eva smith

• Eva Smith is a universal symbol of oppression, representing the suffering of the lower classes and the victim of a patriarchal society and class inequality in early 20th Century Britain
• Eva symbolizes the need for a welfare state and demonstrates the consequences of careless individualism and capitalist attitudes
• Priestley uses the name "Eva" as a reference to Eve from the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden, symbolizing all humanity, especially women and those living in poverty
• Eva's surname "Smith" symbolizes the common people of Britain, with the Inspector's message that "there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths" representing the forgotten or ignored individuals in society
• Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton, reflecting her need to change her life direction to survive in a hostile society, leading to her descent into prostitution against her moral principles
• Eva's death by suicide serves as a necessary indicator of the consequences of the characters' immoral actions, highlighting the impact of individualism and capitalist attitudes
• Eva's suicide with disinfectant is a deliberate act, symbolizing cleansing and purification due to the sexual abuse and exploitation she endured, with Priestley using shocking imagery to associate her death with hell
• Priestley uses graphic language to describe Eva's death to awaken the privileged upper class audience to the suffering of the working classes and to inflict guilt upon the characters for their actions
• Eva's identity is never revealed to symbolize the oppressed working class people, encouraging the audience to reflect on their own actions and the impact of class inequality and capitalism
• Priestley allows each member of the Birling family to describe their involvement with Eva, symbolizing the control the upper classes have over the working class
• Priestley's play explores the parallels between Sheila and Eva to show that a woman's life progression depends on the family she is born into
• Sheila's upper-class life contrasts with Eva's lower-class suffering, emphasizing the impact of social class on their experiences
• Eva and Sheila are similar in physical descriptions, but their lives diverge due to their class differences
• The audience is led to believe that class determines Sheila's easy life and Eva's constant suffering, highlighting the divisive nature of social class
• Eva's treatment by male characters reflects the patriarchal society of the time, where she is seen as a tool for fulfilling their desires
• Eva, a working-class woman, is exploited and abused by various male characters in the play
• Gerald's possessive treatment of Eva as his mistress is explored, showing how he views her as an object of desire
• Gerald's relationship with Eva is portrayed as superficial, driven by his lustful desires and objectification of her
• Eva's relationship with Gerald is seen as a form of exploitation, where Gerald's actions are self-serving
• Despite some temporary benefits Eva receives from Gerald, their relationship is ultimately exploitative and based on Gerald's convenience
• Gerald's emotional reaction to Eva's death reveals guilt and remorse, indicating a deeper connection than mere exploitation
• Eva is depicted as a victim of capitalist attitudes held by the upper classes, suffering due to her working-class status
• Eva's firing for asking for a living wage exemplifies the exploitation and lack of protection for workers in a capitalist society
• Mr. Birling's selfishness and disregard for Eva's well-being are highlighted through his actions and responses to her situation
• Priestley uses Eva's character to critique the capitalist system and the exploitation of the working class
• Eva is a victim of society's prejudice and individualism, portrayed as a victim of patriarchal society's classist prejudice and lack of social responsibility
• Priestley uses Eva as a vehicle for exposing the harmful individualism of capitalism
• Eva is essentially killed by capitalism within the play, demonstrating the fatal consequences of living by such an ideology in Britain
• Eva is objectified in the play, with her value based on physical appearance rather than personality
• Gerald dehumanises Eva, referring to her as "the girl", erasing her individual identity, showing he doesn't recognize her as an individual
• Transactional language is used by Gerald when describing his relationship with Eva, reflecting the capitalist corruption of human relationships
• In a patriarchal society, women have little value or rights, being seen as transactional pieces owned by their father, then by their husband
• Eva is portrayed as a victim of gender prejudice and patriarchal values, highlighting her as the most oppressed demographic in society
• Eva's relationship with Eric was not consensual, as he confesses she didn't want him to go in, showing her powerlessness to prevent him
• Eva is used by Priestley as a symbol to highlight the overt hypocrisy of the upper classes in their treatment of the lower classes
• Priestley uses Eva to expose the impact of individualism, forcing the characters to realize their actions have consequences and criticizing individualism
• Eva serves as the Inspector's evidence, demonstrating the need for taking responsibility and exposing the dangers of the class system
• Priestley uses Eva to exhibit the failure of a capitalist society in providing for the working class majority, rather than just the elite few
• Eva is used to dismiss contemporary beliefs concerning the causes of poverty, countering the negative stereotype of the lower classes as merely the result of poor morals and laziness
• Priestley aims to counter the negative stereotype of the lower classes, challenging the belief that poverty was solely due to poor morals and laziness