Eveline SparkNotes
A Childhood to Remember
Eveline is a miserable girl, with the only chance of happiness, is from her love, but conflicts of her past life hinders her from moving forward.
Eveline is a miserable girl that was abused almost her whole teenage childhood. Although things are better now, her teenage life still hinders her from moving forward. In despite of her miserableness, she has a boyfriend who stands as the only symbol of happiness in her life, but as time winds down for her to be with her boyfriend permanently, an even bigger conflict forms – a problem that only a change in her past could resolve.
During the majority of Eveline’s childhood, she was abused physically and mentally by her father. On some afternoons she could barely play with the neighborhood kids, and the times she did play, she sneaked and suffered with paranoia. “Eveline’s father often haunted them in out of the field with his black thorn stick; but usually little Keogh used to keep mix and call out when he see her father coming” (4). Even though she didn’t play with her friends at ease, she still manages to have a little fun.
Eveline’s childhood was hard, but now that she’s older, some things have changed for better. Even though things changed, memories of her teenage childhood still hinder her from complete happiness. “Strange that it should come that very night to remind her of the promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could.” (6) If the promise is broken, Eveline will feel as if she has let her mother down, which also supports the reason why she’s hindered from moving forward in the present.
Now that the time has come for her to be with the one she loves, the one that stands as the only symbol of happiness in her life, even more conflicts occur. Problems only a change in her past could resolve. The changes of her father’s opinion of her loving a sailor “Of course her father had found out the affair and had forbidden her to have anything to say to
Eveline is a miserable girl, with the only chance of happiness, is from her love, but conflicts of her past life hinders her from moving forward.
Eveline is a miserable girl that was abused almost her whole teenage childhood. Although things are better now, her teenage life still hinders her from moving forward. In despite of her miserableness, she has a boyfriend who stands as the only symbol of happiness in her life, but as time winds down for her to be with her boyfriend permanently, an even bigger conflict forms – a problem that only a change in her past could resolve.
During the majority of Eveline’s childhood, she was abused physically and mentally by her father. On some afternoons she could barely play with the neighborhood kids, and the times she did play, she sneaked and suffered with paranoia. “Eveline’s father often haunted them in out of the field with his black thorn stick; but usually little Keogh used to keep mix and call out when he see her father coming” (4). Even though she didn’t play with her friends at ease, she still manages to have a little fun.
Eveline’s childhood was hard, but now that she’s older, some things have changed for better. Even though things changed, memories of her teenage childhood still hinder her from complete happiness. “Strange that it should come that very night to remind her of the promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could.” (6) If the promise is broken, Eveline will feel as if she has let her mother down, which also supports the reason why she’s hindered from moving forward in the present.
Now that the time has come for her to be with the one she loves, the one that stands as the only symbol of happiness in her life, even more conflicts occur. Problems only a change in her past could resolve. The changes of her father’s opinion of her loving a sailor “Of course her father had found out the affair and had forbidden her to have anything to say to
Cited: Joyce, James. “Eveline,” in Literature and the Writing Process. By Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005. Pages 3-7.