James Joyce: Eveline

James Joyce (lreland) was born in 1882 and died in 1941. Although
he spent most of his life on the continent in Europe, his works were
centred in Dublin, and this story comes from a collection called The
Dubliners. His most famous work Ulysses, also set in Dublin, was very
influential in the development of 20th century writing.
fn this story the protagonist,Eveline, is preparing to leave her old life
for a new existence in South America. Although she is not herself the
narrator, the story is told from Eveline's point of view. Her wish or
desire is to be happy, to "live". She plans to leave her home secretly.
She wants to establish herself in a new less troubled life, in which she
hopes to be loved. Much of the story is a reflection on her past and on
things she will leave behind. The resolution is sudden and decisive.

60 | Changes
 |61 Eveline Joyce: Jomes
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Eveline
shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about
her. Of course she had to work hard, both in the house and at business.
What would they say of her in the Stores when they found out that she
had run away with a fellow? Say she was a fool, perhaps; and her place
would be illed up by advertisement. Miss Gavan would be glad. She
had always had an edge on her, especially whenever there were people
listening.
- Miss Hill, don't you see these ladies are waiting?
- Look lively, Miss Hill, please.
She would not cry many tears at leaving the Stores.
But in her new home, in a distant unknown country, it would not be
like that. Then she would be married - she, Eveline. People would treat
her with respect then. She would not be treated as her mother had been.
Even now, though she was over nineteen, she sometimes felt herself in
danger of her father's violence. She knew it was that that had given her
the palpitations. When they were growing up he had never gone for
her, like he used to go for Harry and Ernest, because she was a girl; but
latterly he had begun to threaten her and say what he would do to her
only for her dead mother's sake. And now she had nobody to protect
her. Ernest was dead and Harry, who was in the church decorating
business, was nearly always down somewhere in the country. Besides, the
invariable squabble for money on Saturday nights had begun to weary
her unspeakably. She always gave her entire wages - seven shillings.
and Harry always sent up what he could but the trouble was to get any
money from her father. He said she used to squander the money, that
she had no head, that he wasn't going to give her his hard-earned money
to throw about the streets, and much more, for he was usually fairly
bad of a Saturday night. In the end he would give her the money and
ask her had she any intention of buying Sunday's dinner. Then she had
to rush out as quickly as she could and do her marketing, holding her
black leather purse tightly in her hand as she elbowed her way through
the crowds and returning home late under her load of provisions. She
had hard work to keep the house together and to see that the two young
children who had been left to her charge went to school regularly and
got their meals regularly. It was hard work - a hard life - but now that
she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life.
She was about to explore another life with Frank. Frank was very
kind, manly, open-hearted. She was to go away with him by the night
boat to be his wife and to live with him in Buenos Ayres where he had a
home waiting for her. How well she remembered the first time she had

62 Changes
 |63 Evellne Joyce: James
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mother's illness; she was again in the close dark room at the other side of
the hall and outside she heard a melancholy air of Italy. The organ-player
had been ordered to go away and given sixpence. She remembered her
father strutting back into the sickroom saying:
Damned Italians! coming over here!
As she mused the pitiful vision of her mother's life laid its spell on the
very quick of her being - that life of commonplace sacrifices closing in
final craziness. She trembled as she heard again her mother's voice saying
constantly with foolish insistence:
- Derevaun Seraun! Derevaun Seraun!
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. Frank would take her in his arms, fold her in his arms. He
would save her.

She stood among the swaying crowd in the station at the North Wall.
He held her hand and she knew that he was speaking to her, saying
something about the passage over and over again. The station was full
of soldiers with brown baggages. Through the wide doors of the sheds
she caught a glimpse of the black mass of the boat, lying in beside the
quay wall, with illumined portholes. She answered nothing. She felt
her cheek pale and cold and, out of a maze of distress, she prayed to
God to direct her, to show her what was her duty. The boat blew a long
mournful whistle into the mist. If she went, tomorrow she would be on
the sea with Frank, steaming towards Buenos Ayres. Their passage had
been booked. Could she still draw back after all he had done for her?
Her distress awoke a nausea in her body and she kept moving her lips in
silent fervent prayer.
A bell clanged upon her heart. She felt him seize her hand:
-Come!
All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart. He was drawing her
into them: he would drown her. She gripped with both hands at the iron
railing.
-Come!
No! No! No! It was impossible. Her hands clutched the iron in frenzy.
Amid the seas she sent a cry of anguish!
Derevaun Seraun - this confusing phrase of uncertain meaning indicates her mother's state of mind.

64 | Changes
|65 Eveline Joyce: James
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