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"Eveline" By James Joyce
There are lots of perspectives about Eveline’s choice to stay in her hometown at the end of the story “Eveline” from Dubliners by James Joyce. Some ideas show that leaving home is a better choice for Eveline. However, I truly identify and agree with Eveline’s decision due to many reasons. These include the meaning of “home,” her individual characteristics, and her relationship with Frank based on the setting constructed by the author, James Joyce.
“Eveline” is a story about a young girl of about nineteen years of age, Eveline. Her mother has died and so has her older brother, Ernest. Harry, who is her remaining brother, left home for the church decorating business. Her father is a very cruel and violent man who often gives his children the palpitations. Eveline is sitting at her window, and waiting to leave home with Frank, the man she likes. Meanwhile, she recalls many things about the house and her life. Finally, at the station where Eveline and Frank are ready to leave, she is extremely conflicted, and then she makes decision not to leave with Frank.
First of all, I find that the meaning of “home” plays such an important role in the story. With Eveline, home connects closely with her childhood when “few people” hadn’t passed, and the field where everything used to be better. There, she realizes “everything changes.” And she thinks about her turn. Suddenly, “Home!” appears in her mind as something really close. She can’t help thinking about “all its familiar objects which she had dusted once a week for so many years.” Those are the things she meets everyday. She considers them as a part of her life when “wondering where on earth all the dust came from.” I love this way of writing. I feel her love for everything in the house through her taking care of any small change in detail. Home is always the most reliable thing in one’s life. In some cultures, it is considered as the basis of the family as well as the future of any individual in that family. Eveline feels safe in her house, or at least, she knows it well: “In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her.” Those are some things she could not find in “her new home, in a distant unknown country.” I don’t find any feeling of home in the word “distant,” or “unknown.” Joyce gives me a clear comparison between her close, familiar home, and a new distant unknown one. It proves that the feeling of “home” is something unique. People can have many places to go, but they just have one home to which to return. Moreover, Eveline had a promise with her mother: “Her promise to keep the home together as long as she could.” What if she left home when her father “was becoming old lately, she noticed; he would miss her.” If she went away, how would her father live in a lonely house, in a broken family? He would be sick or die. Eveline has the heart to do that, doesn’t she? Actually, the house needs Eveline to be a “home.”
The characteristics of Eveline constructed by Joyce makes her choice to stay more reasonable I believe. At the beginning, Joyce writes about Eveline: “She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue.” It’s not a dawn for the beginning of a new day, a new life, but an evening. The image itself does not carry a hint of a new change. Eveline does not feel eager or willing when waiting to leave for a new life: “She was tired.” She’s not ready for any new journey at all. “Home” is almost everything to her as if her mind were like a glass full of water, and no drop could be accepted. Eveline is kind-hearted and emotional. Just hearing the street organ playing, she reminds herself of the promise to keep the home together. Although her father is not a good man, she still loves him: “Sometimes he could be very nice.” If she went away, would she be happy? Joyce suggests that she wouldn’t: “Amid the seas she sent a cry of anguish!” The sound of street organ would always remind her the day when her mother died, as well as, the promise. In a distant unknown country, she would recall her father: “Not long before, when she had been laid up for a day, he had read her out a ghost story and made toast for her at the fire.” Eveline belongs to the evenings when she lives again with her memories. She accepts a peaceful life in her lovely home in some aspects that cannot be criticized; those are her home, and her choice.
The relationship between Eveline and Frank is not really a love that can bring her true happiness. It’s not a long time for her to know him: “It seems a few weeks ago.” Even, she does not remember exactly how long, just “a few weeks.” Eveline talks about Frank superficially: “Frank was very kind, manly, open-hearted.” Their relationship is not strong enough for Eveline to spend her whole life with him: “She was about to explore another life with Frank.” It sounds like a game of discovering something new which makes her feel “about to explore,” and dream “another life.” Can Frank feel the needs that burn so deep inside Eveline? Can Frank understand the value of “home” in her heart? I don’t think so. Frank comes to Eveline only with “tales of distant countries,” with the music that makes Eveline “elated.” Every time Eveline talks about a new life, I feel like she consoles herself: “Then she would be married–she, Eveline. People would treat her with respect then.” If love is a candle light leading her through the night, so why does she still feel lost: “She prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty.” When all the illusions about the new life seem to disappear, Eveline feels really nervous: “Could she still draw back after all he had done for her?” It’s not too late to realize that she does not love him, “Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition.” She feels lonely as the sun this evening. The sunlight will fade in the deep darkness. How can the small candle light enlighten it? There is an ocean inside Eveline’s mind. How can a sailor together with his ship understand it anyway?
In conclusion, “Eveline” is a good story as any I've ever known. I deeply sympathize with the protagonist, Eveline. She has the reasons to stay with her home. Leaving home cannot be the better answer, especially for the woman like Eveline. Her choice will always be the best for her life. Why do we have to reverse something that has happened as the way it should be?
