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Eva Smith In Mr. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

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Eva Smith is a subject of common debate amongst the readers of the play ‘An Inspector Calls’. Priestley is a strong socialist and his views are expressed by the portrayal of the character of the inspector as well as Eva Smith. The entire story revolves around Eva which makes her the protagonist in the play. From the moment her character is first introduced in the play to later as the story progresses and unfolds the story revolving round her makes her the most central character. Indeed, when the play is over and we read back over those first few scenes, her manifestation can be felt from the very beginning to the very end: from Gerald’s ambiguous maneuvers when reminded of his evasiveness ‘last summer’ to Birling’s enthusiasm for lower costs …show more content…

and Mrs. Birling are shown as foolish and filthy old members of society while Eric and Sheila are displayed as the change in the upcoming generation and are considered as the change the world required according to Priestley. Priestley is trying to show us the difference between the mindset of the younger generation and the older one. In the play, Eric and Sheila are presented as the younger generation while Mr. and Mrs. Birling are portraying the older generation. The younger generation in the play is shown to be capable of change and express sympathy for the strikers and Eva Smith in general, in act one. In the play, Sheila says “between us we drove that girl to commit suicide” Sheila knows that their whole family is responsible for the suicide of Eva Smith but the other family members don’t agree with her. The quote suggests that they were the reason she took her life as she was unhappy with what life had done to her and how inequitable life was for her. Throughout the inspector’s interrogation of the Birling family, we can see how Mr. and Mrs. Birling considered themselves innocent and were not responsible for her death.

Eva Smith and women, in general, were treated as dolls for men and their corrupt mind during the entirety of the play. Woman were all portrayed as simple and oppressed characters. Most women in the play were seen as possessions to their man and did not work or have careers due to the patriarchal

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