The Change Of Childhood In Eveline By James Joyce

Eveline by James Joyce is the story of a nineteen-year-old girl who was forced to make a dramatic decision regarding her future. Eveline had the decision to continue life with her family in Dublin or to sail into a new life with her lover, Frank. When given the opportunity to sail away with Frank, Eveline instead opts to remain in Dublin with her family. Although Eveline had aspirations of a better life elsewhere, her decision to stay in Dublin ultimately came down to the awareness she had of her current role in the family. When considering the decision to stay or leave, Eveline pondered significant memories of her childhood. As Eveline looked through her lifelong home window, she saw houses built over the field in which she used to play. Eveline also …show more content…
The memory is a happy one, as Joyce writes “Still they seemed to have been rather happy then. Her father was not so bad then; and besides, her mother was alive.”. Eveline sees new brick houses built on top of the field where she shared a joyful memories with her family. Joyce uses the field to make a subtle comparison to Eveline’s family. The change of scenery in Eveline’s neighbourhood represents the changes the Hill family have felt over the years. A clear example of this is the fact that Eveline’s mother is no longer alive and her siblings are all grown up. The memory of the field is significant to Eveline’s decision because it is the first major instance where Eveline shows awareness regarding the changes in her family. In the same paragraph, Joyce uses the lines: “That was a long time ago… Everything changes.” to further support the representation of the family undergoing change. Perhaps Joyce is implying the family was once happier than their current state. If this was the author’s goal, it supports the fact of Eveline’s awareness regarding the difficult situation the Hill family was