IndexJames Joyce "Eveline" - Analysis of Symbols, Motifs and ThemesConclusionWorks CitedThe story of Eveline is one of many stories in a collection of short stories, entitled Dubliners by James Joyce; they take place in the early 1900s. The story is Realistic Fiction and is set in 1914 in Ireland. The story is about a young girl who has a hard and unhappy life with household tasks and responsibilities that overwhelm her. Some analysis of foreshadowing, symbols, motifs, themes, and messages will be discussed below. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Foreshadowing in Eveline's story is mentioned at the beginning of the story when Eveline recalls some memories about one of her childhood friends called Keogh who was paralyzed. This friend foreshadows Eveline's paralysis as in a scene where Eveline stands alone in front of a window and thinks and watches her life go by. Furthermore, this foreshadows the end of her relationship with Frank as in another scene she finds herself alone and thinks back on her life and doubts her decision to abandon her family.James Joyce "Eveline" - Analysis of Symbols, Motifs and themesWhen it comes to symbols, the window is the first one. A window in Eveline represents the difference between the reality Eveline lives in and the new life she dreams of. Furthermore, it represents the contrast between prison and freedom, domestic duties, and future events he may encounter in his new life. The second symbol is Dust, which represents monotony, repetition and dullness. Eveline cleans her room and her family's house regularly and frequently, no matter how many times and how often she does it, the dust always continues to accumulate and returns as an analogy to her miserable and boring life. Water is the third symbol. In the story the sea is mentioned to represent the unknown and the anonymous. Eveline deep down in her heart doesn't want to leave her home life and family, and leaving the only life she knows to the unknown is a terrifying idea for her. Furthermore, the sea means freedom, which is yet another reason why Eveline is scared and uncomfortable with her decision to escape as freedom opens up and provides more unsecured options. Although she dreams of having a new life full of love, care and lack of restrictions, she doubts herself and her choice, as her father's rudeness and her mother's words paralyze her decisions. As for the reasons, the first is paralysis. “She turned her white, passive face towards him, like a defenseless animal.” On page 6 of the last scene, Eveline's inability to move shows the significant impact of death on her life and mind. The second reason is the Epiphany, which highlights on the one hand the repeated desire for hope and on the other the acceptance of one's life. The third reason is betrayal, due to the death of his mother, his favorite brother and one of his childhood friends. Furthermore, her father's cruelty and all her circumstances make Eveline feel abandoned, isolated and betrayed. The fourth reason is Religion. Some religious references and symbols that the author suggests in the story relate to religion as they sometimes imprison people by forcing them to think about life and death. Because it's just another procedural routine and repetitive lifestyle. We can see some of these references in some lines of the story, “she prayed to God to guide her, to show her what her duty was” “A bell rang in her heart”. The bell here resembles that of a church. As for the themes, the first is the Prison of Routine. In the story we can see how routine, responsibilities and chores.