EVA SMITH'S DIARY
. Dear Diary,
Today's here at last! Holidays - total freedom. You know, that fat pig, Birling, he's been working us really hard lately. I've cast off the shackles at last! Anyway, I'm going for the holiday tomorrow. Me and the girls are going to the seaside! So I won't be writing to you till I come back. So then, bye!
2. Dear Diary,
My holiday was very good. It was wonderful. I could relax, and work off my tension. But the thing is, I'm pretty short of money. Nearly all my savings had been spent on the trip. So I'm planning on asking Birling for a raise. I don't know if it'll work...Anyway, I'll turn in now, tomorrow I've got to get back to work.
3. Dear Diary,
The first day, and that greedy man worked us almost to death! He was pretty tough today, and in a very bad mood. I thought of asking him then, but he looked so forbidding that I didn't. I've talked to the girls, and they all agree, so maybe we'll ask him together.
4. Dear Diary,
We worked up our courage today to go to the manager today. He turned us down cold! He didn't even listen to us, as soon as we mentioned a raise, he shooed us out. Still, I heard Birling was coming over tomorrow, so we'll ask him.
Dear Diary,
Birling came over. It was him all right, big, fat, greedy, bossy old pig. We all of us together went to ask him for a raise, but he said to us, "No raise. You get the usual rates. It's a free country, go anywhere you like." That stingy man! He knows there's no other place near anywhere. I don't know what to do, Diary. I'm almost broke.
5. Dear Diary,
All of us at the factory got together today. Almost all of us are totally broke. We just don't know what to do. We discussed it, and we had a few choices, like begging with B, or going on strike, or just continue. I know I can't continue. If I don't get 25 shillings a week, I don't know what I'll do! And we only plan to ask for 25 per week, not a lot. B's got a lot to spare. He's got this huge house, you know, and then he's got lots of money. That scrooge of ...
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All of us at the factory got together today. Almost all of us are totally broke. We just don't know what to do. We discussed it, and we had a few choices, like begging with B, or going on strike, or just continue. I know I can't continue. If I don't get 25 shillings a week, I don't know what I'll do! And we only plan to ask for 25 per week, not a lot. B's got a lot to spare. He's got this huge house, you know, and then he's got lots of money. That scrooge of a man can't even give us that much. I voted for the strike.
6. Dear Diary,
We got together again today, and most of us voted for the strike. So we decided. We switched off the machines, and sat down. The manager came out and started yelling; we started chanting, "Strike! Strike!" He was plenty mad.
7. Dear Diary, We continued on the strike. B came over, and we told our wants. He told us to either start working or to get lost. We didn't give in, though.
8. Dear Diary,
Today the girls came over and told me and the other leaders to stop the strike as they weren't getting much profit, so I asked them for one more day. If by tomorrow B didn't give in, we'd give in.
9. Dear Diary,
B didn't come, and we none of us worked. The manager started telling us to "stop fooling around and get back to work". I don't know what to do, Diary. Tomorrow we'll have to stop the strike!
0. Dear Diary,
We started work today. The manager was surprised but he didn't say anything. I still don't know what'll happen...
1. Dear Diary,
Sorry couldn't write earlier. After the strike, the manager worked us pretty hard, and I didn't have any time. But then Birling is coming over tomorrow, the first time since the strike. Wonder what he'll say...
2. Dear Diary,
My whole world's crashed. Birling came over today, and he fired me. I don't know why, I worked pretty hard after the strike. He said I was responsible for the strike, and that I'd have to go. But I don't have anywhere to go, Diary. I'm getting desperate.
3. Diary, sorry I couldn't write. The situation's desperate. I have no money coming in, and I can't pay the landlord. But I have a chance. Tomorrow I'm going to go to a dress shop to ask for a job. It's called Milwards. It's a big shop, and I'll be lucky if they take me.
4. Dear Diary,
I got the job! I'm so happy. It's a big shop, and a lot of rich people go there. The dresses are lovely. The pay's okay. It's not very good. I'll just manage. I start tomorrow. But I feel better, knowing I'm making a good fresh start.
5. Diary, the job's wonderful. The people there are very kind, and I've already made some friends. But I'm very busy most of the time. Anyway, I'll see.
6. Diary, Christmas, New Year, all passed so nicely, and now, again I'm in hot water. I got fired from Milwards, why I don't know. I did everything I could as well as I could. They just told me I had to go. I think it's because of that young lady that came in the other day. She tried a few dresses on, and there was one of them that didn't suit her at all. But I think it looked good on me. My friend and I were helping her, when my friend started telling me some jokes, and we laughed. I think that lady was jealous, and angry when she saw us laughing. She spoke very rudely to us later. I think she complained about me. I don't know what to do. It was the last good job I had, Diary.
7. Diary, I don't like the job I have now, at the stalls bar in the Palace music hall. There's a man there who pesters me, and then one day, all of a sudden, there was this man, Mr. Croft I think his name was. He came in for a drink at the time the old man, Meggarty, was leaning so close in to me, and sort of, well, drooling over me, like a dog over a bone. He called Meggarty away, and saved me. Then we started chatting, and I decided not to tell him my name, I said my name was Daisy Renton. He seemed to believe it. He bought me some food afterwards, and he told me to use some rooms he had. I did it, Diary, and later he gave me some money. He became very important to me, Diary. He was all I had at that time. I just don't know why he's doing it; men like him don't do it unless they want to make love. But he hasn't given any sign of it yet.
8. Diary, Gerald Croft is so nice. He gives me money, and I think I love him. Or do I? I don't know. I can't tell if he feels the same about me. But whatever it is, it won't last long. It'll never last long. He's told me he has to go somewhere, and that our relationship can't last longer. I knew and was expecting that, Diary. I just want to go to some quiet seaside town to be quiet, just to, I guess, make it last longer.
9. Dear Diary,
I'm working in the same place as before, at the Palace. I don't like it; it'll just give me enough to survive.
20. Dear Diary,
Yesterday I met a drunk guy in the bar. He began talking to me and we had a chat. Said his name was Eric Birling. When I came home, he insisted to come with me. When we came to the door, I told him I'd rather he didn't come in, but then he started telling me to let him in. He threatened to make a row. He was drunk as well, and when he came in he started leering at me and trying to catch me, but he was drunk and didn't make it. Then, somehow he got me and then everything went black. When I woke up we were on the bed together, he had his arms around me, and I found I hadn't a single thing on. Neither did he. It was morning by then.
21. Dear Diary
Eric started giving me money today, but I don't think he has the money. Maybe he stole it. I don't know. But there's something else, I think I'm getting a baby, Diary. It's terrible. What shall I do? I'm not taking Eric's money anymore. Who shall I go to for help? There is an organisation in town, where women in trouble can go for help. But some posh people run it. I'll go there tomorrow.
22. Dear Diary,
They refused to help. I started by telling their head about myself. I said my name was Mrs. Birling. Then she started asking me some questions, and then told me to go look for the father of the baby.
23. Dear Diary, I don't know what to do. So many disappointments...I can't go on any longer, diary, it has to stop.
24. Freedom
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