In your view, who is most responsible for the death of Eva Smith?
Jay Darji In your view, who is most responsible for the death of Eva Smith? Set in the early part of the twentieth century, ‘An Inspector Calls’ was a play written by J.B. Priestly In nineteen forty five. The play is based on the death of a woman in her twenties who had committed suicide. The cause of her death was the effect that people had on her to make her life a misery. There was no crime committed by these people it was a moral crime for them to understand from their mistakes. The idea of the play, and particularly the role of the inspector are to try to bring the Birling family to understand that they have a moral responsibility for the death of Eva Smith. This point is very significant and is the basis of the entire play, to grasp it is imperative to the understanding of the play, without this, an analysis of who is responsible would be far more difficult. Throughout the story we find out which characters are affected by the death and realise their responsibility for the death of Eva Smith. Priestly is making the point that we are all responsible for each other in society and we must all act accordingly. Priestly cleverly disguises his own voice through one of the characters, the inspector. He tells the audience of his views of life through the character and explains reasons of histories tragic events such as the world wars. I will begin by discussing the role in which Arthur Birling has played in the demise of Eva Smith. Arthur Birling is a self-made man who has built Birling And Company into a successful local business. At the start of the play Birling is described as a pretentious, selfish, complacent man, ex-Lord Mayor, potential Knighthood and “sound useful party man” who plays golf with the chief of police. Certainly an influential figure, within the community. A man, that conveys respect. He had started the downfall to the life of Eva Smith. When the inspector begins to question him, Birling denies any knowledge of the girl, although when presented with a photograph, remembers, “She was one of my employees and then I discharged her”. Reasons for which later become apparent, “She had a lot to say, too much, she had to go,” apparently Eva Smith had particular involvement in a strike at his factory. The strike was caused due to poor pay and long hours, although he refuses to accept any responsibility for her
death, “If we were all responsible for everything that had happened to everybody it would be very awkward.” Arthur Birling actually has a fair point here and it could be argued that he was just acting as a businessman, as many others would do. However, it is true to say that he was acting only in his own interests and was not particularly keen on aiding others. After accusations from the inspector, Birling attempts to intimidate the inspector, although his threats prove weak, “Now look here inspector, I consider this uncalled for and officious. I’ve half a mind to report ...
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death, “If we were all responsible for everything that had happened to everybody it would be very awkward.” Arthur Birling actually has a fair point here and it could be argued that he was just acting as a businessman, as many others would do. However, it is true to say that he was acting only in his own interests and was not particularly keen on aiding others. After accusations from the inspector, Birling attempts to intimidate the inspector, although his threats prove weak, “Now look here inspector, I consider this uncalled for and officious. I’ve half a mind to report you.” The inspector proves unconcerned as Birling continues to abuse his position as ex-lord mayor and associate of the Chief of Police showing a lot of his characteristics. The effect Birling had on Eva was for her to be sacked therefore unemployed and was the first contribution to her downfall. The inspector continually questions Birling but still remains untouched and has no guilt, although he does realise what he has done and shows this with the fear if the media were to find out, it would ruin his chances of knighthood. At the end Birling rejects to take any form of responsibility and disguises the matter as a hoax he says, “ We’ve been had,” even before finding out that it was not a real inspector he blames the death of Eva Smith entirely on his son. Unfortunately Arthur Birling still does not comprehend his responsibility therefore feels no guilt; this shows a distinct trait of his character and emphasises what a single, narrow-minded individual he is. Sheila Birling, Arthur’s daughter, has a very different set of characteristics and at the start is known to be a little spoilt and jealous. She feels happy, and pleased with life and also is ignorant of other people. Sheila had also played a part of Eva Smiths downfall but reacts differently to her father. Upon recognising the photograph she immediately runs out the room, as if in disgust of her previous actions, a complete contradiction to her fathers views. She later returns guiltily, “You knew it was me all along didn’t you?” Immediately her character is shown to be sympathetic because of this guilt. Sheila goes on to explain how she was entirely responsible for Eva Smith loosing her job at Milward’s, “I went to the manager at Milward’s and I 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.” This shows that Sheila, like her father, abused her position as a wealthy member of the community, who could influence others due to her relations. Sheila does however, feel great guilt for the actions that she committed, and she agrees with the Inspector when he says, "You used the power you had to punish the girl.” Unlike her father, Sheila is full of sorrow and remorse for what she did, the inspector supports her when stating, “She feels responsible.” Sheila does in fact, say, “I know I’m to blame and I’m desperately sorry.” Sheila is also the first to realise that the inspector has a strange type of power, when Mrs Birling is arguing with him, Sheila warns her, “You mustn’t try to build up a kind of wall, the inspector will just break it down. And it’ll be all the worse when he does.” This later becomes even more apparent