Eveline

Eveline by James Joyce, a short story which inflicted sympathy upon me as a reader, first for Eveline's sad situation with her upsetting father, the death of her mother and brother, and the urge to leave her longtime home, but the near impossibility of doing so. So, when she has an opportunity to sneak away and live happily with a man who appreciates her, I found myself happy for her sudden fortune and willed she would take it. Eveline could start a new life for herself, and even though her mother's wish was that she watch over the house, I don't believe her mother would blame Evvy for wanting to get out. The author uses situational irony to set up the story as if Evvy will escape to happiness considering her current depressed state, and then at the near close of the story, shocks readers by instilling in Evvy the sudden fear of abandoning a life she feels tied to. For this reason and for her hesitance,  I also felt disappointed for both Evvy and the man Frank who just wanted to save her from it all. I feel as though her obligations to her home, placed on her by her mother and family, has gotten to her head to where she feels she must always stay faithful to her longtime duties. "..To remind her of the promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could,"(Joyce,221). This burdening bindment and promise keep her from living for herself and living happily. I believe all in all Evvy is a victim of a longtime fate which she cannot control, or at least she doesn't know that she can deny her duties because she has been long used to them.