Drew Patti

Mrs. Ryder
AP Literature
October 2015
Write an essay in which you analyze the narrative techniques and other resources of
language Olsen uses to characterize the mother and the mothers attitudes toward her
daughter.
In Tillie Olsens short story I Stand Here Ironing, she writes about the relationship of a
mother and her daughter through the mothers reflections that are triggered by someones
concern for her daughter. Olsen uses the elements of indirect presentation and direct
presentation, hand-in-hand, to create a literal and interpretive understanding of the characters
described in the story. Olsen also incorporates the use of round characterization and the success
of developing, dynamic characters over static characters to show how much the characters have
grown from the beginning of the story to the end. Lastly, Olsen explores the technique of stock
characters for the two main characters.
The presentation of the characters in a story is crucial. It can be the determining factor
between a good story and a great story. In Olsens short story I Stand Here Ironing, she uses
both types of character presentation, direct and indirect, to her advantage. When the mother
describes her daughter as dark and thin and foreign-lookingshe was slow where glibness was
prized Olsen uses direct presentation so the readers can visualize what the daughter, Emily,
looks like. Contrarily, when the mother says, She was a miracle to me, but when she was eight
months old I had to leave her daytimes with the woman downstairs to whom she was no miracle

at all Olsen uses indirect presentation to show that the Emily was argumentative and difficult as
a child towards people who werent her mother in a way that goes without saying.
The most prominent idea in this excerpt of I Stand Here Ironing, is the difference
between the mothers attitude at the beginning and the end. Olsen makes the mother a true
dynamic character in this story. At the beginning of the story we see the mother in an almost
regretful state of mind. The mother tried very hard to make sure her first born was raised
perfectly in a life that was far from perfect. However, in the end the mother confesses that she is
proud of how she raised her daughter because she can now stand up for her own and for what she
believes in and that raising her the way she did helped this to happen. Olsen also incorporates the
use of making the mother a round character. The mother is a character that could really exist. The
readers can sympathize for her and understand her as well as question her decisions and her
lifestyle which makes the mother a truly three dimensional character.
Although both characters in this story are unique, there is still a sense of stereotype in
them. Olsens mother and daughter characters can be seen as stock characters. The mother can be
seen as a typical, single mother, struggling to raise her children and hold down a job, and having
to have her kids watched for. The daughter can be seen as the typical, introverted daughter who
grew up without a father, and struggles with school life and social communication with other
teenagers. With that being said, some mothers dont always feel the way this one does about her
daughter acting this way; with pride.
In this excerpt from I Stand Here Ironing, Tillie Olsen goes above and beyond with the
use of characterization. She executes indirect and direct presentation simultaneously and it works
in her favor. She makes the same character a round and dynamic character and the end result is a
mother we can relate it and also see change in. She lastly explores the use of stock characters in a

way that makes us see the stereotype but also the difference between the stereotype and the
actual character in a way thats different yet similar.