The elder Birlings are unaware of a definite war and remain supportive to capitalism. Mr. Birling yet again shows this support in his language. ‘…a man has to make his own way-has to look after himself. ‘This speech just shows how selfish Mr. Birling is as he only cares about himself and what will happen to him. His money and authority somehow provoke this selfishness. This selfishness is increased when he adds,’-and his family too…’. It seems as though he doesn’t care about his family either and added it on just to make himself look good in public. Evidence is the dash before he adds this comment. The dash shows he quickly added the comment rather than meaning it.
A second example of Mr Birling’s selfishness can be found early on in the play on page 4. ‘Your father and I have been friendly rivals for some time…now you’ve brought us together…perhaps we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together…’. Mr Birling is pleased that Sheila and Gerald are engaged but he is also highly aware of the moneymaking opportunities from merging Croft Unlimited and Birling & Company together and is determined to make this happen his actions are highly influenced by the thought of money. Mr. Birling’s speech can be contrasted to the Inspector’s speech on page 15, ‘…it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.’. The Inspector says just after Mr. Birling claims the lower class will asking for the earth if he rises the wages of the workers. When the Inspector makes his comment he shows just how greedy Mr. Birling is. This is because Mr. Birling does take things only because he is middle class and he does not need to ask. The Inspector disagrees and feels everyone should share their values and work together. The background Inspector is unknown but it seems he is working class. This is because his socialist attitude does not agree at all to money suggesting he is working class with little money. As he has no money he may want it and is socialist to try and get it.
The Inspector does a very good job of intimidating the Birlings and Mr. Croft into confessing of their dealings with Eva Smith. By the time the Inspector leaves, the audience know the Birlings and Gerald have some association in the two years leading to her death. Before they find out it is a hoax, everyone is different from the cheerful mood were in at the start of the play. In particular Sheila and Eric Birling, who are literally devastated by the death of Eva Smith. Mr and Mrs Birling seem to regret their actions and that’s all they regret. Throughout the play we find out what led Eva to her suicide. Of the Birlings and Gerald, Eva Smith encountered Mr. Birling first.
Mr. Birling was the man who started it all. If it weren’t for him this may have never started. If Mr. Birling did not sack Eva Smith from his works she may have stayed on earning money and might have never committed suicide. We first start to find out about his involvement when the Inspector reveals the dead girls name, Eva Smith. Mr. Birling does not seem to remember the name until he sees the photograph of Eva. He says that she was one of the several hundred employees at his works and he discharged her. After the Inspector give details of the girls death Mr. Birling replies, ‘Yes, yes. Horrid business.’ This is a sign that Mr. Birling is trying to dismiss the subject because maybe he has done something that might drastically alter his reputation in public. It also shows he has no sympathy for Eva Smith. Mr. Birling then admits he did know Eva Smith way back in August 1910. Mr. Birling was involved for some time. In August 1910, the workers had returned from their holidays that were set by Mr. Birling probably quite reluctantly. Most of the employees had little money left as they had spent most of it in their holidays. As they had no money, the workers asked for a pay rise. Mr. Birling again shows his carelessness about the girl. This is shown in the following quote, ‘…it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girl’s suicide.’ Mr. Birling is trying to dismiss his blame and when doing so he shows how greedy and heartless he is. The Inspector disagrees and adds to his power when he says Mr. Birling’s involvement started it and created a chain of events. Mr. Birling later describes Eva as a lively, good-looking girl who was country bred. Eva Smith had been working in the machine shops for over a year and was a very good worker. When Mr. Birling says this it goes against his reasons for sacking Eva Smith. The audience may doubt Mr. Birling has a good reason for sacking Eva Smith at this point. Mr. Birling gives more detail about his involvement. The foreman at the machine shop where Eva was said he was going to promote Eva Smith to a leading operator where she would supervise and take control of many employees. This may have led to an increase in wages but we never find out. Mr. Birling talks about their strike action and explains why it happened. The workers asked more money to be able to control their debt made in the holidays. The amount paid was twenty-two shillings and six pence which was the average amount paid by Birling & Company. Today that would mean the employees would only get £1.25 a week. This was quite good pay in 1912 although wages were beginning to rise and Mr. Birling was resisting this. Eva Smith and a couple of other workers wanted at least twenty-five shillings a week but Mr. Birling refused. Mr. Birling backs his refusal by saying he would have added 12% to his labour costs if he accepted. Mr. Birling told the workers that if they didn’t like it they could go and work somewhere else. The workers went on strike to try and persuade Mr. Birling. It was a pitiful affair describes Mr. Birling; the workers did not get the pay rise and the strike ended. The workers were allowed to come back on the old rates apart from the four or five ringleaders. One of these ringleaders was Eva Smith. Eva was sacked and left, trying to find another job although there weren’t many options left to her.