May 7, 2007
An Vo
There are lots of perspectives about Eveline’s choice to stay in her hometown at the end of the story “Eveline” from Dubliners by James Joyce. Some ideas show that leaving home is a better choice for Eveline. However, I truly identify and agree with Eveline’s decision due to many reasons. These include the meaning of “home,” her individual characteristics, and her relationship with Frank based on the setting constructed by the author, James Joyce.
“Eveline” is a story about a young girl of about nineteen years of age, Eveline. Her mother has died and so has her older brother, Ernest. Harry, who is her remaining brother, left home for the church decorating business. Her father is a very cruel and violent man who often gives his children the palpitations. Eveline is sitting at her window, and waiting to leave home with Frank, the man she likes. Meanwhile, she recalls many things about the house and her life. Finally, at the station where Eveline and Frank are ready to leave, she is extremely conflicted, and then she makes decision not to leave with Frank.
First of all, I find that the meaning of “home” plays such an important role in the story. With Eveline, home connects closely with her childhood when “few people” hadn’t passed, and the field where everything used to be better. There, she realizes “everything changes.” And she thinks about her turn. Suddenly, “Home!” appears in her mind as something really close. She can’t help thinking about “all its familiar objects which she had dusted once a week for so many years.” Those are the things she meets everyday. She considers them as a part of her life when “wondering where on earth all the dust came from.” I love this way of writing. I feel her love for everything in the house through her taking care of any small change in detail. Home is always the most reliable thing in one’s life. In some cultures, it is considered as the basis of the family as well as the future of any individual in that family. Eveline feels safe in her house, or at least, she knows it well: “In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her.” Those are some things she could not find in “her new home, in a distant unknown country.” I don’t find any feeling of home in the word “distant,” or “unknown.” Joyce gives me a clear comparison between her close, familiar home, and a new distant unknown one. It proves that the feeling of “home” is something unique. People can have many places to go, but they just have one home to which to return. Moreover, Eveline had a promise with her mother: “Her promise to keep the home together as long as she could.” What if she left home when her father “was becoming old lately, she noticed; he would miss her.” If she went away, how would her father live in a lonely house, in a broken family? He would be sick or die. Eveline has the heart to do that, doesn’t she? Actually, the house needs Eveline to be a “home.”
The characteristics of Eveline constructed by Joyce makes her choice to stay more reasonable I believe. At the beginning, Joyce writes about Eveline: “She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue.” It’s not a dawn for the beginning of a new day, a new life, but an evening. The image itself does not carry a hint of a new change. Eveline does not feel eager or willing when waiting to leave for a new life: “She was tired.” She’s not ready for any new journey at all. “Home” is almost everything to her as if her mind were like a glass full of water, and no drop could be accepted. Eveline is kind-hearted and emotional. Just hearing the street organ playing, she reminds herself of the promise to keep the home together. Although her father is not a good man, she still loves him: “Sometimes he could be very nice.” If she went away, would she be happy? Joyce suggests that she wouldn’t: “Amid the seas she sent a cry of anguish!” The sound of street organ would always remind her the day when her mother died, as well as, the promise. In a distant unknown country, she would recall her father: “Not long before, when she had been laid up for a day, he had read her out a ghost story and made toast for her at the fire.” Eveline belongs to the evenings when she lives again with her memories. She accepts a peaceful life in her lovely home in some aspects that cannot be criticized; those are her home, and her choice.
The relationship between Eveline and Frank is not really a love that can bring her true happiness. It’s not a long time for her to know him: “It seems a few weeks ago.” Even, she does not remember exactly how long, just “a few weeks.” Eveline talks about Frank superficially: “Frank was very kind, manly, open-hearted.” Their relationship is not strong enough for Eveline to spend her whole life with him: “She was about to explore another life with Frank.” It sounds like a game of discovering something new which makes her feel “about to explore,” and dream “another life.” Can Frank feel the needs that burn so deep inside Eveline? Can Frank understand the value of “home” in her heart? I don’t think so. Frank comes to Eveline only with “tales of distant countries,” with the music that makes Eveline “elated.” Every time Eveline talks about a new life, I feel like she consoles herself: “Then she would be married–she, Eveline. People would treat her with respect then.” If love is a candle light leading her through the night, so why does she still feel lost: “She prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty.” When all the illusions about the new life seem to disappear, Eveline feels really nervous: “Could she still draw back after all he had done for her?” It’s not too late to realize that she does not love him, “Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition.” She feels lonely as the sun this evening. The sunlight will fade in the deep darkness. How can the small candle light enlighten it? There is an ocean inside Eveline’s mind. How can a sailor together with his ship understand it anyway?
In conclusion, “Eveline” is a good story as any I've ever known. I deeply sympathize with the protagonist, Eveline. She has the reasons to stay with her home. Leaving home cannot be the better answer, especially for the woman like Eveline. Her choice will always be the best for her life. Why do we have to reverse something that has happened as the way it should be?
May 7, 2007
An Vo
