As the play progresses the evidence shows that Eva becomes increasingly more noble, she refuses to treat others how they have treated her and refuses to take money off people. Eric for example picks her up from a bar, he gets her pregnant and again offers to give her money and wants them to get married but she refuses because she knows that people will not accept them as a couple due to the fact that she is lower class and Eric is upper class. She also does not stoop to Birlings level, when she is on strike, she wants more pay but Birling refuses and instead of giving in and accepting she is not going to get any more pay, she keeps trying to get more until eventually getting fired. Then instead of going back and asking for her job back she finds a new job.
Eva “died in misery and agony.” This reflects her seclusion and shows that she must have been dejected to commit suicide which means that the reader feels sympathy for her, her tragic death causes them to condemn attitudes of those who caused it.
The attitudes of the other characters in the play caused her to commit suicide; Priestley portrays her as an innocent victim of selfishness, easy prey for the ‘respectable’ society. Each main character used her and treated her badly:
Mr Birling fired her form his factory just for wanting more pay; he doesn’t see her as being particularly important and sees her as just another worker, “I seem to remember hearing that name – Eva Smith – somewhere. But it doesn’t convey anything to me” he didn’t care about her when she was alive and still doesn’t when she is dead and he believes her death has nothing to do with him. He is a capitalist and is more interested in profit than people. He puts himself and his company before his family. “A man has to make his own way- has to look after himself- and his family too, of course.” This is the common view held among businessmen in 1912 and Priestley uses this to show the attitudes of people especially businessmen in 1912.
Sheila uses her power as an upper class citizen to get Eva fired from her next job, a shop called ‘Milwards.’ It happened on a day when Sheila and her mother went shopping at Milwards and they met Eva, who was working there after she had been fired from Mr Birlings factory. Sheila was trying on a dress when she caught Eva smiling at her. “I caught sight of this girl smiling at Miss Francis - as if to say: 'doesn't she look awful' - and I was absolutely furious”. With Sheila seeing this, she immediately complained to the manager and “told him that if they didn't get rid of that girl, I'd never go near the place again and I'd persuade mother to close our account with them”. With the Birlings being one of their most prominent account holders they soon complied with Sheila and told Eva to leave. She even admitted being jealous of Eva which is what made her so annoyed, that someone socially lower than her could look better than herself. “If she had been some miserable plain little creature, I don't suppose I'd have done it”. It shows that Sheila's attitude towards Eva is impertinent and rude. It highlights that she is a very jealous girl and that she has to get her own way even at the expense of others. Incidentally she felt terribly guilty after admitting what she had done.” It was all my own fault”. But it still didn't change the fact that she used her power, as a daughter of a good customer and also of a man well known in the town, to punish the girl just because she made her feel jealous. This shows how much power the upper classes had over the lower classes in 1912
Gerald treats women like possessions. By now Eva had changed her name, like many other 'working girls', to Daisy Renton. Gerald Croft is the son of Sir George Croft who was an extremely important businessman and everyone in the town would have known of him. Gerald had recently proposed to Sheila and they were celebrating their engagement the night the play is set. The first time Daisy Renton's name was mentioned Gerald gave himself away. “(Pulling himself together) D'you mind if I give myself a drink”. Just by his surprised manner it is obvious that he is guilty. When the play was set it was not uncommon for men to have mistresses and it was almost classed as normal, even Alderman Meggarty who was a important figure in the town of Brumley, was seen in the Palace Bar, which surprised many of the Birlings. “Well really! Alderman Meggarty! I must say, we are learning something tonight”. This shows us that young men of this era were not all they seemed. Gerald was engaged to a young woman and he held a very important reputation on the line but he still went ahead and had an affair with Daisy (Eva). This tells us that Gerald, and men like him, didn't have respect for their wives and were willing to risk everything just to be with a girl. Gerald's attitude towards other people was generally acceptable, but by him going off with Eva, it shows that he treats women like possessions and he is insensitive to other people's feelings. The way he describes his relationship with Daisy makes him sound like he is a hero and the innocent one.” The girl saw me looking at her then gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry of help”. It seems like a coincidence that his friend was going away and leaving Gerald a set of keys to his apartment that he conveniently used. In Gerald's eyes what he is doing is acceptable, but the way in which he abruptly ends the relationship shows that he does treat women badly and treats them like a possession.
