Eveline By James Joyce

on a young Irish woman of nineteen years of age, who plans to leave her abusive father and poverty-stricken existence in Ireland, and seek out a new, better life.

in Dubliners
Eveline sees marrying Frank as a way to gain respect, so she is aware that she is somewhat helpless without a husband.
Eveline has seen her mother sacrifice her well-being, and eventually sanity, and it is only natural that she does not question that she should do the same.
Eveline is motivated by what marrying Frank could give her – respect, more freedom, an escape – but at the final moment she comes to the realization that she does not really love Frank, and regardless of what changes would result from marriage, she will always be trapped in her role as a caretaker and rendered powerless by society.

the drab, brown Dublin life.
Eveline has an actual plan to escape to Argentina.
Perhaps the idea of an escape was satisfying in itself, but the actual act of escaping is too scary.

allow the reader to see Eveline’s thought progression clearly as she contemplates running away to Argentina.
Nostalgia plays a large role in Eveline’s decision to stay as well. She is attached to the past, and even though the people from her past are long gone, she cannot bring herself to leave the city that she associates with them.
Joyce is perhaps using “Eveline” as an opportunity to critique this type of glorification of the past, since here it prevents Eveline from escaping an abusive relationship and pursuing her own happiness. Her nostalgia causes her to sacrifice her future, and despite her logical thought process, her final decision is ultimately caused by a gut feeling.