Eva Smith Flashcards
Who is Eva Smith?
a lower-class, young girl who is mistreated by the Birlings. She represents the neglected lower-classes
Key Quote: “There are millions and
millions of Eva Smiths
and John Smiths” - ACT 3
The name ‘Smith’ has its roots in the working class,
originating from ‘blacksmith’, and arguably Priestley
does this to demonstrate that her class is a
fundamental part of her identity and origins,
something that she can’t escape.
Priestley uses the common name ‘John Smith’ to
symbolise the universality of the suffering of the
working classes, largely forgotten and neglected by
the wealthy. Theme of Class.
Key Quote: “died in misery and
agony – hating life”
After Sheila’s confession, the Inspector reminds her
that Eva “died in misery and agony – hating life”.
The graphic adjectives “misery and agony”
encourage the audience to empathise with Eva,
visualising the pain and suffering she endured at
the hands of the Birlings. Priestley intensifies
Sheila’s guilt as her enjoyment of life is at the
expense of others. Theme of Class.
Key Quote: “Renton”
Arguably, the name “Renton” is derived from the
verb “to rent”, a euphemism for prostitution in the
early 20th Century. Priestley uses this change in
name to mark Eva being forced to change her
approach to surviving in a hostile society.
She can no longer survive by working hard and
therefore she must go against her own moral
principles to survive, engaging in prostitution. Theme of Exploitation.
Key Quote: “young and fresh and
charming and
altogether out of place
down there”. - ACT 2
The adjective “fresh” bears connotations of desire
and fertility, demonstrating that Gerald views her
with sexual intent from the start, describing her like
food, an example of misogynistic objectification.
Priestley also includes connotations of purity as she
is “out of place”, which is possibly a euphemism
for her still being a virgin. Theme of Exploitation.
Key Quote: “[unhappily] give
thousands - yes,
thousands —” - ACT 3
Eva is a working class woman and suffers because
of it, beginning with being fired after asking for a
living wage, which is a reasonable request. For the benefit of those who profit from capitalism, the
strikers are not protected and therefore are
exploited. However, Mr Birling’s stinginess is soon
resolved when there is a chance of criminal
prosecution. Theme of Capitalism Vs Socialism.
Key Quote: “[With dignity] we’ve
done a great deal of
useful work for
deserving cases” - ACT 2
Priestley’s use of the stage direction “with dignity”
suggests that Mrs Birling’s role is not held out of
care or compassion for the poor, but as a way to
gain influence and status. Mrs Birling claims that the
financial aid is reserved only for “deserving cases”,
a decision made at the discretion of the upper
classes, reflecting how the lives of the working
classes are controlled by the wealthy. Theme of Capitalism Vs Socialism.
Key Quote: “a girl of that sort would (not) ever refuse money” // “impertinence (in claiming to be Mrs Birling)” // “one of the things that prejudiced me against her” - ACT 2
Mrs Birling is prejudiced against Eva’s story due to
her class, rather than against Eva as an individual.
She even admits to this when pointing out Eva’s
“impertinence” (in claiming to be Mrs Birling) as
“one of the things that prejudiced me against
her”. The use of the noun “impertinence” is loaded
with connotations of class prejudice, implying that
Mrs Birling sees herself as superior to Eva.
Therefore, those living in poverty have no way to
escape it as they cannot challenge their exploitation.
Eva’s attempt to strike saw her fired and even the
institutes meant to help those in her position are
prejudiced against her. Theme of Hypocrisy.
Key Quote: “a girl of that sort
would (not) ever refuse
money” - ACT 2
Mrs Birling claims that “a girl of that sort would
(not) ever refuse money”, as she assumes that due
to her lower-class origin, she is inherently greedy.
Despite this, Eva is presented as a moral force,
who never takes stolen money and won’t marry Eric
just for his wealth. This is in contrast to Eric, who
steals money, and the Birlings, who arrange Sheila’s
marriage for financial gain; in the name of “lower
costs and higher prices”. Theme of Hypocrisy.
Key Quote: "very pretty" and having "big dark eyes" // "leave after a strike" and "said something about the shop too"
Gerald tries to alleviate his and the other characters’
responsibility by claiming that Eva was many
different girls, rather than the same one. This is
despite him providing the evidence they were all the
same when he linguistically echoes Sheila,
describing Eva “very pretty” and having “big dark eyes”. Furthermore, he recalls her telling him she
had a job that she had to “leave after a strike” and
“said something about the shop too”. This makes
it profoundly clear that the characters are denying
the Inspector’s accusations for their own benefit
– so they can continue to live their materialistic lives
without taking responsibility or trying to change. Theme of Hypocrisy.
Topic sentences
● Priestley explores the detrimental effect of the class system through portraying distinct parallels between Eva and Sheila. ● Priestley portrays Eva Smith as a victim of the prejudices and individualistic attitude of the capitalist society of early 20th Century Britain. ● Through the character of Eva, Priestley depicts the collective suffering of the lower classes at the hands of the upper classes, therefore arguing the need for socialist reform.
Structure
In AIC, Preistley documents the struggles if the lower class through the suffering of Eva Smith, using as an anecdote, and a Christ like figure to encourage change for a more egalitarian society
Through the introduction of Eva as a ‘young woman’ who had swallowed disinfectant that ‘burnt her inside out’, Priestly captures the horrific suffering of the lower classes.
- ‘young’ emotive, shows how even the vulnerable suffer, effective to the audience that would have still seen women as vulnerable
- the graphic image ‘burnt her inside out’ emotive, harsh dysphemism, contrasting the euphemism us3d by the Birling’s to trivialise their actions- make them feel more guilty, while conveying the harsh reality of the lower class’ suffering
She is presented as a character very similar to Sheila-
-unmarried and in her ‘early twenties’- albeit from a lower class. described as having died in ‘died in misery and agony – hating life’, demonstrating her suffering through the graphic adjectives ‘misery and ‘agony’ the verb ‘hating’ juxtaposing Sheila being ‘pleased with life’.
Highlights the detrimental effect of the class system on people’s lives by portraying distinct parallels between Eva and Sheila
Presented as the voice of the lower class that has always been suppressed by the upper classes
-Birling sees her protests as ‘far too much’, later using the somewhat ironic and absurd hyperbolic argument that ‘if you don’t come down sharply on some of these people they’d soon be asking for the earth’- her protests are seen as greedy, she is seen as a problem and removed as Birling has that power.
By doing this priestly criticises how the classist system condemns the lower classes-they are powerless.
Through the revelation of her being forced into prostitution, Priestly exposes how the lower classes are forced into desperate situation
-‘So first she changed her name to Daisy Renton’-her reputation has been tarnished by her firing so she is forced to change her name.Arguably the name ‘Renton’ is derived from the euphemism for prostitution ‘to rent’.By doing this Priestley to highlight how she is forced into prostitution against her own morals in order to survive in such a hostile society
Through the diary, the inspector recounts the sins of the Birling’s that leads to her death.
- Birling’s deadly sin of greed, led to her firing
- Sheila’s deadly sin of envy led to her firing at Milwards
- Mrs B’s deadly sin of pride the prejudiced her from giving Eva charity
- Eric and perhaps Gerald’s sexual exploitation of her- sin of Lust
By doing this Priestley presents Eva as a sacrificial Christ like figure who died for their sins – moving his majority Christian audience
Priestley presents Eva’s suffering as a microcosm for the suffering of the lower classes
-‘millions and millions of Eva Smith’s and John smiths’- Priestley uses the common name ‘Eva Smith’ to
symbolise the universality of the suffering of the working classes, largely forgotten and neglected by
the wealthy.
