Family Decisions in James Joyce's Eveline from Dubliners Essay

The choices and decisions made control our lives and build our future. Regardless of whether individuals see it or not, the choices did influence today, impact our tomorrow. Once a choice made, the actions play out, and the results convey; at that point, must choose the option to live with those outcomes. In the short story "The Father," the author, Hugh Garner utilizes character development of John Purcell to demonstrate that one's irresponsible choices made have the ability to jeopardize an essential relationship in one's life.

I can’t help but wonder why she ends up feeling so guilty to leave her father for happiness with Frank. Eveline deserves to be happy and live a happy life with out being isolated and lonely.

For example, Jeannette’s parents never had a stable home, and had to sleep in their car or motels. This never stopped Jeannette or her siblings to have a future. The oldest sister, Lori, managed to move out because it wasn’t stable for her. Lori wanted Jeannette move in with her because she wanted her to be safe and get her education. She moved to New York. Consequently, their parents didn’t agree to this because they were young and needed to be with an adult at all time. Which was an disadvantage for them and the effect of it was that they didn't care about what their parent's opinion was. As a result, Jeannette went through a lot of not having a stable home which made her older sister think about their

The article, the book, and I, talk about how daughters feel their mothers don’t know them and that they don’t know their mothers. They talk about how a daughter listens to her mother, but there is a certain point in a young woman 's mind where they decide they want to see and explore new ideas. In conclusion, they all talk about the point in a daughter 's life where she and her mother don’t get along very well and the daughter tries to take charge of her life.

“I know my mom and dad love each other but their marriage is not healthy and has not been for a long time.” “They don’t even sleep in the same room”. (personal communication, 08/03/2013). Selyna states she feels like her mother is depressed, but would never admit to it. Selyna and her sister Stephanie are very close to their mother. Selyna’s brother Sergio is gay which has caused the greatest conflict with his father and has resulted in a poor relationship with conflict and discord. Selyna states “When my brother came out it was the most stress I have ever seen my family endure it was very hard for all of us. I have never stopped loving my brother and was able to look past it, but my father never has and I don’t think he ever will” (personal communication, 08/03/2013). Selyna describes her relationship with her brother Sergio and her sister Stephanie as close and has depicted on the genogram as extremely close or fused.

Her father's rampant drinking and inability to hold a job, coupled with her mother's lack of responsibility causes Jeannette to inwardly question her role in society.

Firstly, Every hardship and obstacles she endured throughout her childhood helped Jeannette to become a successful adult.Jeannette’s parent were very unpredictable, her mother was self absorbed in her hobbies, and her father was an interminable alcoholic. Even though her parent neglected and gave less attention to Jeannette,

Dr. Murray Bowen’s research shows that conflict in a family can not only cause emotional damage but physical damage. The three different parenting styles display the Shae family as disjointed which causes Sophie to suffer. An authoritative method should be used, coupled with a unified voice of all parental influences in the life of Sophie. Dr. Bowens states that the “differentiated person is always aware of others and the relationship system around him”. In the case of Gish Jen’s “Who’s Irish”, Sophie absorbs the relations around her and is deeply

He does not want a worldly man such as Frank having any influence on his daughter. He believes that if Eveline did become serious with Frank he, as her father, would become a lower priority in Eveline's life. She would most certainly leave the house and quite possibly move far away, which would be yet another change the old man would have to endure.

Eveline's internal struggle illustrates clearly how one struggles between the past and the future, leading to the failure to escape. While weighing her options as to whether or not leave Dublin, Eveline remembers her mother's wishes: "Her promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could" (Joyce 40). Even though Eveline's home contains an abusive father, absence of family members, and the struggles of domestic work, she is unable to let go. Awaiting her a promised adventurous and free spirited life with her respectful and kind lover, Frank. He has the ability to rescue Eveline from a troubling past and allow her to enter a new phase in her life, liberated from the ugliness of Dublin. However,

Carson McCullers takes the reader on a journey into the lives of a family plagued by alcoholism in "A Domestic Dilemma". The realism of the story is astounding, as most people will often find themselves torn when facing difficult family decisions. The Meadows’ family is torn by both compassion and suffering, and Martin Meadows is faced with one of the most difficult decisions of his life. In A Domestic Dilemma, the author conveys the idea that individuals facing difficult decisions in marital relationships must act in the best interest of one’s self.The conflicts in the story surround Martin and Emily’s marital relationship. It is clear that their marriage is deteriorating because of Emily’s alcoholism. Emily often attempts to

To all of us reading the story the choice is clear, Eveline has no reason to stay home. Frank on the other hand seems like a great guy. Her inability too choose going with Frank or even show him any signs of recognition as seen here “Her eyes gave him no signs of love or farewell or recognition.”(Joyce P.33)shows a clear moral paralysis. Eveline in contrast to most of the other main characters shows no realization about what she has learned, has learned nothing about her self to hate and is stuck in a seemingly more hopeless moral paralysis.

Marianne’s display of responsibility is not consistent, and is very different than her sister’s; unlike Elinor, Marianne lives a

Eveline was a female that was brought up in a poor area of Dublin, Ireland. As with all underprivileged areas around the world things were harder. There was a higher importance placed on morals and values. Eveline’s job was to care for her father and the house after her mother passed. A promise she made to her mother on her deathbed, and promises are to be kept. She also had two children that she oversaw caring for. Her responsibilities were routine, comfortable, and safe. There is nothing that the human race likes more than routine. There is a comfort that comes with knowing how things are going to go and

In Joyce’s, “Eveline”, most of the story is situated in the mind of the main character, Eveline. Eveline is characterized as passive, easily-influenced, and indecisive. Joyce highlights Eveline’s indecisiveness as she struggles with her immediate predicament; should she leave her abusive father and disobey her duty as a daughter, or pursue a new life with her potential husband Frank, to be free? As she contemplates, readers are taken inside Eveline’s mind to discover factors from her past and present that contribute toward her final decision. While Joyce utilizes rich literary devices including symbolism and dramatic irony, Eveline’s final choice is based on what is repressed in her unconscious mind – her mother’s last words. Eveline’s mother’s last word “Derevuan Seraun” is the deciding factor in which why Eveline chooses stays home.