Guinea Pig

The theme of Tillie Olsen's "I Stand Here Ironing" is somewhat difficult to understand. It seems that it's effectively a mother stressing about how she wasn't able to provide for her first-born all of the privileges and opportunities that she wishes she could have. This is truly a predicament on the part of the mother, as during the depression it was increasingly hard to provide a good life for one child (let alone 5), and she is constantly stressing about the lack of experience she has in raising a child. Given the set of circumstances presented to the mother, I don't believe that she really had a chance to provide any better for her daughter more than she did. It's only sad that the rest of the world didn't see her daughter in the same light as she herself did.

White People Crazy

The general theme presented in "The Lesson" was an insider's realization of the class system in America. I feel as though the reactions presented in the characters of the children in this story are not entirely unfounded based on the fact that the only life they have ever known is one of poverty, and along with this the only actions they have grown accustomed to are the ones associated with living a life on this level. Sugar's question, "Can we steal?" goes along with just such a situation where a group of impovereshed children are brought to a store such as F.A.O. Schwartz. I remember going there as a child, and although I never actually did, I considered stealing items even coming from a fairly well-off family. However, I also remember how empty the items there were. They had a fairly impressive price tag on them, but the Porche 911 radio-controlled car that I got from there (cost about $70, could've gotten it elsewhere for less than half this), only lasted me 3 days. In retrospect, this money could've been used for much more useful things. On a final note, it's important to be aware of one's situation, so you can decide what steps need to be taken should you be able to improve on it.