Eveline Character Analysis

Eveline, the title character of James Joyce’s, “Eveline” is a young woman who is internally conflicted which results in her being indecisive. Eveline longs for freedom and happiness, but her anxiety and doubt makes her wary and fearful of change. Nevertheless, Eveline is a woman who wants to have control of her own life and takes steps that she believes are in her best interest. As Eveline prepares to leave her home for the first time she becomes nostalgic and she reminisces on the many memories she has there. Eveline reflects on happier times such as when she and her siblings were children and played with the neighborhood children; “The children of the avenue used to play in that field” (p.407). Eveline remembers fondly on the times when …show more content…
Eveline’s main motivation for being with Frank is escaping her hard life. Frank is also a source of excitement for Eveline, with his stories and songs she becomes comfortable with him but she doesn’t love him. She isn’t concerned with getting love from him so much as the fact that he would take her away, “He would give her life, perhaps love, too” (p.408). Eveline is confident about her decision until she has a solid plan. That is when she starts really weighing the pros and cons of her decision. Eveline is nervous and doubt creeps upon her, but she doesn’t know what or how to tell Frank, she wonders if she can “draw back after all he had done for her” (p.409). Frank was nice to her, and Eveline liked the possibility of being married and treated with respect. She wondered how her coworkers at the Stores would gossip about her and how fast they would fill her position, possibly with an advertisement in the newspaper. Eveline wondered also how her father would fare without her “He would miss her” (p.409), she thought and although she feared him to the point of having “palpitations” (p.408), she couldn’t help but remember the rare times he could be nice and feel a sense of …show more content…
Frank, in her mind is her savior and her ticket to freedom, Eveline envisions her new life with him: “She was about to explore another life with Frank …” “People would treat her with respect then” (pg.408). Contrasting that though she starts to muse on the uncertainty that the new move would bring and reflects on the security she has in Ireland, her home; “In her home anyway she had shelter and food” (pg.407). It becomes evident that her doubt and apprehension has come to a head as she feels Frank’s hand grip hers tightly as they are walking to the ship and she feels more than distressed, she feels death and a complete loss of control looming. The freedom she once saw now only seems like a life of uncertainty. Frank, once with hands that Eveline could see folding her in a loving embrace turned into a man she could only see drowning her with “all the seas of the world” (pg. 409). Eveline loses any sense of affection or care for Frank the instant all her fears take her