Choices! Every human being has choices to make. In the story "Eveline" by author James Joyce (1882-1941) Eveline is given the opportunity to make a choice on how her life can be. She has the choice to leave with the man she loves or stay with her father. Eveline made the choice or staying with her father, which could or has been the biggest mistake of her life. As a result she will go through mental stress and problems with her father. If she had left she could have earned more respect than her mother ever did, and also she could have lived a better life with Frank.

             As a child Eveline grew up with two older brothers, Ernest and Harry. Both brothers would get punished when they were being bad, but her father never dared to raise his hand on her for being the fact she is a girl. After Eveline"s mother passed on she made a promise to her mother "to keep the home together as long as possible"(pp3). Eveline tried her hardest by not only doing her job at home but also by getting a job at the "stores". Eveline is now in fear of her father"s threats of violence "he had begun to threaten her and say what he would do to her only for her dead mother"s sake" (pp2). Eveline being 19 was threatened and did not deserve this, after all that she does for her home. This is where Eveline can make the choice of leaving and saving herself or going and not knowing what is going to happen.

             When Eveline was deepened with sorrow on what choice to make she would remember when she met Frank, and all the happiness he brought her. He once took her to the cinema to see "The Bohemian Girl". She remembers sitting in the "unaccustomed part of the theatre with him" because that area was only for women who had escorts. Eveline then remembers that her mother did not receive that much respect. Eveline believed that if she left with Frank and got married and had the title of being someone"s "wife" RESPECT would be a given to her.