Introduction
Understanding what drives a character is essential to any work of literature since it sheds light on their actions. The motivations behind a character’s actions and choices reveal essential information about that individual. Strong forces drive people to work for their goals of survival, safety, hope, and fulfillment of desires.
Description of Characters
James Joyce’s “Eveline” and Louise Erdrich’s “The Red Convertible” present protagonists who want to leave their present situations behind them. Eveline and Henry, the main characters, face challenges on their way to achieving their ambitions. Despite the divergent settings and circumstances in the short stories, Eveline and Henry are motivated by the pursuit of personal autonomy, which inspires their respective choices. The convergence of character motivations, driven by internal conflicts, external influences, and consequential decisions, underscores the prevalent human desire for liberty and the sacrifices individuals are willing to undertake.
Eveline in James Joyce’s Short Story
James Joyce’s “Eveline” follows a young lady named Eveline, who grew up in a dysfunctional Dublin family with her siblings and abusive father. Throughout the story, Eveline contemplates leaving her family and hometown for a better life abroad. Eveline is stuck in her role as the primary caregiver for the household and her younger siblings (Girsang et al. 9673).
Eveline’s desire to flee Dublin with her lover, Frank, drives her activities. Eveline has been involved with Frank for some time; he had promised to start a new life with her in Buenos Aires (Joyce 12). Eveline has conflicting feelings about going with Frank or staying home to care for her family. Her mother’s death and her vow to provide for her siblings haunt her. Frank leaves without Eveline when she makes up her mind to stay behind.
Eveline’s decision to stay with her family instead of traveling with Frank is motivated by love and fear of the unknown. Eveline wants to get away from her problems, but she cannot abandon her loved ones. She fears letting down her family since she has always been taught to be loyal and responsible (Girsang et al. 9674). Therefore, her desire to remain loyal to her family complicates her pursuit of autonomy.
The audience can witness how much Eveline values her family as she mourns her mother and reflects on her dedication to caring for her siblings and father. In the narrative, Eveline’s uncertainty about her future in Buenos Aires is a metaphor for the fear of the unknown (Joyce 14). Throughout the story, she wavers between staying and leaving but ultimately decides to remain.
She fears the unknown of moving in with her partner, so she remains at home and struggles to make ends meet. Eveline had become suspicious of Frank and did not know his plans to take her away from home (Joyce 4). Eveline is motivated by the urge to leave her current situation, but she is held back by her ties to her family and her dread of the unknown.
Henry from Louise Erdrich’s Short Story
Similarly, Henry, the protagonist of “The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich, longs for freedom from his everyday existence. Henry and his brother Lyman are Native Americans, and they reside on a reserve. Henry serves his country in Vietnam and returns as a different man. He withdraws from his loved ones and can no longer maintain his former carefree demeanor (Erdrich 5). Henry’s actions stem from his desire to put the war behind him and find solace. Henry hopes to move on from the war and the things he experienced in Vietnam.
Henry wants to escape his troubled life; thus, he travels down the Mississippi River with his brother. Henry has a strong desire to flee the war and the memories it has left him with. Instead of thinking about Vietnam, he remembered his pleasant days with his brother before he departed. Henry feels that accompanying his brother on vacation will help reconcile their fractured connection and reestablish their pre-war intimacy.
Henry’s trip down the Mississippi symbolizes his search for inner peace (Erdrich 8). Henry’s journey with his brother allows them to realize their shared ambition before the war, and it is an epic experience for them. Henry spends most of the narrative attempting to establish relationships with his brother, Lyman, and bring a smile to his face. Another thing that motivates him is his happy and loving companion with his brother before the war.
Comparison of Characters
Eveline and Henry are driven to leave their present environments for different reasons, but they have a common goal. His need for peace drives Henry, while Eveline is compelled by her devotion to her loved ones and her fear of the future. Both are desperate to escape their current situations and will take whatever risks to overcome their challenges.
Each protagonist wants to escape their current situation, yet all work toward the same end. The point is for them to keep themselves and others they care about safe. Overall, both main characters are trapped and desperately want to free themselves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, character motivation is a cornerstone in writing since it illustrates the reasoning behind a character’s actions to the audience. In “Eveline” and “The Red Convertible,” the protagonists’ ultimate goal is to flee their difficult situations. Even if Eveline and Henry’s reasons for pushing to leave differ, they both want to go.
Henry is motivated by his desire for peace, whereas Eveline is influenced by her loyalty to her family and her anxiety about what lies ahead. Their shared aspirations strengthen their commitment to one another. Both protagonists desire to see the world become a better, more peaceful place despite their very different backgrounds and experiences.
Works Cited
Erdrich, Louise. The Red Convertible. HarperLuxe, 2009.
Girsang, Martina, et al. “Feminism in the Short Story “Eveline” by James Joyce.” Journal on Education vol. 5, no. 3, 2023, pp. 9672-9677.
Joyce, James. Eveline. Modernista, 2018.