Although Eveline longs to escape Dublin, the sight of the boat that is to take her away to a new life in Buenos Ayres fills her with fear and causes her to suddenly panic. But instead of describing this simply, Joyce uses metaphor:
“A bell clanged upon her heart. She felt [Frank] seize her hand[.]”
A bell, of course, does not literally clang Eveline’s heart at this moment. The description is an instance of figurative language to give insight into how she feels. “Clanged” in the phrase “a bell clanged” is meant to imitate the sound of the bell itself, as if the reader is hearing it. The clanging bell is meant to represent a shock of emotion, a turning point in Eveline’s dilemma about whether to stay in Dublin or leave with her love interest, Frank. The vividness of this description gives the reader insight into the intensity of Eveline’s rising fear, apprehension, and guilt about leaving. And indeed, just after this, Eveline’s fear paralyzes her and prevents her from leaving Dublin.
After Eveline meets Frank at the station, she sees the boat that will take them to their new life in Buenos Ayres and suddenly grows fearful. Frank then calls out to Eveline, urging her to follow him onto the boat. At this:
“All the seas of the world tumbled about [Eveline’s] heart. [Frank] was drawing her into them: he would drown her. She gripped with both hands at the iron railing.”
Joyce uses an implied metaphor to capture the distress Eveline feels due to her fear of the unknown. He subtly compares Eveline’s heart to a boat that is being tossed around in rough water. Whereas the idea of staying in Dublin has filled Eveline with dread throughout the story, now she thinks of her uncertain future with Frank as “all the seas of the world” that will “drown her.” In describing Eveline’s reaction in this way, Joyce shows the reader that she feels unstable and is overtaken by her emotions. Moreover, when considered alongside Eveline’s mixed feelings about staying in Dublin, this metaphor pessimistically suggests that Eveline will perhaps “drown” whether she stays or goes—she is destined for an unfulfilling, deadening life either way.
