What was the role of women during the 1900’s. Women were considered weaker than men and known for not being able to perform heavy labor duties and intellectual development. In the short story “Eveline” (1904) by James Joyce describes a young woman who aspires to escape from the despotism of her father, a drunk alcoholic and the duties as a substitute in motherhood. Eveline is living in the past, but is offered the opportunity to escape. Suddenly she realizes she lacks the courage, power, and character strength to overcome. Meanwhile, in the short story “Everyday Use” (1973) by Alice Walker describes a scenario from the point of view of Mama where her daughter Dee comes back into their lives to visit. Mama realizes Dee is a changed women from the life decisions she has made such as being a self-absorbed, superficial woman. Dee takes pride in her appearance and also changes her name to Wangero to abide by the trend of obtaining an African name during the time period. Although Eveline and Dee are seen as two different individuals, comparably both characters share the same inherit struggle for identity beyond their home environment.
The family structure and parental influence is a key component in the decision making of the character Eveline. Eveline is born into a dysfunctional family, and is unable to leave to her unhealthy home environment for a new life with Frank. The member of Eveline’s family who affects her choices; and becomes inferior of is her father. Eveline’s father consistently implies her to do certain actions and does not allow her to make her own decisions. For example, Eveline’s father is a heavy drinker which makes her ‘sometimes feel herself in danger’ (Joyce 4). This suggest the fear Eveline’s father gives the audience shows that she is expressed in part of fear. Eveline feels trapped in her mother’s role because of the expectations her father has set, in order for her to take care of him. Her father’s temper and ill-will prevents Eveline from doing what she wants. She tries to resist the control her father has on her by continuing to see Frank even though ‘her father finds out about the affair and forbids her to have anything to say to him’ (Joyce 5).
On the other hand, Eveline feels the copious amount of pity and fearfulness of her father to stand up to him when making a decision about her life.
Much like Eveline, Dee also faces challenges of parental influence in order to find her identity. From the beginning, Mama (Dee’s Mother) is described as a modest and respectable woman. “In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands” (Walker). This description suggest Mama is a hard working woman capable of heavy and intense labor. From a young age, Dee wanted to leave her roots of a rural eastern community and experience new adventures. Dee arrives home and immediately announces she has changed her name to Wangero which comes from African descent. Dee has feelings of being oppressed by her own family has caused her to be ashamed of the poverty her and her family have lived through. Mama was great influence of what Dee turned out to be because of the tension between the two women. Ultimately, causing Dee to struggle but eventually finding a particular identity.
The home environment plays a key role in the identity of Eveline. The setting first starts out in Dublin, Ireland. Eveline struggles mentally and does not allow herself to leave the setting she is currently in, which includes an alcoholic father. Eveline is raised in an environment that follows directions of tradition and obedience. Eveline is able to escape the setting but she is conservative. She feels as if her position has allowed her to feel as if she should submit to tradition and relive her mother’s life. Eveline even says, ‘It was hard work-a hard life-but now that she was about to leave she did not find it a wholly undesirable life”(Joyce 4). Eveline is trapped because of the originality of her home environment.
In the same manner, Dee is analogous to Eveline because she allowed for her home environment to influence her identity. Dee is originally from a rural town located in the south. Dee points out that her house has ‘no real windows, just some holes cut in the sides, like the portholes in a ship, but not round and not square, with rawhide holding the shutters up on the outside’ (Walker). This town is known to be extremely poor causing Dee to question her existence in the area. Dee wanted to find more to life than just poverty, hence the fact she moved to college. Once Dee arrived home, her identity changed. Ultimately, revealing the change in environment deeply affect the character Dee.
Opponents argue Eveline and Dee are passive and gentle characters. However, evidence shows the two are extremely strong ill-willed characters. For example, “She always gave her entire wages-seven shillings- and Harry always sent up what he could but the trouble was to get any money from her father'(Joyce 4). This suggest Eveline contained a copious amount of animosity directed at her father because she was consistently giving away her wages to help support her fathers alcoholic problems. Meanwhile, Dee shows ill-will by stating “ Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts” (Walker). Dee was greatly upset with the idea Mama was giving away the quilts to Maggie because she assumed she would use them for everyday use.
Does the idea of parental and home environment influence the identity of a character? Eveline and Dee are both great examples of identity changes in which they both were affected by the changes in negative and positive ways. Eveline decided to live the more inferior identity because of the situation in which she had a more dominant male figure controlling her life. Meanwhile, Dee chose the more superior identity mainly due to the fact that she lived in a poor
