Eva Smith Flashcards
How is she described by the other characters?
The Inspector, Sheila Gerald and Eric all say that she was “pretty.”
Gerald describes her as “very pretty - soft brown hair and big dark eyes.”
Where was she from?
She came from outside Brumley: Mr Birling speaks of her being “countrybred.”
What class was she?
She was of working class
How does the family feel about her in Act 3?
In Act 3 we begin to wonder whether Eva ever really existed. - Gerald says, “We’ve no proof it was the same photograph and therefore no proof it was the same girl.” - Birling adds, “There wasn’t the slightest
proof that this Daisy Renton really was Eva Smith.”
Yet the final phone call, announcing that a police inspector is shortly to arrive at the Birlings’
house to investigate the suicide of a young girl, makes us realise that maybe Eva Smith did exist after all.
What could she represent?
Eva is similar to Eve, the first woman created by God in the Bible. Smith is the most common English surname. So, Eva Smith could represent every woman of her class.