By the end of the play Mr. Birling does not seem very much affected by the serious information drawn from all the characters by the Inspector. He still seems to feel no sympathy for Eva Smith and does not show any guilt in his language. He is justified of his comments and is not changed by the events of that night. Once the Inspector has left, he is relieved but more worried about his reputation if any information gets out to the press. He is angry at Eric only for stealing money and not for having sexual intercourse with a prostitute. He is trying to expel his blame by criticising the behaviour of others. I feel Mr. Birling is largely to blame for the death of Eva Smith because he possibly started it all by sacking her. If Eva still had a job at the start she would never have gone through what was described in the play.
Once the Inspector had finished getting information from Mr. Birling, he needed the next part of the story. At this point he started to question Sheila.
On the news of Eva’s death Sheila is quite distressed. She clearly shows emotion for Eva unlike Mr. Birling. At first she does not know any Eva Smith until the Inspectors mentions Milwards. Sheila gets a little curious when the Inspector describes Eva’s second job in detail. Eva Smith struck luck. At the beginning of December 1910 there was quite a lot of influenza virus about. This virus struck a majority of employees at Milwards clothes store and there were job vacancies. Eva Smith applied for a job at Milwards and she got the job. Eva liked working at Milwards as she was among many pretty clothes and it was a new start, a new life perhaps. The Inspector then says Eva Smith was sacked from Milwards at the beginning of February 1911. She was sacked because a customer had complained about her in January. Sheila knows she made a complaint in January 1911 about a rude worker and asked more questions to find out more about Eva Smith. She asked what Eva looked like and the Inspector showed her a photo. Sheila recognised it and ran off crying. She later returns and openly admits to knowing Eva and making a complaint about her. At this point she becomes rather aggressive in giving her details about her involvement. Sheila went to Milwards to try on an item of clothing on her mother had been against it and so had the assistant. She was in a furious temper at the time for an unknown reason, presumably because her mother had been against her trying this piece of clothing on. When Sheila tried on the clothes, she realised how correct her mother and the assistant was. It didn’t suit her and she removed the dress. Eva Smith brought the dress up from the workroom because Miss Francis had asked her something about it. Eva Smith held the dress up as if she was wearing it to help explain what she was talking about. It looked very nice on Eva Smith, she was the right type and it suited her perfectly. Sheila was obviously jealous and this determined her behaviour. Sheila adds that she was a pretty girl with big dark eyes although that made Sheila even more envious. Sheila claimed that when she tried the dress on she saw Eva Smith smiling at Miss Francis as if to say: “Doesn’t she look awful”. Sheila was very angry at Miss Francis and Eva and went to the manager. She used her high authority to get the manager to sack Eva otherwise she would never set foot in Milwards again and persuade mother to close their account with Milwards. Due to this, Eva was sacked from Milwards in the beginning of February 1911.
When the Inspector leaves, Sheila has most definitely changed. Sheila, like Eric feels very ashamed with herself and her parents. The night’s events have left her devastated. Her high sensitivity noticed the authenticity of the Inspector but she knows that he got a horrible truth out of everybody whether or not he was an Inspector. Sheila’s relationship with Gerald has evolved also. At the start of the play, Sheila and Gerald had a rather immature and romantic illusion for a relationship. After the Inspector left, Sheila seemed to have a stronger bond to Gerald. I feel Sheila is quite responsible for Eva’s death. Eva thought she had a new chance but Sheila ruined her hopes and this is probably what led her to prostitution which is just as bad as suicide.
