Wives had cleaning jobs, childcare and spent an average of 55 hours a week on household chores. This lifestyle, however, was completely opposed by the main character of “I Stand Here Ironing”, a short story written by Tillie Olsen. The narrator is a working-class single mother during the Great Depression and a time when women were expected to stay at home and care for their children. The story follows the mother's economic hardships and struggle to be a good mother to her daughter while dealing with the hardships of inequality. This tale highlights the challenges of working-class women and represents the struggle of American women during this time