5.
What are the parts of the story? Describe the events in each of them.
The parts of the story are:
Introduction
o The main characters are Eveline, Frank, Harry, Ernest and Eveline’s
parents.
o The story takes place in Ireland.
o Eveline remembers and reflects on her life in Ireland.
Rising Actions
o Eveline explains how her father is unfair and abusive.
o Her father did not let her see Frank anymore.
o Eveline cannot decide if she should leave to Buenos Aires with Frank.
Climax
o The climax happens when Eveline goes to the dock to go away with Frank.
She sees the ship and the sea and she cannot decide if she should board
the ship.
Falling Actions
o The relationship between Eveline and Frank is over.
Resolution
o Eveline had never been in love with him, she used him as an escape.
o Frank left Ireland and Eveline stayed in Ireland.
6.
Descriptions: how are characters described? Why are they described that
way?
The characters are well described because this is a story of characters and they
occupy a central place in the story. They are important as well as significant.
This story is special because we can know all the characters through Eveline since
internal focus is really present in the entire text. Throughout the story, the reader
will know by means of Eveline’s memories, thoughts and inwardness the other
characters and the facts that happened in her life.
Using the flashback technique Eveline describes her old neighborhood, how her
family was and the relationships among the family. Due to that technique is
possible to identify that the memories of the main character do not allow her to
make a change in her life.
Eveline’s father, Mr. Hill, is described by very short dialogues, but they are in a
position to prove his personality. Not only does he intimidate Eveline to work, but
also he takes all her salaries. Although he does not beat her, he threatens her all
the time. To make matters, he accuses her of wasting the money they have.
The characters are used to describe the theme of the story too.
Eveline belongs to a collection of short stories Dubliners published in 1914 and
each story shows the situation in Ireland in the early XX century, focusing on
different aspects and from a different perspective according to the story so we can
notice how is reflected the society of Dublin and Ireland that James Joyce knew.
The author attempts to illustrate the life and the problems of the working class in
Dublin, in the heyday of Irish nationalism and subjected to the dictates of the British
Empire and the Catholic Church, which promoted an undergone life at that time, so
we can think that Eveline’s choice was made because she took this into account.
Therefore, it would be a shame and a scandal that she left the country.
Besides, the author wanted to show the role of the woman at that time too. In those
days, women had the house as their predominant space, with the consequent
responsibilities and duties that entail. Joyce characterizes the protagonist as a
woman, encased in a flowcharting or social role, who desires the idea of breaking
the reality in which she is involved and starts a new life.