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Eveline was a poor and desperate 19-yearold woman who worked in a shop in Dublin and took care of her father. She always sits at the window, watching the avenue, thinking of all the good times and bad times with her family, especially her father and mother, and her neighbors. Everyone is all grown up now and sadly, her mother has passed. Eveline is filled with many mixed emotions because she wants to move on and leave Ireland forever with her fiancé Frank; however, because of a promise made to her mother before she died, Eveline feels obligated to stay and take care of the house, her siblings, and her old father for the rest of his days. Her father can be a cruel man and although he does not beat her like he did her brothers; he does often threaten her with violence and with her brothers gone, there is no one to protect her. Frank is a sailor with a home in Buenos Ayres, who loves and treats her with great respect and tenderness and entertains her with stories from his travels. Unfortunately her father does not approve of him as he once did. Eveline loves her father and regrets the idea of leaving him, but she does not want to become like her mother, who sacrificed so much for her family, either. She finally makes her decision to leave but when she gets to the boat, she freezes, becoming paralyzed. Being afraid to face the world and a new life with Frank, Eveline gives up her chance of freedom and a chance of happiness. .
As a tragic heroine, Miss Brill and Eveline share something in common, being unable to face the world or reality. Both hold partial responsibility to their own tragedies. Miss Brill may come off as being a sweet little old lonely lady, but she actually is too self-centered. When talking about others, she views them as odd, silent and coming from dark little rooms or even cupboards. Instead of facing the reality that she just may be the one who is odd – living in a cupboard like room, in her eyes life is like a play; in this play, she matters and she will never be lonely again.
