Effect of Change
She plans to leave Dublin with this man to start a new life in Buenos Aires.
Who is Frank?
Eveline recalls playing in this open space before it was replaced by houses.
What is the field near her home?
This man’s temper and control make Eveline’s home life miserable.
Who is her father?
At the start of the story, Eveline sits doing this childlike, passive activity.
What is staring out the window?
The window symbolizes the barrier between these two things.
What are Eveline’s inner life and the outside world?
Eveline hesitates to change because of her comfort in these familiar household objects.
What are the things she’s always dusted, like the furniture and decorations?
Eveline promised this dying family member to “keep the home together.”
Who is her mother?
Eveline feels she cannot leave because of this promise.
What is her vow to her dying mother?
Eveline views Frank as this type of figure in her life.
Who is a savior or rescuer?
The constant dust in her home represents this quality of Dublin life.
What is decay and stagnation?
The contrast between the still home and the moving ship symbolizes this inner conflict.
What is Eveline’s struggle between safety and freedom?
This yellowing photograph represents the weight of the family’s past.
What is the photograph of the priest who was her father’s friend?
It’s ironic that Eveline wants to leave because of her mother’s unhappiness but stays for this reason.
What is to honor her mother’s memory?
This emotion ultimately keeps Eveline from going with Frank.
What is fear?
Joyce reveals Eveline’s indecision through this narrative technique.
What is stream of consciousness?
Eveline’s fear of leaving home represents this larger theme that runs through Dubliners.
What is paralysis?
Eveline’s memories give her comfort but also keep her from leaving, showing this paradox.
What is the past both protects her and traps her?
The family symbolizes both love and this emotional burden.
What is guilt or obligation?
The sea represents both freedom and this opposing danger.
What is drowning or loss of control?
The dull, detached tone of the narration mirrors this theme.
What is emotional numbness or paralysis?
Joyce’s portrayal of Eveline’s inability to leave Dublin reflects this commentary on Irish society.
What is the idea that Dublin’s people are trapped by tradition and fear of change?
Her mother’s final words, “Derevaun Seraun,” foreshadow this for Eveline’s future.
What is a life of suffering and repetition if she stays?
Eveline’s family loyalty mirrors this theme about Ireland’s inability to move forward.
What is Ireland’s paralysis under history and tradition?
In the final scene, Eveline’s blank, frozen expression shows this psychological state.
What is total emotional paralysis?
Eveline’s final inability to move symbolizes this broader Modernist idea.
What is the failure of faith and love to overcome fear and habit?