Mr Birling doesn’t know what this has got to do with him. The inspector then tells Mr Birling the young woman’s name was Eva Smith, the inspector then shows Mr Birling a picture of the girl and the expression on his face changes, indicating to the inspector that Mr Birling knows her.
The connection between Mr Birling and Eva Smith is that Eva used to work in the Birlings factory until she and a few of the other girls asked for a pay rise and when Mr Birling refused, Eva argued back and soon after, Mr Birling sacked her leaving her unemployed with no income.
I think that Mr Birling had only a slight involvement with Eva’s. He was the person that started the chain of events leaving her penniless. Mr Birling, with his upper class attitude doesn’t think he has done anything wrong and does not feel responsible for the young woman’s death in any way.
The next person the inspector questions is Sheila. When she comes into the room she is upset. Her father has told her what has happened and she feels guilty. Eva had started working in Milwards clothes shop and Sheila went in to buy something new. Sheila decided to try on a dress. She knew once she had tried it on, it looked ridiculous and when Eva looked at her, she thought Eva was looking at her as if too say “doesn’t she look awful”, Sheila was angry and told the manager of the shop about Eva and left the shop without buying anything. Eva was sacked again because the manager thought she was discouraging the clientele.
Sheila feels bad and thinks she is partly to blame as is her father because they both were being selfish and were partially responsible for Eva’s suicide.
After inspector Goole had questioned Sheila, he told the family that due to circumstances that Eva Smith then changed her name to Daisy Renton. As soon as Inspector Goole mentions ‘Daisy Renton’, Gerald realises who they are talking about. He recognised the name Daisy Renton.
The connection between Gerald and Daisy was that the previous summer when Gerald wasn’t spending with Sheila, he was also seeing Daisy. He met Daisy one night after work when he went to a bar for a drink. A few nights later, he met up with her again. He found out she was penniless and was about to be thrown out her room. Gerald felt sorry for her and gave her a place to stay, he also gave her money. Eventually he broke it off with her and offered her some money to see her through for a while but she wouldn’t take it because she said he had done enough for her already. Gerald won’t own up to having anything to do with her death. He thinks because he hadn’t had anything to do with this girl for six months, he is blameless.
I think he could have had a little to do with Eva’s death because she really liked him and when he finished the relationship with her, she couldn’t bear it.
Mrs Birling also knew Daisy (Eva). Mrs Birling was part of the Brumley Woman’s Charity Organisation and Daisy went to them with her problems; she was pregnant. She wasn’t married and she wasn’t seeing anyone so when she went to the organisation she lied. She said her name was Mrs Birling. Mrs Birling said there was no way her name could have been Mrs Birling. Daisy admitted saying that it wasn’t her real name and that it had been the first name she had thought of and that she wasn’t married and she was stuck with this baby. Mrs Birlings Organisation turned her away because being pregnant and unmarried was frowned upon. Mrs Birling wouldn’t have anything to do with being involved with the girl’s death she said:
‘ Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.’
Mrs Birling didn’t feel responsible in the slightest; she blamed Daisy for getting herself into the situation.
I think Mrs Birling played a big part in this young woman’s death. This young woman was carrying a baby. The father wasn’t around and she had no money and she was going to be left to bring up this baby on her own. When she turned to Mrs Birlings Charity Organisation they turned her away.
Eric (Mr Birling’s son) also knew Daisy (Eva). He was the father of the child she was carrying. He met her at the ‘Palace Bar’ one night. He was drunk and spent the night at Daisy’s house. A few weeks later he met her again and he spent the night with her for a second time. The next time they met she told him she was going to have a baby. She had no money or job so Eric stole some money from the family business to give to her. Finally she realised that the money he was giving her had been stolen and she didn’t want to see him again.
Eric partly feels responsible for what’s happened to Daisy but he thinks his mother should feel the same way because she was the one that turned her away when she needed help.
Who’s to blame?
I would probably say Mrs Birling would have been most to blame. She never played the caring charitable person she was meant to have been. If she had listened to young Daisy she might have helped her and her death may have been avoided. Mrs Birling could have given her some money to bring up the child and given her some support which she never did. The next most responsible I think is Eric because he was the one who got her pregnant and that added to the problems she already had and that finished her off. Then it would have both Sheila and her father Mr Birling, the only part they played was her loosing her jobs. Out of all of them I would have said Gerald Croft was least to blame and if anything he helped her. He gave her somewhere to stay and he gave her some money.
Inspector Goole along with Daisy has made Sheila realise what she done was wrong. Sheila never did anything to harm Daisy and wishes she could turn back time and change what has already been done. Gerald never really took blame for what happened but never denied it happening and knew that he shouldn’t have cheated on Sheila. As for Mr and Mrs Birling they still don’t think they have done anything wrong and blame Eric for what’s happened. Eric feels guilty for what’s happened but he doesn’t like his mother and father blame him for it all.
This is an example of the attitude and class system that existed at the turn of the twentieth century; I would hope that these events would not happen now but they do. People think of themselves as better than others who are not as well off.
