Eveline

"It was hard work - a hard life - but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life." (pg. 220)

Throughout this short story, Eveline, the main character, is trying to decide whether she should stay in the situation she's in right now or move on to a new life with a man.  I don't think she ever fully knew which she wanted, but she ended up choosing the life she has now.  Eveline wanted to leave because she wanted to be treated with respect and did not want to play the traditional role of housekeeper.  She also wanted her own money that she did not have to borrow from her father, and she wanted a break from the hard work and life mentioned in the above quote.  On the flip side, she also enjoys this hard life because it's the only life she has ever known.  Her father strongly disapproves of the relationship that Eveline is in because he seems to think that Frank is just like all the other sailors.  Frank is described as being "kind, manly, and open-hearted," "fond of music" and sings, and is a sailor.  I believe that Eveline had not really made up her mind on what choice she wanted to make as the boat was leaving.  She had a feeling and decided to go with it, leaving the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with traveling on his own.