eva smith Flashcards
what does eva represent
a universal symbol of
oppression
why is eva called eva
a reference to eve: garden of eden. she was tempted by satan to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree.
while eve tempted men to corruption through offering adam the apple, eva is the opposite.
she is corrupted by the men in the play.
why is eva never on stage
dehumanises her which reflects capitalism
why does eva have last name smith
smith is a working class name and most common surname in britain. it symbolises the everyday suffering for common people.
it also shows she cannot escape the working class as it is apart of her identity.
significance of eva changing her name to daisy renton
renton (rent) is a euphemism for prostitution
she is forced to rent herself to survive and is shamed for it
the men who use her body are not shamed though.
significance of disinfectant
“a lot of very strong disinfectant”
connotations of cleansing and purification
the sexual abuse left her unclean and violated
shocking imagery of “burnt her inside out” which associates her death with hell as suicide is a grave sin, or also that her life was already a living hell.
