Eveline is a short story by James Joyce. It belongs to the collection of short stories Dubliners in which Joyce says that Dublin (Ireland's capital city) is the centre of paralysis because Dubliners are generally people unable to act, to take decisions that only think and make resolutions to the problems. Thanks these information the reader can better understand the figure of the main character of the short story: Eveline. The story starts with the protagonist's situation, she is sat at the window watching out. The first part of the story explains the apparently quiet of Eveline who is watching out the window.

Afterward Eveline starts to remember her childhood during which she used to play with other children in a field that now does not exist. In these lines it appears the figure of the father: the reader can understand that the relationship between the man and his children isn't good.

Going along the text Eveline returns to the present and understands that lot of things had changed: her mother was dead, she and her brothers are gowned up. She also realizes that she is at home, she is immersed in the room with the things of her family.

But now she realizes she is going to leave her home and she is not sure about what she is going to do. She supposes the consequences to the people who are around her of leaving home. Eveline also things about her future, what it waits for her.

So a lot of thoughts stifle her, she makes hypothesis, solutions but she cannot act.

Continuing the reading of the short story, the reader understands that the main character has got a boyfriend who helps Eveline to react to her problems and situation; but she thinks again her mother and her death, she is overwhelmed of the figure of the father. Eveline fights against what blocks her effort of reaction. Finally Evelines is able to act but when she is on the point of changing she is unable to act and change life: she is tied to her family and her past and she is afraid of a change.