Eveline

James Joyce's short story Eveline surprised me so much.  Throughout the majority of the story, suspense is being built up as the reader waits along with Eveline to escape from her dismal life.  In this tale, symbolism is shown in the form of Frank.  "Escape!  She must escape!  Frank would save her.  He would give her life, perhaps love, too...He would save her" (Joyce, 221).  To Eveline, Frank symbolized a refuge, an escape route.  However, that was all he was to her.  She clearly did not love him.  She even said "perhaps" love would be given to her by Frank.  It was not Eveline's goal to run away with her true love and live happily ever after.  All she wanted to do was use Frank to escape to a new life.  She wanted him to give her a life without a drunken and abusive father, and countless unfair responsibilities.  I think that's why she so easily let Frank leave without her at the end of the story.  She decided that her miserable life she knew was better than the intimidating new life she was being led to.  Because she never thought of Frank as anything but a means to escape, she was able to see him off with "no sign of love or farewell or recognition" (Joyce, 222).