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Dubliners - Coggle Diagram
Dubliners
Eveline
setting in time
Most of the story unfolds in Eveline’s mind with thoughts that shift between past, present, and future. Her present is associated with stillness and dust, her past with her mother's death, and her future with love, action, the sea, and escape.
themes
Love
: Eveline’s realization of the futility of her dreams and love comes as she recalls a promise to her mother. Her relationship with Frank lacks depth as she ultimately gives no sign of affection or farewell. Eveline’s decision to stay is a betrayal of both Frank and herself.
Absence of the Catholic Church
: The only priest mentioned is depicted in a distant, yellowed photograph, symbolizing the church’s inability to help.
Escape
: The theme of escape is intensified compared to previous stories, offering a potential improvement in life conditions. Despite her brother’s escape to Australia, Eveline chooses to stay, constrained by her sense of duty and fear of social disqualification. Her lover Frank represents a potential for a new life, suggested by his positive name and their planned destination, Buenos Ayres.
Simony
: Eveline’s father’s act of paying an organ-player to leave during a death scene represents a corruption of spiritual values.
Paralysis
: Eveline is characterized by static imagery, from her surname "Hill" to her motionless behavior throughout the story. Her environment symbolizes her paralysis, with grey dust and a lack of vitality contrasting with external symbols of change like the new red houses and the sailor. Eveline ultimately regresses to a state of helplessness, succumbing to her fears and her oppressive, familiar world.
Personal Background
: Eveline’s character is based on Joyce’s sister Margaret Alice ("Poppie"), who struggled to keep the family together after their mother's death. Unlike Eveline, Margaret eventually escaped to New Zealand, where she joined a convent.
narrative technique
The story is narrated in the third person, primarily from Eveline’s perspective, differing from the first-person narrative used in earlier stories. The narrative structure is naturalistic, presenting a slice of life where events are recollected by the protagonist.
"Eveline" features a female protagonist and marks a shift from the male protagonists of previous stories in Dubliners.The central dilemma is whether Eveline should leave for Argentina with her beloved sailor or stay in Dublin to care for her father and younger brothers.
introduction
The introduction to "Dubliners" by James Joyce provides a historical and literary context for the collection of short stories published in 1914. Joyce's work reflects the socio-political climate of early 20th century Ireland, characterized by tensions between the British rule and Irish aspirations for independence.
stories
The stories in "Dubliners" explore themes of betrayal and spiritual paralysis, highlighting how the citizens of Dublin, through their political collaboration with the British and their blind obedience to the Catholic Church, betray their country and themselves. Joyce uses Dublin as a microcosm to depict universal human experiences, focusing on moments of epiphany where characters realize the grim realities of their lives, even if they don't act on these realizations.
style
The style of "Dubliners" is noted for its realistic portrayal of Dublin and its inhabitants, combined with symbolic depth that reveals deeper truths. Joyce rejects traditional narrative techniques, instead using free indirect speech to present characters' thoughts directly to the reader, thus emphasizing the paralysis that affects them both individually and collectively.