Once Eva was sacked from Milwards she didn’t have many options left. She decided to go into prostitution. The Inspector knew whom she met next. All he had to do was to get it into the open and find out more. He started asking Gerald Croft questions.
Gerald does not recognise the name Eva Smith but when the Inspector says she changed her name to Daisy Renton, Gerald recognises and tries to escape questioning although he can’t escape. Gerald explained his involvement with Eva Smith. Gerald admits that he was with Eva Smith at the time he told Sheila he was away working. This was in March of 1911. One night in March, Gerald went to the Palace Variety Theatre after a long hard day, as he was bored. He didn’t find the show entertaining and went down into the stalls bar. The stalls bar is a favourite haunt of prostitutes looking for money. Gerald saw a lively, pretty girl in a corner of the bar being harassed by Joe Meggarty. It was Eva Smith. Gerald saw his chance and went for it. He got rid of Joe Meggarty and asked Eva if she wanted to go to the County Hotel which he knew would be quiet at that time. He talked to Eva and asked her some questions in a friendly fashion. Eva Smith had lost both parents and came from somewhere outside Brumley. She told Gerald about leaving the works after a strike and about the shop also although she didn’t say the names of either workplace or why she was sacked. Eva was quite hungry at the time and Gerald used his high authority to make the County Hotel get Eva Smith something to eat. Gerald and Eva agreed to meet again two days later. When Gerald and Eva met up again, Gerald found out Eva Smith didn’t have any money and because of this she was going to be chucked out of the back room she had. Gerald’s friend Charlie Brunswick had gone to Canada for six months and he gave Gerald a set of keys to a set of rooms of Charlie’s in Morgan Terrace. Gerald could use them if he wanted to. Gerald insisted that Eva move into the rooms and gave her some money to keep her going. Gerald claimed he didn’t want to make love to her and was only being a good citizen asking nothing in return. Gerald kept Eva as a mistress. In the first week of September 1911, Gerald ended the affair. Gerald was going to be away for several weeks on business and Eva knew it was coming to an end. Eva Smith took the news in a good way and didn’t blame Gerald at all. He had made her happier than she’d ever been. Gerald and Eva agreed that she moved out of the rooms and Gerald gave her a parting gift of money to last her until the end of the year. Eva wouldn’t talk about where she would go next but the Inspector said she went to a seaside place using information from her diary. Eva thought nothing as good would happen to her again and went to the seaside place to get some quiet and remember her time with Gerald.
Gerald seems quite distraught about the news of her death and is guilty about being involved with Eva Smith. He is unhappy and worried about his relationship with Sheila as she is now aware of his affair and gave back the engagement ring. Gerald may not be as ashamed as Sheila and Eric but certainly accepts his guilt unlike Mr. and Mrs. Birling. His relationship with Sheila was on the edge but Sheila was proud of Gerald for admitting what he did and she has gain admiration and trust for him. I feel Gerald has hardly any blame for the death of Eva Smith. He made her happy for quite a time and presented her with shelter and money. For once Eva was treated like a women and she accepted that Gerald had to break up the affair.
Eva Smith returned to Brumley from the seaside place she went to and was in the Palace Variety Theatre. She was in the stalls bar as someone had asked her to meet him or her there. When she was in the stalls bar she met someone. After that night Eva needed help, she went to the Brumley Women’s Charity Organisation. The Inspector asks Sybil Birling some questions.
