The
character who represents 'sis her father, Mr. Hill. Eveline feels trapped, mistreated, and
unloved. It is her drunken and abusive father that makes her feel this way. He is overbearing
and doesn't listen to her wants or needs. Rather than discussing with Eveline the relationship
she has with Frank and trying to reason with her about it, he forbids her to see him. Part of
why Eveline feels so trapped is that she has so many responsibilities. Her father has
squandered money. He mistreated her mother to the point of driving her insane, and the
suggestion is that this was the cause of her death. It is on Eveline's shoulders "to keep
the family together." But she doesn't want to remain so long in her father's world to end
up the same way as her mother.
The more abstract antagonist of this story is
society, however. Eveline is trapped by the traditions of the time period, which require women
to be subservient to men and enforce "rules" of proper behavior. These rules hinder
Eveline's decision to leave with Frank, because it could be scandalous. In a less retrictive
environment, her decision would have been easier to make.
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