Eva Smith

Question 1

What is she used as a symbol of, and why?

Answer 1

The powerlessness working classes to teach the Birling about social responsibility

Question 2

What type of character has Priestley made Eva in the play?

Answer 2

A silent, offstage character

Question 3

Who does Eva represent as she doesn’t show up on stage?

Answer 3

The silent, invisible, and powerless members of society

Question 4

What is Eva first described as by Mr Birling?

Answer 4

A ‘good worker’ whom he wants to ‘promote’

Question 5

Why is Eva sacked?

Answer 5

Because she challenges the status quo by protesting against lower wages

Question 6

What does Priestley use Eva to highlight?

Answer 6

The powerlessness of working class women during the early 1900s due to the exclusion of women from trade union membership, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation

Question 7

What is Eva also used to highlight?

Answer 7

The hypocrisy of capitalism

Question 8

What quotes used be Eric expresses the hypocrisy of capitalism?

Answer 8

“Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices”

Question 9

What is she a symbol of?

Answer 9

The corruption and exploitation of capitalism

Question 10

What does Sheila do to Eva?

Answer 10

She uses her social power to have Eva sacked from Millwards for selfish reasons

Question 11

What’s Sheila’s first impression of Eva?

Answer 11

She’s ‘pretty’ and therefore can take ‘care of herself’

Question 12

What does being ‘pretty’ mean to Sheila?

Answer 12

Being able to marry well

Question 13

What does being ‘pretty’ mean to Eva?

Answer 13

It brings unwanted attention and makes her more vulnerable to exploitation

Question 14

What is similar between Eva and Sheila?

Answer 14

Both women are victims of a patriarchal society and are yet to experience the benefits of the Suffragette Movement’s campaigning

Question 15

What does Eva do following her dismissal from Millwards?

Answer 15

Changes her name to ‘Daisy Renton’

Question 16

What does ‘Daisy’ have connotations with?

Answer 16

Innocence and fragility

Question 17

What is her original name ‘Eva’ reminiscent of?

Answer 17

Eva-a women synonymous with loss of innocence

Question 18

What does the surname ‘Renton’ imply?

Answer 18

She’s now become a women to ‘rent’, highlighting the few choices open to working class woman during the era

Question 19

What does Gerald treat Eva as?

Answer 19

A sexual object

Question 20

What quote shows Gerald exploiting her vulnerability?

Answer 20

“She was young and pretty and warm-hearted- and intensely graceful. I became at once the most important person in her life”

Question 21

What does Gerald present himself as to Eva?

Answer 21

Her knight in shinning armour given that the capitalist exploitation practiced by his family was responsible for her situation in the first place

Question 22

What quote describes Eric’s treatment of Eva?

Answer 22

“Well, I was in a state when a chap easily turns nasty- and I had threatened to make a row”

Question 23

What does Eric expose in the quotes of his treatment of Eva?

Answer 23

The exploitation of working class women at the hands of their male social superiors

Question 24

What does the use of the noun ‘row’ hint at?

Answer 24

A verbal argument, when it is clear Eric means he threatened physical violence

Question 25

What quote shows the inspectors criticism of Eric’s behaviour?

Answer 25

‘Just used her for the end of a stupid evening, as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person’