“ In the place of these young women counting their pennies”

• Analysis 


  This quotation underscores the economic and moral hardship faced by women like Eva Smith. The Inspector emphasizes “pennies” and “counting” to highlight the inadequacy of her wages and the desperation of her survival. Priestley deliberately chooses a female victim to explore gender inequality and place the play within a feminist context. Women in 1912 lacked political power, yet his predominantly female 1945 audience had gained the vote and wartime experience. Through Eva, Priestley urges them to fight systemic oppression and ensure a better future.
• Alternative interpretation

  Eva’s story critiques a capitalist system that commodifies women, reducing their worth to the “pennies” they earn. Her descent into prostitution dramatises the moral compromise forced by exploitation. Priestley uses Eva to represent intersectional oppression, highlighting how gender and class inequalities intersect. For his female 1945 audience, Eva’s tragedy is a reminder of past injustices and a call to use their political power to create change.Symbolically, Eva represents Eve the "original woman" connecting her plight to universal struggles inspiring progress.
• Themes 


  Gender Inequality

  Priestley highlights systemic oppression of women in 1912 through Eva’s moral and physical suffering. Her struggles symbolize the limitations of a patriarchal society, urging the 1945 audience, especially women who had gained the vote and wartime independence, to drive feminist reform and suffrage.

  Class Inequality

  Eva’s desperation to survive on “pennies” critiques capitalism’s neglect of human dignity. Her turn to prostitution underscores the lack of choice for the impoverished, urging collective responsibility to address class inequality.
• Writers intention 


  To Inspire Feminist Change

  Priestley presents Eva as a symbol of pre-suffrage oppression, encouraging his 1945 audience to use their newfound power to achieve gender equality. Her connection to “Eve” emphasizes the universal nature of women’s struggles.

  To Advocate for Social Responsibility

  Through Eva’s tragic story, Priestley critiques capitalist and patriarchal systems, calling for empathy and action to create a fairer, more compassionate society.