“Sorry! It’s just I cant help thinking about this girl, destroying herself so horribly, and I've been so happy tonight. Oh I wish you hadn’t told me”
This shows that she can feel sorry for others although she is not always prepared to back up her words with actions.
Sybil Birling is very high in the social ladder of the town. She works in a charity, although more for her own benefit than anyone else’s. Sybil thinks that because she is rich and well though of that no one can hurt her. She thinks that whatever she does no one will be able to do anything about it.
“If you think you can bring any pressure to bear upon me Inspector, your quite mistaken”
This is a typical quote from Sybil who refuses to believe things can go against her.
Gerald is not yet a member of the family although he soon will be. He is engaged to Sheila and is now trying to get to know the family better, especially Arthur who runs a rival factory to his. Gerald is an attractive young man aged about 30. He is always ready to help and is quick-witted and intelligent.
Arthur, Sybil, Sheila, Eric and Gerald all contribute to Eva’s death. Some deliberately hurting others, some trying and failing to help.
Gerald is the least responsible for Eva’s death. In fact he goes a long way to help her. Gerald meets Eva in a pub where a man who seems to think that Eva is attracted to him is bothering her. Gerald notices this and quickly moves to help Eva. He takes her to a hotel where they share a meal together and get to know one another. Finding out that she has nowhere to live he rents a room in the hotel and starts getting to know Eva very well.
Too well in fact, Gerald falls in love with Eva and they become involved in a close relationship behind Sheila’s back. This helps Eva mentally and makes her very happy. Unfortunately this happiness doesn’t last long. They split up soon afterwards and Eva falls into a deep depression that ends up in her suicide. Even so, Gerald helps Eva get back on her feet by giving her money and mental help. Gerald was the only person who did everything in his power to help Eva.
Arthur’s daughter Sheila is a hotheaded young woman who has been spoilt since she was a baby. Sheila visits an expensive dress shop to buy something to wear for a party. This just happens to be the shop that Eva has found a job at. Eva is thrilled at being able to work in such a nice place and she is feeling very happy. This isn’t to last either. When Eva helps Sheila try on a dress Eva sees the dress doesn’t suit Sheila so she smiles. Sheila loses her temper and makes an official complaint to the manager. Since Sheila comes from such a rich influential family the manager is forced to sack Eva ending her spell of happiness and relative well being.
So Sheila makes Eva lose her job for no reason, this affects Eva mentally as well as making her lose her source of income. This highlights Sheila’s personality showing her up as a selfish little girl who doesn’t think about here actions. Luckily this changes and by the end of the play she is regretting what she has done.
“You’re beginning to pretend that nothing’s really happened at all. And I can’t see it like that”
This was actually Eric pointing this out although Sheila whole-heartedly agreed with the statement. Sheila changes to become a better person but from Eva’s point of view it is all too late.
Sheila’s strict mother Sybil is running a committee, which gives out money to poor people. Eva notices a leaflet about the charity and decides to go along and pleads her case. Unfortunately for her Sybil is against her from the very start of the case and uses her power and influence as chairperson to refuse Eva the money. Even when she finds out Eva is pregnant she still says that money could go to a worthier cause.
Sybil is one of the most responsible people to have been involved in Eva’s death. She places the whole blame on someone else passing her problems onto another person as she so often does but she regrets this as she finds out who the person is. This shows that Sybil is living in a dream world in which no one can hurt her.
“But surely… I mean… It’s ridiculous”
Sybil never realises what she has done and feels that the whole affair is just a joke. This is a typical reaction of hers. She is like this because she prefers to ignore things she dislikes which, once again, shows how she thinks that she is untouchable. Sybil is definitely the most responsible for Eva’s death apart from her son Eric.
Eric finds Eva when he is drunk and invites himself into her room. Eric makes Eva pregnant even though Eva didn’t want to sleep with him in the first place. When he realizes what he has done he tries to help Eva by giving him money. This money was stolen from his father and Eva soon finds out making her even more unhappy. Eva refuses to accept the money which shows great character on her behalf.
Eric makes Eva pregnant and on top of this depresses her by stealing money. This is too much for Eva to bear. She could barely survive herself and supporting a baby would mean she couldn’t work. Eva eventually committed suicide bringing to an end the tragic sequence of events all brought on by one family.
Being sacked by Arthur, being unfairly forced out of her job by Sheila. Being refused help by Sybil not to mention being made pregnant by Eric. These four event coupled with being her heart being broken by Gerald shows how peoples actions can change the course of others lives.
People have a tremendous power, the power to change the world as we know it. The right or wrong actions at the right or wrong times can lead to people losing their lives or making their fortunes.
Sometimes, people don’t think about the consequences of their actions and this is when things can go wrong. This play shows one example. It shows how five people can end someone’s life. It shows how people can be judged simply by how much money they have.
