Eveline Essay introduction and outline

In James Joyce’s “Eveline,” Joyce uses the symbols of dust and water to show the crucial decision that Eveline has to make. The symbol of dust demonstrates the time passing by her without change showing her resentment for change. The night invading her on the night when she must make her decision represents how she does not want to have to make this struggling decision. Joyce uses the indecisive girl to help us understand the challenge faced by many to struggle to make an important decision.

I. The dust at Eveline’s window symbolizes her static lifestyle, which gave light on her dislike for change making her decision more difficult.


a. “She looked around the room, reiewing all of its familiar objects which she had dusted once a week for so many years, wondering where on earth all the dust came from.”


b. “Her time was running out but she continued to sit by the window, leaning her head against the window curtain, inhaling the odour of dusty cretonne”


II. Night symbolizes invading her time left and the past that affects her decision.


a. “She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue”


b. “She remembered the last night of her 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”

Symbolism in Eveline Introduction

In James Joyce's "Eveline," a girl experiences the struggle of making a crucial decision. This decision could change her life forever. Joyce uses symbols such as dust, night, and water. Joyce uses the symbols of dust, water, and night to help us understand the challenge faced by many of struggling to make an important decision.

Living in the Past

Why would someone want to be born in the past? Well, I believe there are a few reasons stemmed into one main one reason. Someone who loves history would want to live in the past just like Miniver said he did. He says how he "loved the medici" and "dreamed of thebes and camelot." In my head when I read this, I thought of a boy who is just in love with history and can't get enough. The type of boy who has a passion for learning the past and just wishes he could have been there to experience it. I wonder however that if he was born possibly a hundred years later if he would have wished to be born the time he was now, just because he loves history.




In life, I think that there are three kinds of people, people associated with past, present, and future. People associated with the past love history or get caught up in the past. There are people who live in the present and try to make every moment count to its fullest. These people to me are most content with the way their life is. The people who love the future normally love technology and cant wait for the future to come. I think I'm a person who lives in the present because i like to make the most out of every moment and make every moment count.

Irony

Barbie Dolls, those dolls that as a child all girls looked at as the perfect girl. The most beautiful thing that they imagined they would hopefully become as an adult.

In Marge Piercy's "Barbie Doll," irony is used to get across the main idea that people judge too quickly on appearance versus whats inside, reality. When I read "Barbie Doll," I kept thinking about how this girl was a typical girl who was smart, strong, and beautiful, but with a few flaws. These flaws are pointed out, and she forgets the positive things about her.

Irony, referring to how something is not what it seems, has two main types, dramatic irony and verbal irony. Dramatic irony refers to the discrepancy between what the speaker says and what the poem means. Piercy names the story "Barbie Doll," and right away, the reader thinks of a tan, blonde haired girl with beautiful blue eyes. Ironically, Piercy writes that she was however "healthy" and "tested intelligent," not necessarily pretty and beautiful like the barbie dolls depicted in real life. Piercy uses verbal irony when she says that in her casket, with her "turned-up putty nose" and thick legs, she was finally thought of as pretty. Ironically, once she is dead, then she is pretty without the two flaws that were part of who she was...

Indecisive Eveline

Hello everyone, my name is Jacob, and this is my blog. In my blog, I will write about my thoughts and opinions about literature that I encounter throughout this year. I'll analyze the literature and convey my ideas out in this blog. Feel free to comment any responses or comments you have. I hope you enjoy!




My favorite work that I read this summer was "Eveline" by James Joyce. I thoroughly enjoyed how the story kept me wanting to read more. I kept wanting to read more because I never knew what her final decision would be because she changed her mind so much. Joyce did a fantastic job of displaying Eveline's character to be an indecisive young woman who is very passive and lets other people drive the boat. This left my hanging as a reader wanting to know more because I never knew what evidence would come up to sway or change her decision. Near the end of the story, Eveline comments how he "would save her," which at this point made me believe that she would go away with him. Barely a paragraph or two later, she changes her mind and says how he would "drown her" when it came time for her to go with him. It resonated with me as when the time comes to make a big decision, fear and the unknown can sometimes make you change your mind on the spot at that very moment...