Eva Smith Flashcards
‘Lively good-looking girl’ (Mr. Birling) ‘very pretty girl’ (Sheila) ‘pretty’ (Gerald) ‘young and fresh and charming’ (Gerald) ‘pretty’ (Eric)
Eva is often described by her looks, which shows just how beautiful she was
‘jealous of her’ (IG says about Sheila)
Act One: Sheila has everything yet she still wishes she looked like Eva, which shows how pretty Eva is
‘Girls of that class-‘ (Mrs.Birling)
Act Two: Eva is lower class as described by Mrs. Birling
‘I was sorry for her’ (Gerald)
Act Two: Eva was someone that an upper class man felt sorry for, which means she must have been quite enduring in the first place
‘She was young and pretty and warm hearted and intensely grateful’ (Gerald)
‘She was young and pretty and warm hearted and intensely grateful’ (Gerald)
‘She didn’t blame me at all’ (Gerald)
Act Two: Eva was lovely and didn’t make Gerald feel guilty
“Now – about this girl, Eva Smith. I remember her quite well now. She
was a lively good-looking girl – country-bred, I fancy – and she’d been
working in one of our shops for over a year. A good worker too.”
Emotive language used to describe Eva’s death – creates
sympathy for her.
“Just used her for the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an
animal, a thing, not a person.”
Eva is described in terms of objectification. She is often referred
to as ‘the girl’, which highlights her youth and innocence. The
Inspector also says that Eric treated her like ‘an animal, a thing.’
Mrs Birling refers to her as ‘that sort’ etc.
“She was young and pretty and warm-hearted- and intensely grateful. I
became at once the most important person in her life- you
understand?”
Eva is described in an idealized way – innocent victim, pretty a
good worker. In some ways, Priestley presents her as a martyr.
The lower she sinks in her fortunes, the more honourable and
noble she appears. She refuses to treat others as they have
treated her, even though she is in a position to create scandal
for them all.
“I wasn’t in love with her or anything- but I liked her- she was pretty
and a good sport-”
Eva is described in terms of objectification. She is often referred
to as ‘the girl’, which highlights her youth and innocence. The
Inspector also says that Eric treated her like ‘an animal, a thing.’
Mrs Birling refers to her as ‘that sort’ etc.
