Comprehension

1. Eveline is in the middle of an emotional crisis. What is her dilemma?
Eveline's dilemma is to decide if she has to leave with Frank or she has to stay at home with her family.

2. What are the reasons for staying and her reasons for leaving?

Her reasons for staying are: the certainty of having shelter and food and her promise to her mother, which was to keep the home together as long as she could.
Her reasons for leaving are: the certainty that people would treat her with respect, Frank would save her from her father's violence, she would be happy.

3. What does the text say or imply about Eveline's life?
The text makes understand that Eveline's life was difficult for her father' violence, and for her mother's death. The only way to be happy it was to leave with Frank, but her promise made to her mother was the only thing which makes her change her mind.

4. What kind of people are Frank, Eveline and Eveline's father?
Frank was very kind, manly and open-hearted, he would saved Eveline from desperation, sadness and violence. Eveline was a confused person, shy and she afraid of how her life would be changed. Eveline's father was a possessive father and sometimes this sense of possessive about his daughter, it turned into violence because he feels the burden of caring for the family, after the death of his wife.

Interpretation

1. Focus on the sequencing of the paragraphs. Can you trace the time shift in the structure of the story?
There is a continuous shift of time, Joyce introduces the story with the present scene, and then he continue making the protagonist think about the past.

2. Focus on the last paragraph. What is the meaning of the phrase "a maze of distress". Can other words be linked to this image?
The meaning of the phrase "a maze of distress" is the confusion of Eveline about the choice to leave or to stay. Joyce repeats the word "distress" in relation with a sense of nausea.

3. Focus on the sentence :"Could she still draw back after all he had done for her?" what mode of thought presentation has been used here?
Here it is used a severe mode of thought, almost sarcastic, because Frank is an image of safety for Eveline, but at the same time she seems to refuse Frank, she is afraid to lose past's things in relation to the eventual choice for her future.

4. What kind of narrator does Joyce use?
Joyce uses a 3rd person narrator, it is omniscient and it makes understand Eveline's moods.