"Araby" and "Eveline" and Romance
At first glance, “Araby” and “Eveline” appear similar, not only because they are written by the same author, but because they both include romance to propel the story forward. The lovers are introduced as if they would become the focus of each narrative. But they do not. Joyce provides very little information on both lovers, and for a reason. As an aura of uncertainty forms around them, the reader naturally comes to doubt their purpose.
The protagonists are blissfully oblivious to this, however, because their lovers are all their lives are to them at the moment. They are so infatuated with the idea that their lovers will somehow make a difference to their otherwise somber lives that who the lovers are really isn’t important to them. It’s the fact that they have found someone to love that matters. It’s not about the lovers, but rather, about themselves.
As both protagonists eventually come to that particular realization, how they recover from it is when the two stories largely differ. In “Araby,” the boy walks away from the bazaar having awakened from the previous innocence of his childhood. Eveline, on the other hand, is uncertain about her lover, just as how Joyce depicts him. Her long years of living for a single purpose of taking care of her family has left her worn and brainwashed. Even though her father is abusive and she knows it, she convinces herself that maybe he isn’t so bad. The thought of leaving Dublin scares her, because that’s all she knows. Rather than heading for uncertainty, she would remain in the comfort of her everyday surroundings. By staying behind, she chooses to stay blind.
Comparing these two stories, it is obvious that Joyce is someone who, by paying attention to every minute detail of his characters, is able to diversify his stories while keeping them under similar settings and themes.
The protagonists are blissfully oblivious to this, however, because their lovers are all their lives are to them at the moment. They are so infatuated with the idea that their lovers will somehow make a difference to their otherwise somber lives that who the lovers are really isn’t important to them. It’s the fact that they have found someone to love that matters. It’s not about the lovers, but rather, about themselves.
As both protagonists eventually come to that particular realization, how they recover from it is when the two stories largely differ. In “Araby,” the boy walks away from the bazaar having awakened from the previous innocence of his childhood. Eveline, on the other hand, is uncertain about her lover, just as how Joyce depicts him. Her long years of living for a single purpose of taking care of her family has left her worn and brainwashed. Even though her father is abusive and she knows it, she convinces herself that maybe he isn’t so bad. The thought of leaving Dublin scares her, because that’s all she knows. Rather than heading for uncertainty, she would remain in the comfort of her everyday surroundings. By staying behind, she chooses to stay blind.
Comparing these two stories, it is obvious that Joyce is someone who, by paying attention to every minute detail of his characters, is able to diversify his stories while keeping them under similar settings and themes.
Good post. It is conspicuous how Joyce treats the objects of love in both stories, but I think Eveline's focus doesn't require us to learn much more about Frank, and is she really that crazy about him? She seems to know it is futile, and she seems to want to prove this to herself by going through the motions of joining him only to freeze up at the last moment, which seems like it didn't come as a complete shock to her. I find the detail of younger siblings to complicate the story significantly, as it makes her decision to stay more acceptable. If her sole purpose was to look after the father I kind of think she'd have left much more easily? But to leave kids with him would be a much less moral choice. I hope you manage to read The Dead before you next class (though it won't be as easy as these two stoires by any means). I suggest listening the audio version on Youtube.
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