Mrs. Birling does not recognise the name Eva Smith or Daisy Renton but recognises the photo. She is very arrogant towards the Inspector although the Inspector eventually gets information from her. Eva had been through some bad times and turned to Mrs. Birling for help in the spring of 1912, only two weeks before the play starts. Eva called herself Mrs. Birling upon meeting up with Sybil. This made Sybil angry and prejudiced Eva against her case. Sybil considered it very rude and impertinent. Eva pretended to Mrs. Birling that it happened to be the first name she could think of. Eva told Mrs. Birling that a husband had deserted her although Mrs. Birling claimed that Eva admitted to lying and said she wasn’t married nor had any claim to the name. It didn’t take Mrs. Birling long to get the truth out of her. Eva asked for assistance. The Charity Organisation looked carefully into the claims made to them and Mrs. Birling wasn’t satisfied with Eva Smiths claim so she used her influence to get Eva Smith’s claim refused.
After the Inspector has left, Mrs. Birling seems to have forgotten what Eric had said to her and backs what Mr. Birling says to Eric. Mrs. Birling seems unchanged by what has happened and seems heartless as if she has forgotten the immense emotions present at the time of her realisation. At this point she is gathering her pride and dignity by criticising the behaviour of others when confronted by the Inspector. I feel Mrs. Birling, like Mr. Birling is largely to blame for the death of Eva Smith. After everything Eva had gone through, she needed urgent help and was turned down by Mrs. Birling just for using the name Mrs. Birling.
Once Eva Smith was turned down any chance of help, she went to the Palace Variety Theatre. She met a man there who was prepared to use her sexual intercourse and only that. The Inspector hears the bang and gives a questioning glare to Eric.
One night in November 1911, Eric went down to the stalls bar in the Palace Variety Theatre. He was with a few friends and got quite drunk. Eric had caught sight of Eva Smith. He began talking to her and stood her a few drinks. Eva was a little drunk, mainly because she hadn’t eaten much that day. Eric wanted to go to Eva Smith’s lodgings but she refused although Eric got bit nasty as he was drunk and she was forced to let him in. When Eric was in the lodgings he made love to Eva Smith. Eric left and met Eva again a fortnight later although not by appointment. He just bumped into her again in the Palace bar. He had a good few drinks but not as many as before. Eric took Eva Smith home again but this time they talked a bit. Eva talked about herself and Eric told her about him also such as his name and what he did. They made love again but only through lust. There was no affection or romance present, just prostitution. Eric and Eva arranged to see each other again. When they met again Eva was quite sure that she was going to have a baby and they were both in a state about it. Eva didn’t want to marry Eric because she knew he didn’t love and he only used her for some fun. They decided to break it up. Eva Smith didn’t have a job so Eric offered her some money about fifty pound to keep her going. She accepted the money but later refused more. This was because she found out Eric had stolen the money. He stole the money from his father’s office. He did this by collecting some payments and keeping the money whilst putting receipts in the office. He intended to pay it back. Eric and Eva split up and never talked again. After being turned down by the charity she committed suicide only two hours before the play started.
After the Inspector leaves, Eric is still angry with his parents about Eva Smith and is quite ashamed with himself and his parents. He is more emotionally touched like Sheila unlike Mr. and Mrs. Birling. After his involvement with Eva Smith was revealed, he has become more mature and now sticks up for himself. He is made to feel guilty by his parents for stealing money although he hasn’t been punished or shamed for using a woman only for sexual intercourse. I feel Eric has a minor blame for the death of Eva Smith as he made her pregnant but Mrs. Birling could have resolved this problem.
After writing this essay I feel that the elder Birlings are most responsible for the death of Eva Smith. This is because they made matters worse when Eva encountered problems. Their fixed attitude towards society determined their behaviour when confronted by Eva Smith and her problems. When Eric made Eva pregnant, Mrs. Birling refused to give her any help. When Eva needed more money, Mr. Birling sacked her because he was greedy and wanted to keep any money for himself. Mr. Birling and Mrs. Birling have a combined blame because Mr. Birling started it all and Mrs. Birling would not solve the problem leading Eva to her suicide. Their anti-social behaviour caused a death just like World War One and Two. Priestley is saying that capitalist behaviour is a danger to our society and if it isn’t stopped, we will suffer the consequences. These consequences were death in war. This backs what Priestley is saying; we haven’t learnt anything.
