Though the differences in James Joyce’s character Eveline and Joyce Oates character Connie may seem astonishing, it is really their similarities that may make these two seem like mirror images of each other. These two characters come from different countries and time yet they share a similar situation, age, and, dilemma. Starting off, neither of these stories are happy. The two protagonist Eveline and Connie both live a life of verbal and mental oppression by a single parental figure as for Eveline her father threatens to physically abuse her, “…only for her dead mother's sake” (Joyce ###). Though Eveline would go on to say that her father was not all bad this goes to only further show her lack of age by attempting to justify a disheveled
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The young age of Eveline and Connie coincides with their mental capacity, gives the reader a better understanding of insight into the two characters, and shines a ray of light in how they would justify their decisions. Connie being 15 has a very common fantasy that many teenagers have which is that they live in a boring mundane world structured around their parents restrictions and guidance, they seek to trade that for a life of independence, danger, and excitement. This explains why Connie chooses to go with Arnold, even though she feels threated by Arnold she also feels attracted to him. “Connie blushed a little…She couldn't decide if she liked him or if he was just a jerk…” (Oates ###). The young woman struggles internally between leaving her safe comfortable life for this seductive, dangerous, yet exciting life that the antagonist all but thrust upon her. Eveline being 19 carries similar rationalization and mental processing as Connie, just a little more mature. Eveline, like Connie, seeks to get away from her normal life to live a life of adventure with Frank whom she thinks will save her, “Frank would save her. He would give her life, perhaps love, too. But she wanted to live. Why should she be unhappy” (Joyce ###). She struggles internally with ideas such as what the women at the grocery store will think of her, this goes to expound on her age and immaturity with being wrapped up with what
The young age of Eveline and Connie coincides with their mental capacity, gives the reader a better understanding of insight into the two characters, and shines a ray of light in how they would justify their decisions. Connie being 15 has a very common fantasy that many teenagers have which is that they live in a boring mundane world structured around their parents restrictions and guidance, they seek to trade that for a life of independence, danger, and excitement. This explains why Connie chooses to go with Arnold, even though she feels threated by Arnold she also feels attracted to him. “Connie blushed a little…She couldn't decide if she liked him or if he was just a jerk…” (Oates ###). The young woman struggles internally between leaving her safe comfortable life for this seductive, dangerous, yet exciting life that the antagonist all but thrust upon her. Eveline being 19 carries similar rationalization and mental processing as Connie, just a little more mature. Eveline, like Connie, seeks to get away from her normal life to live a life of adventure with Frank whom she thinks will save her, “Frank would save her. He would give her life, perhaps love, too. But she wanted to live. Why should she be unhappy” (Joyce ###). She struggles internally with ideas such as what the women at the grocery store will think of her, this goes to expound on her age and immaturity with being wrapped up with what