PODCAST

EVELINE, by James Joyce



I am going to read my favourite short story by James Joyce, Eveline. This is about a girl that is unable to change her life in order to feel complete and achieve happiness. She refuses to jump on a train to live with a man that she really loves just for the sake of keeping a promise to her family. This short story reflects about the state of paralysis that, according to James Joyce, many Dublin citizens lived at that time: the religious and family pressure put on individuals.

I really like this short story, I bought the book when I was studying in Cork, Ireland and it made me think about the advantages and disadvantages of living in the Irish society of those times. It explores freedom of human beings that are trapped in a society that denies it.


QUESTIONS:

1. Do you think Eveline's father was nice to her all the time? Justify your answer according to what she says.

2. What happened to her mother at the very end of her life? Was she a happy woman?

3. Who is Frank in the story?

4. What was Eveline's promise to her mother?

5. What happens at the end?

6. Explore Eveline's final decision. Will she be able to become happy?

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