Evelina Sparknotes

Dubliners

Dubliners is a renowned work of literature by Irish author James Joyce. Published in 1914, the collection consists of 15 short stories that explore the lives of characters living in and around Dublin, Ireland at the turn of the 20th century. One of the major themes of Dubliners is the idea of paralysis, both literal and figurative. In many of the stories, the characters are trapped in their circumstances, unable to break free from the limitations of their environment, social status, or personal relationships. This theme is evident in the first and last stories of the collection, "The Sisters" and "The Dead", where the main characters are physically or emotionally stuck in their current situations and unable to move forward. Joyce's writing style in Dubliners is highly symbolic and evocative, often using ordinary events and objects to convey complex themes and ideas. This can be seen in stories such as "Araby" and "Eveline", where seemingly simple events take on deeper meaning and reflect the characters' internal struggles. The collection of stories also explores the theme of identity and the search for self-discovery. Many of the characters in Dubliners struggle with their own sense of identity, whether it's through the desire for escape in "An Encounter" or the struggle to maintain a sense of self in the face of societal expectations in "A Painful Case". This theme is particularly evident in the story "A Little Cloud", where the main character, Little Chandler, grapples with his own unfulfilled literary ambitions and the realization that he may never achieve his dreams. Furthermore, Dubliners is a social commentary on the state of Dublin at the turn of the century. Joyce portrays the city as a bleak and suffocating environment, filled with poverty, corruption, and moral decay. The characters in the collection often struggle with the societal pressures and expectations placed upon them, and the stories provide a critique of the stagnant and oppressive society of Dublin. The Dubliners is a masterful collection of stories that showcases Joyce's skillful use of symbolism, vivid imagery, and realistic characterizations. It delves into the complexities of human nature and the struggles of everyday life, while also providing a powerful commentary on the society of Dublin in the early 20th century. Dubliners remains a celebrated work of literature that continues to resonate with readers and offers a timeless exploration of the human experience.

Compleat Cast of Characters in Literature

The Plague of Doves

Louise Erdrich's mesmerizing new novel, her first in almost three years, centers on a compelling mystery. The unsolved murder of a farm family haunts the small, white, off-reservation town of Pluto, North Dakota. The vengeance exacted for this crime and the subsequent distortions of truth transform the lives of Ojibwe living on the nearby reservation and shape the passions of both communities for the next generation. The descendants of Ojibwe and white intermarry, their lives intertwine; only the youngest generation, of mixed blood, remains unaware of the role the past continues to play in their lives. Evelina Harp is a witty, ambitious young girl, part Ojibwe, part white, who is prone to falling hopelessly in love. Mooshum, Evelina's grandfather, is a seductive storyteller, a repository of family and tribal history with an all-too-intimate knowledge of the violent past. Nobody understands the weight of historical injustice better than Judge Antone Bazil Coutts, a thoughtful mixed blood who witnesses the lives of those who appear before him, and whose own love life reflects the entire history of the territory. In distinct and winning voices, Erdrich's narrators unravel the stories of different generations and families in this corner of North Dakota. Bound by love, torn by history, the two communities' collective stories finally come together in a wrenching truth revealed in the novel's final pages. The Plague of Doves is one of the major achievements of Louise Erdrich's considerable oeuvre, a quintessentially American story and the most complex and original of her books.