Eveline's Structural Analysis

Eveline is one of fifteen short stories of Dubliners, James Joyce's first pubblished book of fiction.

Eveline is arranged into 10 paragraphs:

- 1st paragraph: it has an introductory functionà James Joyce presents the protagonist: Eveline, like all characters of Dubliners, is paralyzed, inactive, she is stucked inside her house. Use of the past: simple pastà--> Eveline's present; past continuos-->What Eveline is doing at that moment

[man's footsteps clacking along the concrete pavement and then crunching on the cinder path evokes in Eveline's mind her childhood]

- 2nd paragraph: it clarifies character's past life. One time thre was a fild where Eveline and all avenue's children used to play. However a man from Belfast bought it and buitl some new bright brick houses. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past; used to construction--> Eveline's habits of her childhood; to be goins to construction--> Eveline's intentions for the future

[Everything changes: har mother is dead, some of avenue's children is dead and some else has gone away. Maybe also Eveline is going to leave her home].

- 3rd paragraph: it highlights some aspects of Eveline's life in Dublin. For a long time she has dusted all har familiar objects onse a week. If she took distances from her house she would miss everything of the known place. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past; used to construction--> father's habits of his past; would construction--> Eveline ‘s ipothesis on the future

[she would miss even the yellowing photograph of the priest, her father's school friend who decide to go to Melbourne. As the preist decided to leave her home, also Eveline has consented to go away]

- 4th paragraph: it evidences Eveline isn't aware of what she has to do. For this reason she reflects on her present life in Dublin: in her home anyway she has shelter and food. Of course she has to work hard and especially she has to stand pressures of Miss Gavan, her boss. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past; would construction--> Eveline ‘s ipothesis

[Miss Gavan attitudes with Eveline remember to her the father's violence to the protagonist and her brothers]

- 5th paragraph: it explains the way her father treats her brothers and Eveline. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past; would construction--> Eveline ‘s ipothesis/future in Eveline's past

[The menacing and threating familiar situation brings Evelina to make a comparison between the present life in Dublin with the future life with Frank in a unknow place]

- 6th paragraph: it ipotheses the future life with Frank and therefore it presents the first time she has seen her lovers. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past; used to construction--> Frank's habits of his past.

[Even if her father has quarrelled with Frank she remembers that sometimes her father has been very nice]

- 7th paragraph: in this section Eveline reviews the moment in which Eveline has been happy together with her father. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past; would construction--> Eveline ‘s ipothesis

- 8th paragraph: the sound of a street organ playing evokes in Eveline's mind the last night of her mother's illness and the promise that she has done: to keep the home together as long as she could. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; past perfect--> Eveline's memories about the past

[Eveline muses her mother's life and she doesn't want to became crazy like her]

- 9th paragraph: she doesn't want to suffer as her mother but she wants to escape from everything and everybody. She wants to be happy. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's present; would construction--> Eveline ‘s ipothesis on her future with Frank

- 10th paragraph: it confirms that Eveline is paralyzed, inactive: she is in the station at the North wall and she is to take the ship to go to Buenos Ayres for living a new life with Frank, but eventually she decides to stay in her habits instead of face something different. Use of the past: simple past--> Eveline's sensations when she is to take the ship.