Perspectives

Literary perspective

The short story “Eveline” by James Joyce is modernist work of fiction. Eveline’s inner monologue, presented through the stream of consciousness technique, is a modernist feature. Through stream of consciousness, the narrator’s voice is muted and the focus is on the thoughts of the character.

 Modernist stories also tend to present the inner struggles of characters. This is also the case in “Eveline”, where the main character struggles to choose between duty and following the man she loves. 

Modernist stories have a tendency to detach from traditional structures. With “Eveline”, Joyce creates a story which is almost static. Eveline does not act and, throughout most of the story, she spends her time looking out the window. The author also presents the characters’ personalities through flashbacks and foreshadowing...