“I Stand Here Ironing” and “Demonology” both contain main characters who have lost their loves ones, whether it be metaphorically or literally. In “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen, the main character, who is never given a name other than Emily’s Mother, is found in an internal conflict that can ultimately change her daughter’s life. The story starts of with the mother receiving a phone call from what is assumed to be a teacher, requesting her to help out Emily. The mother quietly contemplates her whole life and Emily’s while she is ironing. She thinks about the hardships she had to endure and how all those events have led Emily to ruins. Before Emily had turned a year, her father had left her and her mother could barely support both of
…show more content…
Moody narrates the whole story and tells the life of his story through his eyes. It is a simple story with not much excitement, but Moody allows the reader to understand that his sister had an everyday life like everyone else. A typical eulogy is supposed to share the fond memories someone had with the deceased. Moody’s eulogy does compose of shared memories and it is a reoccurring theme throughout the story. At the end of the story though, the narrator beats himself up for making his eulogy so mundane and not making it a bit more exciting. He mentions how he should have done this differently or included this in it. In the last paragraph, Moody says, “I shouldn’t have to suffer, I should address her here directly (these are the ways I miss you), I should write only of affection” (265). He dislikes the way he wrote about her, but it was unapologetically her and he felt it was unnecessary to add fluff to it. People write eulogies to remember their loved ones and Moody did that, even if he feels like he could have tried harder. Moody wrote to set his sister free and alleviate his conscience from the tragedy. Though his way of setting a loved one free is different from that of Emily’s mother, he uses a different method to achieve the same feeling. Writing the eulogy allowed Moody to let his sister go and demonstrate his love for her. Being able to set her free metaphorically was enough of a redemption for Moody. The way Moody wrote about his sister was the honest truth and having the confidence to depict her in such a light demonstrates the deep love he has for
Moody narrates the whole story and tells the life of his story through his eyes. It is a simple story with not much excitement, but Moody allows the reader to understand that his sister had an everyday life like everyone else. A typical eulogy is supposed to share the fond memories someone had with the deceased. Moody’s eulogy does compose of shared memories and it is a reoccurring theme throughout the story. At the end of the story though, the narrator beats himself up for making his eulogy so mundane and not making it a bit more exciting. He mentions how he should have done this differently or included this in it. In the last paragraph, Moody says, “I shouldn’t have to suffer, I should address her here directly (these are the ways I miss you), I should write only of affection” (265). He dislikes the way he wrote about her, but it was unapologetically her and he felt it was unnecessary to add fluff to it. People write eulogies to remember their loved ones and Moody did that, even if he feels like he could have tried harder. Moody wrote to set his sister free and alleviate his conscience from the tragedy. Though his way of setting a loved one free is different from that of Emily’s mother, he uses a different method to achieve the same feeling. Writing the eulogy allowed Moody to let his sister go and demonstrate his love for her. Being able to set her free metaphorically was enough of a redemption for Moody. The way Moody wrote about his sister was the honest truth and having the confidence to depict her in such a light demonstrates the deep love he has for