What Is Home? a Comparison of Eveline and Soldier's Home
Home can be described in many meanings. In both short stories of “Eveline” by James Joyce and “Soldier’s Home” by Earnest Hemingway, it defined home in many similar and opposite ways against one another. Since both authors used different ways to uncover the protagonist’s story, they both resulted in different interpretations of “Home.” Both stories revolved around family affairs so both the protagonist’s mother and father played a major role in the story but they also shared similarities throughout the story. However, both protagonists were caught in different situations that drove them on deciding to stay or leave home.
Both stories featured parents who driven the protagonist’s decisions of leaving/staying home. Eveline’s mother left her an important duty to “keep the family together” when she was on her deathbed. After her mother’s dead, she had to live with the burden of taking care of her father and siblings. However, she feared living with her father because of his high temper and violent personality, “…latterly he had begun to threaten her and say what he would do to her only for her dead mother’s sake” (Joyce 533). Although even after her mother’s death, Eveline carried an important duty that would later force’s Eveline’s decision of staying home. Even though she doesn’t want to end up like her mother, she grasped on her final words and kept that promise. On the other hand, Harold’s father’s had also threatened Harold when he clearly wanted his son
Zhu 2 to use his car as a way of motivation to succeed in life. Harold’s mother on the other hand also wanted to motivate him to succeed in life but failed to understand Harold when he came back from war. His mother can no longer identify her old son, the same son who she recognized back in High School. Because of the traumatic war experience Harold has felt, he has changed and can’t find the ability to love his mother, or “love anybody” (Hemingway, 189). Therefore, in the end, he parted ways with his
Both stories featured parents who driven the protagonist’s decisions of leaving/staying home. Eveline’s mother left her an important duty to “keep the family together” when she was on her deathbed. After her mother’s dead, she had to live with the burden of taking care of her father and siblings. However, she feared living with her father because of his high temper and violent personality, “…latterly he had begun to threaten her and say what he would do to her only for her dead mother’s sake” (Joyce 533). Although even after her mother’s death, Eveline carried an important duty that would later force’s Eveline’s decision of staying home. Even though she doesn’t want to end up like her mother, she grasped on her final words and kept that promise. On the other hand, Harold’s father’s had also threatened Harold when he clearly wanted his son
Zhu 2 to use his car as a way of motivation to succeed in life. Harold’s mother on the other hand also wanted to motivate him to succeed in life but failed to understand Harold when he came back from war. His mother can no longer identify her old son, the same son who she recognized back in High School. Because of the traumatic war experience Harold has felt, he has changed and can’t find the ability to love his mother, or “love anybody” (Hemingway, 189). Therefore, in the end, he parted ways with his
Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. “Soldier’s Home.” The Bedford Introduction to Literatures Ed.Micheal Meyer. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 185-90. Joyce, James. “Eveline.” The Bedford Introduction to Literatures. Ed. Micheal Meyer.8thed. Boston: Bedfort/St. Martin’s, 2008. 532-34.