Theme Of Fear And Isolation In Tillie Olsen's I Stand Here Ironing
The short story “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen is a story with the theme of both fear and isolation. The tale takes place in the 1950’s when the Cold War was still a major event, which indicates the fear in the story, while the protagonist in the story, Susan, represents the isolation because she believes that she and all those left will parish from nuclear war in the years to come, so she separates herself and displays signs of depression. The first theme, being fear, can be seen through the tone in the story with it extremely being depicted in the quote Susan says to her mother close to the conclusion of the story, “In a couple years when we’ll be atom-dead they won’t matter a bit”. The way in which Susan spoke these words had the
sense of fear within it. It is believable to think she would come up with that thought because of the date and setting they were living in, the 1950’s. Her mother even recalled Susan having said the same thing times before and even having the idea that Susan believes what she says, “She has said it before. She believes it”. The second theme, being isolation, is best captured and explained by Susan’s mother, stating “She kept too much in herself, her life was such she had to keep too much in herself,” and also added “She has much to her and probably nothing will come of it. She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear”. Due to Susan’s fear of a possible nuclear war coming about, she feels isolated because of the worldly events and having this weight on her, she kept mostly everything to herself. Within the story “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen it has two major themes, being mainly fear and isolation. Susan, one of the characters in the story, has fear of possible nuclear war due to the Cold War going on, and feels isolated because of it, displaying signs of depression.
sense of fear within it. It is believable to think she would come up with that thought because of the date and setting they were living in, the 1950’s. Her mother even recalled Susan having said the same thing times before and even having the idea that Susan believes what she says, “She has said it before. She believes it”. The second theme, being isolation, is best captured and explained by Susan’s mother, stating “She kept too much in herself, her life was such she had to keep too much in herself,” and also added “She has much to her and probably nothing will come of it. She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear”. Due to Susan’s fear of a possible nuclear war coming about, she feels isolated because of the worldly events and having this weight on her, she kept mostly everything to herself. Within the story “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen it has two major themes, being mainly fear and isolation. Susan, one of the characters in the story, has fear of possible nuclear war due to the Cold War going on, and feels isolated because of it, displaying signs of depression.