Literary Analysis of a Short Story 'Eveline'

The story of Eveline is one of many stories in a collection of short stories, which is titled with Dubliners by James Joyce; they take place in the early 1900s. The story is Realistic Fiction and it takes place in 1914 in Ireland. The story is about a young girl who has a hard and unhappy life with household tasks and responsibilities that overburdened her. Some foreshadowing, symbols, motifs, themes, and messages analysis will be discussed in the following.

The foreshadowing in the story of Eveline is mentioned at the beginning of the story when Eveline recalls some memories about one of her childhood friends called Keogh who was crippled. This friend foreshadows Eveline’s paralysis as in one scene where Eveline stands in front of a window alone thinks about and watches her life as it passes. Moreover, this foreshadows her relationship ending with Frank as in another scene she stands alone again thinks about her life and doubts her decision of abandoning her family.

James Joyce "Eveline" - Analysis of Symbols, Motifs and Theme

Regarding symbols, the window is the first one. A window in Eveline represents the difference between the reality that Eveline lives in and the new life she dreams about. In addition, represents the contrast between Prison and freedom, domestic duties, and future events she might encounter in her new life. The second symbol is Dust, which represents monotony, repetition, and dullness. Eveline cleans her room and her family’s house regularly and frequently, it does not matter how many times and how often she does that the dust always keeps gathering and comes back as an analogy to her miserable and boring life. Water is the third symbol. In the story, the sea is mentioned to represent the unknown and anonymous. Eveline in her deep heart does not want to leave her familiar life and family, and to leave the only life she knows to the unknown is a terrifying idea for her. Also, the sea signifies freedom, which is again another reason for Eveline to be scared and uncomfortable with her decision of running away as freedom opens and provides more unguaranteed options. Although she dreams about having a new life full of love, care, and lack of restrictions, she doubts herself and her choice, as her father’s unkindness and her mother’s words cripple her decisions.

As for motifs, the first one is Paralysis. “She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal”. On page 6 in the last scene, Eveline’s inability to move shows the significant impact of death on her life and mind. The second motif is Epiphany, which highlights the repeated desire for hope on one hand and the acceptance of her life on the other one. The third motif is Betrayal, because of the death of her mother, her favorite brother, and one of her childhood friends. Moreover, the cruelty of her father and her whole circumstances make Eveline feels abandoned, isolated, and betrayed. The fourth motif is Religion. Some religious references and symbols that the author suggests in the story, refers to religion as sometimes imprison people into thinking about life and death. Because it is just another procedural routine and repetitive lifestyle. We can see some of these references in some lines in the story, “she prayed to God to direct her, to show her what was her duty” “A bell clanged upon her heart”. The bell here resembles the bell of a church.

As for the themes, the first one is the Prison of Routine. In the story, we can see how the routine, responsibilities, and chores affect Eveline whose life is full of loneliness, sadness, and abuse that prevent her to be happy. The Desire for Escape is the second theme; Eveline wants to be free from her duties towards her family and the commandments of her late mother to take care of her two little siblings. She wants to escape and run away to get married because she thinks that marriage will rescue her from domestic tasks and from her dull life. The third theme is the Intersection of life and death. Eveline has been hunted by death since she lost her mother, brother, and childhood friend. The death places and puts a shadow on her life. Eveline lives in a state of postponed, she is alive yet crippled by the dark influence of death.

Finally, the messages of the author address the topic of death in two different ways, literally, when Eveline lost some of her beloved ones. And figuratively, as her awareness of being left behind because of the death of those people and leaving her alone. In the story of Eveline, the author states some moral lessons such as memory, responsibilities, decisions, conflict, escape, guilt, paralysis, and letting go or (inability to let go).

Conclusion

Eveline is a story of struggle, unfairness, injustice, and responsibilities of a young girl in specific and of women in general in the twentieth century. Eveline has an opportunity to change her destiny and have a new life. Although she has been through a lot and she has a difficult life, she chooses not to leave.

Works Cited

1. Joyce, J. (1993). Dubliners. Penguin Classics.
2. Litz, A. W. (2014). James Joyce. In C. Rollyson & L. Paddock (Eds.), British Writers: Supplement XIV (Vol. 14). Charles Scribner's Sons.
3. Magalaner, M., & Kershner, R. B. (1996). Approaches to Joyce's 'Dubliners'. University Press of Florida.
4. McCourt, J. (2016). James Joyce in context. Cambridge University Press.
5. O'Gorman, F. (2013). The Cambridge companion to the literature of the city. Cambridge University Press.
6. Pilz, K. (2013). Paralysis in Joyce's 'Dubliners': The stages of childhood development. GRIN Verlag.
7. Rowe, E. (2006). James Joyce and victim consciousness: Ireland, modernism, and maternalism. Cambridge University Press.
8. Scheiber, A. (2011). The Eponymous Joyce: A Genealogical Guide to the Joyces of the World. Ancestry.com.
9. Swan, H. (2019). James Joyce's Dubliners: An introduction by Harold Swan. Lulu Press, Inc.
10. Vendler, H. (2012). Our secret discipline: Yeats and lyric form. Harvard University Press.