn’t take care of her, and visited with Emily once every two week. When she visited Emily she couldn’t hug her, kiss her on the forehead, or show her any love or affection. Emily raised herself and surprisingly became a great actress, comedian, and not to mention she was very intelligent. As the mother settles into a more stable life she begins to realize she didn’t always have her priorities straight and she feels guilty for not raising Emily to the best of her ability. In the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” Jane allows a family member Jennie to care for her child. Jane doesn’t have a choice and is forced to give her child to another caregiver, but Emily’s mother had a choice, and decided to be immature, and have more kids instead of raising Emily. Jane was a middle class woman and had the money to take care for her child. Emily’s mother didn’t make much money and could barely care for her and the other three children.
In both “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “I Stand Here Ironing” both mothers are faced with obstacles and they can’t care for their children to the best of their ability. Jane in “The Yellow Wallpaper” would’ve given anything to have the chance to be a mother to her child and care for him. Emily’s mother takes her for granted, and doesn’t show her much attention. She basically discards Emily’s feelings and continues having other children even though she can’t take care of the one she already has. As humans we are always going to be faced with tough decisions, but that can’t be used as an excuse. Sadly anyone can have a child, but it takes a caring, loving, and hardworking mother to raise one properly.