Who is responsible for the tragedy of Eva Smith?

        Next, I think that Arthur Birling has some responsibility for Eva Smith’s death.  Eva’s life first started going wrong when she worked for Arthur Birling at his factory after a strike about pay she was fired. “She was one of my employees and then I discharged her”.  Eva was fired for been a ringleader to a strike over pay.  Arthur Birling would not pay the rise of wages because of labour costs. “It’s my duty to keep labour costs down”.  “Their wages were neither more nor less than they are generally paid in this industry”.   Gerald also points out that this is a reasonable thing to do. “I know we’d have done the same”.  Arthur as he has right to think contains no proper blame in Eva’s suicide.

        After Mr Birling, the next character to blame for her death is Sheila.  Sheila on the whole was just a normal human being having a bad day.  Yet I believe she played quite a role in Eva’s suicide.  Sheila got Eva fired from Milwards.  Milwards was the next place Eva had been able to get a job after Mr Birling’s factory.  Sheila got jealous over a dress.  “It just suited her”; ”It just didn’t suit me”.  Sheila went to the manager and told him that if they didn’t fire Eva she would convince her mother to withdraw their account.  “I told them that if they didn’t get rid of that girl, I’d never go to the place again”.  After the inspector had interviewed her and during the interview she admits to feeling terrible about it.  “I felt rotten about it at the time and now I feel a lot worst”.  Sheila along with Eric both seem to take it extremely seriously over Eva’s suicide unlike Mr Birling and Mrs Birling who don’t think the suicide has anything to do with them.  I still believe that Sheila has a lot to do with the suicide because after the Milwards job Eva had no where to turn and ended up being a prostitute.  Even though Sheila knows how wrong she was she still takes some of the blame.

        Following this Mrs Birling takes a lot of the blame.  Mrs Birling is part of the Brumley Women’s Charity Organisation.   In my opinion Sybil Birling takes a lot of the blame because she knew Eva was genuinely in need but still turned her away in a careless fashion. As the inspector tells her, “You refused her even the pitiable little bit of organised charity you had in your power to grant her ”. It is Sybil’s uncaring attitude that makes her actions seem even worse. She obviously refuses to accept any blame and although she is shocked by Eric’s involvement she never shows any upset. She believes she behaved correctly and “did my duty” in turning away an undeserving claim. She is a typical sort of women involved in committees in those times so they can ease their consciences. Mrs Birling does not feel at all remorseful for the girl's death and her view fails to change at all during the duration of the play. She remains cold and stone-faced even when every other member of the family has been accused and has accepted the blame.