as the plot evolves. Sheila’s character is totally unlike that of her fathers, where she accepts responsibility, Arthur Birling completely refuses to accept liability. It is obvious from what Sheila says that she believes she is entirely to blame and feels great guilt, for which she will be forever affected even after when Gerald reveals there was no Inspector she still realises the moral crime, which she played a part in. It is also clear that her character and views have been altered by the event and the impact of the inspector. Gerald Croft is a strong man with a good reputation and is very confident with life, he seems to have a ‘perfect gentleman’s’ appearance. He is engaged to Sheila, and also has significant involvement with the death of Eva Smith. Gerald recognises the name Daisy Renton as soon as he hears the inspector say it. After at first trying to make Sheila leave the room, for reasons that become more apparent later, he tells the story of how he met Eva Smith, or as he knew her Daisy Renton. He describes her as “very pretty, soft brown hair and big dark eyes.” Gerald claims to have rescued her from “horrible old Meggarty” in the County Hotel and set her up in a friend’s set of rooms, where she later, inevitably, became his mistress. He is clearly upset by what has happened by what has happened to her, “she knew it couldn’t last. She didn’t blame me at all. I wish to god she had now. Perhaps I’d feel better about it.” He eventually left Eva Smith, which contributed to her downfall, as she now had no else to care for her and was lonely once again. Gerald’s involvement with Eva Smith is perhaps the least significant, for Eva Smith anyway, perhaps more for Sheila and Gerald. What is a fact is that Gerald did attempt to help Eva Smith, unlike all the others, who were simply punishing her out of spite. Gerald had not been responsible for the death of Eva Smith but helped towards her downfall. Gerald realises what he has done but fails to realise his responsibility when discovering the inspector was not real. He looses all guilt and understanding of the situation when the discovery is made. He still does play a part so therefore hold a responsibility towards the death of Eva Smith. Mrs Birling is described to be rather cold and mentioned as “Birlings social superior, very heartless,” she is also conscience about her public status and is naive about her family. She shares her characteristics in some ways with her husband, and denies any responsibility herself, instead choosing to blame others, which later becomes a very bad decision. Mrs Birling treats the inspector in a patronising, threatening way, “I realise you may have to conduct some kind of enquiry, but I mist say you seem to be conducting it in a rather peculiar and offensive manner. You know of course that my husband was Lord Mayor only two years ago.” This shows how highly she thinks of herself and that she is ready to abuse her position, like other members of the family. As a member of the Bromley Women’s Charity Organization Mrs Birling is the last member of the family to have had contact with Eva Smith, having rejected Eva because she had used the family name to claim to the organisation, Mrs Birling ironically tells Eva Smith, “to look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.” Mrs Birling refuses to acknowledge any guilt over Eva’s death, even though the girl had been trying to protect the father of the child because “he had been giving her stolen money” and that he was “a youngster, silly and wild and drinking too much.” She does not realise of course, that she is describing her own son Eric, Mrs Birling even suggests “He ought to be dealt with very severely.” This show her being a very hypocritical and exposed as a “vindictive” character. When finding out about the inspectors real identity she returns to normality and fails to realise what she has done. She feels no guilt and fails to take any responsibility what so ever She had given Eva Smith the last blow to lead her into committing suicide. Mrs Birling should be held strongly responsible, as she had turned down an appeal of help from a young pregnant woman who was lonely, poor and homeless, the last place she expected to be turned down from was a charity. Eric Birling is seen to be an irresponsible, secretive character, quiet and a “half-shy half assertive” chap. Although Eric is young, immature and naïve, he feels genuine guilt and remorse about what he has done. When he discovers that his mother had turned Eva away, his guilt and remorse turn to anger, “Then you killed her. She came to you to protect me, my child, your grandchild, you killed them both, damn you, damn you.” It is also shown that Eric and his father have no relationship, “You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.” It is true that Eric has played, like the others, a part in the death of Eva Smith, although this can be put down to his naivety and youth, whereas the others should have known better. Eric did try to help Eva Smith after she became pregnant, albeit with money stolen from his father. He also realised, like his sister, the wrong doing of his actions and everyone else and also he learns the lesson of responsibility from the inspector even after the discovery of the inspector’s real identity. In conclusion, it would be unfair to blame a single person, as each character contributed to the death of Eva Smith. It may be more wise to blame society and they way in which they had lived, as it is Eva Smith’s class and time that set her apart, no real crime has been committed and it is more a case if social conscience, consequently a moral responsibility should be shared by the family and their future actions affected to aid others and not just themselves. The play is not so much about the Birling family themselves, but about society in general, J B Priestley shrewdly performs this as he manipulates the effect of time difference to get his message across. This all fits into Priestly’s message about social responsibility and everyone are to look after each other so we are all safe. Throughout the events of history greed and selfishness has caused death and misery a good example is both World War 1 where society will fall apart.