Describe the character Eveline in Dubliners.

Eveline is a 19-year-old girl who finds life in 20th-century Dublin unbearable. She is a dutiful daughter, who takes care of her family, especially her father, who is often drunk and abusive. Eveline oscillates between the two choices she has -- she can either stay and enjoy the comfort and familiarity of her home or she can run away from her oppressive and stifling daily routine with her lover, Frank, to Argentina and embrace the unknown.

Throughout the whole story, Eveline struggles to make a choice. Even if we dare assume that she has made a choice, she quickly proves us wrong, letting us into her world of thoughts and doubts. On the one hand, she cannot let go of the obligations and promise made to her mother that she would keep the family together no matter how hard it is. On the other hand, she knows that staying in Dublin would mean that she would be robbed of her dreams and happiness:

She stood up in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! She must escape! Frank would save her. He would give her life, perhaps love, too. But she wanted to live. Why should she be unhappy? She had a right to happiness.

However, as she becomes aware that her new life would not necessarily bring her the fulfillment which she desperately needs, she decides to stay. Just like other characters in Dubliners, Eveline is the victim of emotional and spiritual paralysis which enveloped Dublin at the time Joyce lived.

What are some characteristics of the character Eveline?

Based on the portrayal of Eveline, we can infer a number of her character traits. Firstly, Eveline is nostalgic. When she sits looking out of the window, for example, her mind is drawn to her childhood, a time when her mother was still alive and her father was not abusive to her. Thinking about this time makes Eveline feel happy, a sign that she misses the past.

Secondly, Eveline is devoted to her family and domestic life. Although she has the opportunity to start a new life abroad, Eveline feels sad and nervous about leaving her family and her home behind. As she scans the living room, for example, she wonders if she will ever get to see this house again, a thought which fills her with some trepidation.

In addition, Eveline is very generous. She does not keep any of her wages for herself, for instance, and instead gives them to her father. Even though she knows that he will spend the money on alcohol, she cannot refuse her father, another sign of her domestic devotion.

Finally, based on the ending of the story, we can infer that Eveline is afraid to take risks. Her decision to stay in Ireland and not go to Buenos Aires, for example, proves that she lacks the confidence to face new challenges and new opportunities.

Eveline is conflicted. She has the opportunity to start a new life with Frank in Buenos Ares. This promises to be a much better life than her mother experienced. Eveline will be escaping a bitter life with her abusive father and the responsibilities of keeping her family together. This promise she'd made to her mother. So, it is not easy for her to consider leaving. 

Eveline is torn between staying and leaving. For the majority of the story, she is still, sitting by the window, contemplating her decision. She sees the hope in moving away but thinks of her promise to her mother and even rationalizes the idea of staying when she recalls times when her father was "not so bad." 

Eveline is only nineteen but she is tired. She is burdened with caring for her family. The potential escape to Buenos Ares seems like an exotic paradise when compared with the suffering, impoverished life she's experienced in Ireland. 

Her name literally means "little Eve" and this of course has Biblical allusions. If she leaves, unwed, with Frank, she would be considered a fallen woman, especially by the Catholic community in Ireland. But if she stays, she will continue to have a difficult life and will therefore be miserable and "fallen" in her own personal life. So, the decision is not so clear cut. Eveline is conflicted and feels stuck, knowing that consequences will result from either choice. 

Analyze the character Eveline in James Joyce's Dubliners.

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Eveline is the main character in the story of the same name. In the story, she is about to leave her family and Dublin to marry a young sailor, with whom she will go to Buenos Aires. She struggles with whether she should stay in Ireland or not. Before her mother passed away, she had promised her that she would take care of her father. She is also very insecure about leaving the place that she knows best, even though her life is pretty miserable there. This is the famous "paralysis" that goes into Joyce's stories.

In the end, Eveline does not go with her "fiance." She holds onto the railing at the dock, "clutching" it "with frenzy." The last paragraphy tells of both the paralysis and the epiphany:

He rushed beyond the barrier and called to her to follow... She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal. Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition.

Eveline has decided not to go. Her epiphany is that her life will remain the same. You may also note that the sailor didn't keep himself off the ship. He shouts from aboard it. That begs the question: Did he really want Eveline to go with him?