Olsen has a long history of political activism and was once imprisoned for attempting to organize blue-collar workers into a union. Discuss how "I Stand Here Ironing" reflects Olsen's leftist politics, even though it lacks explicit political statements.

Do you think Olsen considers nature or nurture to be a more significant influence in a person's life? Provide examples of Emily's characteristics that her mother attributes to nature and others she believes result from nurture.

Many psychologists assert that birth order impacts personality. Investigate this concept and discover what studies have identified as common traits among first-born children. How does Emily's behavior align with these typical traits of oldest children, and in what ways does it differ?