Question

Do you think Emily’s mother in “I Stand Here Ironing” is a reliable narrator? In a paragraph of 100 words, explain your answer using at least two examples from the story to support your viewpoint.

Answer 1

Based on the information that Tillie Olsen provides, a case can be made to consider the narrator of “I Stand Here Ironing” reliable or unreliable. Because the mother is a first-person narrator, there is a greater possibility that she is unreliable. The reader is provided with no further information beyond the narrator’s perspective, so we cannot evaluate the veracity of any of her claims. Some of the events and attitudes to which she refers might lead us to question her mental stability.

However, in most works of fiction where the narrator is not reliable, there is some sort of twist that makes the reader re-evaluate the likelihood that the narrator is providing a true or at least relatively unbiased, version of reality. That sort of situation is not present in this story. The mother comes across as trustworthy; she seems to be in touch with reality and exhibits genuine concern for her daughter’s welfare, along with a healthy attitude toward personal growth and the achievement of goals. Overall, the narrator seems to be reliable.

Answer 2

Answer: After reading the short story "I Stand Here Ironing," I do believe that Emily's mother is a reliable narrator, because of several different things that she states to the person that the school sent.

Emily's mother can speak of the things that Emily experienced as a child and let the person she is speaking to understand more about Emily and the way that she is. She obviously can't speak for Emily or even tell the person from the school what Emily herself is thinking, but is useful in helping see how Emily herself has been treated by her family.

In the story, the mother states that Emily had to leave the family after the birth of her sister because Emily had contracted red measles and could not see her mother or sister for a couple of weeks. Emily had already suffered from her father leaving, her family suffering from money problems, and being alone before the birth of her sister since the mother had to work to support the family. This begins the part of the story about how the measles left Emily sickly and had lost a lot of weight. Since her mother was not there to comfort her when she was sick, she no longer wanted her mother to comfort her, after this period. Emily had to be sent away again to regain her health but never did fully recover. The mother states in the story that the convalescent home Emily went too was not good, and Emily never regained the weight since the food was bad, she got to come home after 8 months. After returning, Emily no longer wanted to attend school and become reclusive.

The mother is the only person who can relate these things from Emily's life to the person from the school. This can help the school to understand why Emily may be having issues with school work or problems with others.