Eric’s views on women are obvious; he treats Eva like an animal. He is the youngest in the family but he and Sheila are of a similar age. Eric is young, spoilt and appears to have a lot more freedom than Sheila. He always manages to have money, which is either given to him, or as we find out, stolen from his father. We also find out that he is a heavy drinker, which causes many problems for him.” He's been steadily drinking too much for the last two years”. He first met Eva, like Gerald, in the Palace Bar. Once again he was drunk and he demanded that he go back to her flat.” I was in that state of mind where a chap easily turns nasty - and I threatened to make a row”. This shows that he was no better than Gerald for what he did, and that all he did was use her. In his defence he said that he “didn't even remember doing anything”. Showing that he didn’t care about Eva, he simply wanted her so he could have sex with her, which shows that he does treat her like an animal. He then goes on to admit that he met up with her several more times and that she fell pregnant.” She told me she thought she was going to have a baby”. There was no chance that they could ever marry, as Eric was supposedly a respectable upper class man and Eva was a poor, working class woman. At the time the play was set it was frowned upon to even think that they could be married, as classes rarely mixed. With marriage out of the question, all Eric could do was to support her the best he could. This shows he does have a sensitive and caring side as he offered at least to try and support Eva by giving her money but we soon learn that he is not so sensitive as she soon founds out it was stolen, so she refused to take any more. This shows that Eric is not only having an affair but he is stealing money from his own father. This shows that Eric has no respect for his father otherwise he wouldn’t have stolen money from him, it also shows his attitude towards women in that he used Eva simply for sex, treating her like an animal
Mrs Birling is an upper class citizen and, like most upper class women at the time, reflects what their attitudes were towards the lower classes. Mrs Birling is involved in a charity organization called the Brumley Woman's Charity Organisation, an organization where desperate cases can appeal for money. The main reason she is involved in the charity is not because she wants to help people but purely for the fact it looks good on her behalf. Eva came to Mrs Birling for help as a last resort as it was only two weeks prior to her suicide. Once again she didn't use her real name but changed it to Mrs Birling. Mrs Birling herself was extremely annoyed at this as, if to say just because she is working class she could not possible have the same name as an upper class, respectable woman.” I think it was simply a piece of gross impertinence - quite deliberate - and naturally that was one of the things that prejudiced me against her case”. She even admitted using her influence as a prominent member of the organisation to refuse her case. Even after admitting everything, she was very confident that she did nothing wrong and that the inspector could not bully her into thinking so.” If you think you can bring any pressure to bear upon me, inspector, you're quite mistaken. Unlike the other three I did nothing I'm ashamed of.” “I consider it my duty.” This shows that her attitude is very stubborn and that she will stand her ground in all circumstances. Sheila and Mrs Birling's involvement with Eva is very similar, as they both looked down on the girl and both used their power to eliminate her from her last recourse. The way Mrs Birling comments on Eva's feelings just shows us how much she does or doesn't know about working class people. “She was giving herself ridiculous airs. She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position.” She is saying that a girl in Eva's position cannot possibly have feelings and emotions. Also, when she explains that Eva was refusing stolen money, she could not believe it. “As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money.” Now she is implying that she cannot even keep to her own morals just because she is in a difficult situation. It just shows that Eva must have had more self-respect for not accepting the money than Mrs Birling has got for assuming that she should take it. Then at the end of Mrs Birling’s enquiry she starts blaming everyone but herself for her actions. She blames Eva herself and she also blames the father of the Eva's unborn child and says he should take full responsibility; not knowing Eric is the Father. This shows how upper class citizens saw the lower classes; they saw them as liars with no morals and scruples. She refuses to believe that Eva would not take stolen money and shows that the upper classes thought the lower classes would always take money no matter where it came from.
Eva is brought to destruction by the selfishness and heartlessness of others who could do this because of their social status. The wealthy had little regard for the less fortunate within society and did not feel responsible for them and had little regard for the consequences of their actions as is shown by Mr Birlings philosophy, “you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive- community and all that nonsense. But take my word for it, you youngsters- and I’ve learnt in the good hard school of experience that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own”
Priestley uses the Inspector to reveal the feeling of guilt that the Birlings and Gerald have from this experience and he also uses the Inspector to make the audience aware of how they should treat others less fortunate than themselves. “We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will come soon when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and anguish.” The inspector is showing the need for community responsibility so that tragic events such as the one involving Eva Smith do not happen again. He is saying that a moral lesson needs to be learned in order to provide a better future for the society in which we live. Priestley speaks through the inspector, he warns the audience of what will happen if they don’t learn their lesson and that the attitudes of the time are the wrong attitudes to have and are not the attitudes to have if people want to move forward.
Conclusion
The attitudes of the middle and upper classes cause the tragic death of Eva Smith; Priestley deliberately portrays the attitudes from people at the time in a negative way. The younger generation watch this play and realise that how they were treating the lower classes was wrong and therefore change how they treat them. Priestley wants his audience to see and accept his moral message, as revealed by the inspector, to achieve a better future for all the people within the society whether they are upper, middle or lower class citizens.
