Eva Smith Flashcards
Priestly uses Eva to show that the working class as we’re honest and hard-working
He deliberately contradicts Edwardian stereotypes that the lower classes were lazy and immoral
Her names: “Eva Smith and Daisy Renton”
Natural and biblical imagery . Reference to Adam and Eve Daisy has connotations of innocence and delicacy and fragile daisies are common and widespread. She carries Christian ideals which is a socialist idea. Believe that all humankind we are all connected to symbolically. We are all connected to Eva. Hey two names emphasises her lack of place in society.
Mr Birling: “ good worker”
Define stereotype that poor class were hard-working. She was a reliable employee. Yet he took it for granted. She did not try to trick or fool him out of money but simply worked for wages.
Inspector : “ she wouldn’t take any more”
Declarative, even in her desperate moments in at three, Eva is a moral person who refuses stole the money. She has principles that she sticks to even when her life is difficult.
Priestly uses Eva to demonstrate how working-class people were exploited and silenced
Structure point: Eva is the only major character not to appear on stage.
The fact that we never see Eva is a deliberate choice to symbolise the powerlessness and lack of voice in society.Disenfranchisement.
Mr Birling : we have several hundred young woman you know”
Cold and statistical language. He only uses a please as faceless mass or a number rather individuals. He does not care for their welfare or who they are as people he just uses them for cheap labour.
“ she had a lot to say… far too much”
Mr Birling exaggeration suggests in toleration to hear voice he refuses to listen to a reasonable demands, cannot stand the idea of a working-class women standing of herself, he sucks her to keep his power
Priestly uses Eva to explore the prejudice that working-class people experienced
Mrs Birling, when Eva comes to a charity when she is pregnant.
“ she was claiming, elaborate, find feelings and scruples that is simply absurd” hyperbole
Mrs Birling only seems to Mark Eva’s request for help. The adjective elaborate suggest that Mrs Birling think Eva was exaggerating, hit emotions and perhaps putting on an act. Even when she’s pregnant, Eva is not listen to seriously, but is disregarded and mocked by wealthy people.
absurd implies that she find it ridiculous that someone like Eva could feel this way dehumanising, because Mrs Birling does not seem capable of emotion. She seems to see them in separate species and not show them basic empathy.
Eva shows how working women wear exploited by the upper class men
All the men in the novel refer to her as “ pretty”
Objectification and ornamental view of women . All of them valued her appearance..
Gerald: “ she was young and fresh and charming”
Syndetic list . Young has connotations of innocence and vulnerability, fresh has connotations of purity Gerald is predatory and Eva Smith was the pray. He uses his power to exploit her use and abuse for consumption and devouring, which boosts is masculine ego
Eric: “ she was a good sport”
Eric values, the fact that she was passive and willing to go along with his demands reference the sport suggest that he sees her as a form of entertainment, rather than a person to be treated with respect.
Priestly uses Eva to show the impact of inequality and prejudiced on working-class people
How the inspector describe say suicide: “ burnt her insides out” “ died in agony” and “ swallowed disinfectant”
Makes death seem shocking and to confront the birlings with how much pain she was in abstract noun, agony, connotes, overwhelming pain .
Overall implies that the treatment that she received from Mrs Birling and the rest created so much mental turmoil that it was the only way to escape . Imogen also emphasises how unnatural Eva’s death was. It seems the sources of grotesque, perhaps that this did not need to happen and caught up in easily avoided.
Swallowing disinfectant -was she trying to cleanse internal pain, or whether lower classes treated like dirt so she felt she had to cleanse herself
Brutal, death, juxtaposes, pure, innocent character, and emphasises the tragedy
Ultimately, Priestly uses Eva Smith, as an allegory for millions of real working-class people in the audience that they cannot escape responsibility for them
The inspector: “ there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths”
Suffering was widespread also emphasises the fact that Eva is not simply a character in the play. She is an allegory for all working-class people. This encourages postwar people to consider the lessons. The inspector was taught the birlings themselves to reflect on their own behaviour.
“ you made her pay a heavy price… she will make you pay a heavier price still” metaphor
Although Eva is desperately implies that Eva will still be able to get justice from the Burling is the metaphor of a heavier price. Pop symbolises the idea of hell, and the fact that Eva is now with a higher moral power than the birlings. She will get revenge through supernatural power.
