One of the first female authors to be a part of the first generation of the feminist movement, Tillie Olsen, is the author of "I Stand Here Ironing," one of the short tales included in the short story collection titled "Tell Me A Riddle." In 1961, it was published.
Since this story is written in the first person, it is told by the same individual, giving the impression that we are inside of their head.
The story's narrator or main character is reflecting on how she raised Emily, her first kid. She makes an effort to explain how she would have raised Emily if she had been more experienced and had better options by using her thoughts and how she connects them to the story. What can I do now, that it is too late?' is one of the main questions that she tries to solve in her narrative. It creates a deep impact on the reader,because the story is narrated from a personal stance, from a more intimate point of view, and it allows the reader to create a deeper connection with the story and the way that the mother of five more children would have done things differently.