Eveline
Kristin Fox
Cynthia Wesson
English 120
Wednesday, June 13, 2013
Moving Forward In the story “Eveline” the word dust is used many times mostly in referring to the home for example when it says, “reviewing all of the familiar objects which she had dusted once a week for so many years, wondering where on earth all the dust had come from” (Joyce 3). The continual references to dirt in the house show the house being something old. Almost like when you walk into an old garage that no one goes in to in years and everything is covered with inches of dust. Things also collect dust when they are forgotten about. The dust in this story represents the past and how it is time to move on and move forward. The problem with moving on though is where to move on to. Especially in Eveline’s case she does not have many options because two of the men in her life are very much a like. One of Eveline’s options is the man she is “in love” with. Eviline falls in love with Frank but is forced to see him in private because her father does not like him. Her father claims, “I know these sailor chaps,” almost as though he does not like them and feels that they are not good enough to be dating his daughter. Maybe this is because at one time he was just like all of them. And maybe he is still very much like these sailor chaps, for instance when it talks about the “bad ways” he acts on Saturday nights. This could imply many things like that he drinks or becomes abusive. It could also mean that he drinks because he is sad about his wife moving on. Either way it points in many ways to the fact that there is a possibility that he may have not always been the best man just like he feels Frank will not be the best man for his daughter. There are many other reasons that he may not wish his daughter to find a man. Manly because he knows if she finds someone else she will leave him. Then he will not have her money not have someone to shop, clean, cook, and take care of him. Even though her
Cynthia Wesson
English 120
Wednesday, June 13, 2013
Moving Forward In the story “Eveline” the word dust is used many times mostly in referring to the home for example when it says, “reviewing all of the familiar objects which she had dusted once a week for so many years, wondering where on earth all the dust had come from” (Joyce 3). The continual references to dirt in the house show the house being something old. Almost like when you walk into an old garage that no one goes in to in years and everything is covered with inches of dust. Things also collect dust when they are forgotten about. The dust in this story represents the past and how it is time to move on and move forward. The problem with moving on though is where to move on to. Especially in Eveline’s case she does not have many options because two of the men in her life are very much a like. One of Eveline’s options is the man she is “in love” with. Eviline falls in love with Frank but is forced to see him in private because her father does not like him. Her father claims, “I know these sailor chaps,” almost as though he does not like them and feels that they are not good enough to be dating his daughter. Maybe this is because at one time he was just like all of them. And maybe he is still very much like these sailor chaps, for instance when it talks about the “bad ways” he acts on Saturday nights. This could imply many things like that he drinks or becomes abusive. It could also mean that he drinks because he is sad about his wife moving on. Either way it points in many ways to the fact that there is a possibility that he may have not always been the best man just like he feels Frank will not be the best man for his daughter. There are many other reasons that he may not wish his daughter to find a man. Manly because he knows if she finds someone else she will leave him. Then he will not have her money not have someone to shop, clean, cook, and take care of him. Even though her
Cited: Joyce, James. “Eveline.” Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMaham et al. 10th ed. Boston: Longman, 2013. 2-6. Print.