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The audience never actually meets Eva Smith and only hears about her from…
The audience never actually meets Eva Smith and only hears about her from other characters. What does Priestley achieve by this?
Full paragraphs
While Eva Smith represented the working class Daisy Renton represented how hard it was to change in society, Priestley's way of saying that although Mr Birling could go from a "provincial" background to potential knighthood ceremony it is not a easy process for everyone especially women.
The name Daisy implies a fresh start, as Eva is trying to "make [her] way in the world" but "Renton" is a metaphor implying the hard truth that she doesn't own anything- even her own body is rented.
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By using Eva's name to show the truth about working class life - Priestley shows the mostly upper and middle class audience that their belief that anyone can "make their way" up in the world is actually based off a few exceptions.
In this time, this was relevant because Priestley believed in trying to increase the equality between classes. Even between 1912 and 1946 this was reduced in terms of gender as a result of the war. Priestley utilises Eva as a construct to represent the opportunity that the UK had as a country to change especially after becoming a semi-socialist during the second world war.
Effect on audience
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As Eva represents the working class ("Eva"almost being Eve - as in the first woman- and "Smith" - being a common working class name) she represents how the whole class is treated
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As a result the treatment of Eva Smith is put under a harsh light because Mr Birling is seen as an unreliable narrator.
Mr Birling believes that the Titanic is "absolutely unsinkable" and that the only hint of war is "a few German officers talking nonsense" however the 1940s audience know he is wrong - making him look ignorant.
At the start of the play the audience are made prejudiced against Mr Birling with use of dramatic irony.
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Mr Birling reinforces this by saying that he seems to "remember the name from somewhere" but can clearly remember how he fired her.
Because the audience never meets her she is dehumanised and seen as a concept rather than a character.
This hows that he didn't care about her as a person and only saw her as a worker which is a very capitalist view and is juxtaposed by Sheila's point that "these girls aren't cheap labour, they're people" which is much more socialist.
Eva not appearing or having any lines in the play represents how people of her background were insignificant and had no voice.
Capitalism vs Socialism
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Eva never having any lines shows that she had no voice which mirrors how society at that time viewed people like her
Theme of responsibility
It shouldn't matter who the people are and if you know them or not. Everyone should be looked after.
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Eva suffers all of the consequences of the Birlings lack of responsibility and her never being seen represents the Birlings never seeing the consequences of their actions.
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