The Suicide of Eva Smith in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley The play "An Inspector Calls", was written by J.B. Priestly in 1945, following the end of World War II. It is set in 1912, two weeks before the Titanic set sail, and two years before World War I began. It was a time of political unrest. The working class were attempting to gain higher wages, and in places they couldn't, strikes occurred. A strike had just taken place in a local factory, owned by Arthur Birling, after demanding raised wages. This strike takes place just after the holidays, when the women had little or no money left, so they couldn't afford to abscond from work for long. When they went back to work, the ringleaders were fired. This is where the play begins. Gerald Croft is the son of the respectable Lord and Lady Croft, who own the well established manufacturing company Crofts Limited. He is in his early thirties. He has been well raised, and has impeccable manners. He had just become engaged to Sheila Birling, the daughter of Arthur Birling, who owns a rival company called Birling and Companies. Eric Birling is the son of Sybil Birling, a woman of the landed class, and Arthur Birling, a man who has worked his way up from being one of the lower-class, to one of importance in his town. Eric is in his late twenties to early thirties. He has also been raised well, has recently completed university, and has now joined his fathers company of Birling and Companies. Gerald is the third person to influence Eva Smith's life, after Arthur and Sheila Birling. It was March 1911, and Eva Smith, who Gerald knew as Daisy Renton, was in the Palace Bar, as was Gera... ... middle of paper ... ...myself in the mirror, I caught a sight of her smiling at the assistant and I was furious with her. I had been in a bad temper anyhow." In my opinion I believe that Mr Birling was most to blame for Eva Smith's death. This is because I feel if he had not of been such an egoist or thought so much of himself and his business, then he would not have felt such a need to sack Eva and many other girls. I think he comes across as quite stubborn. This shows quite clearly whilst he discusses the change of pay for the girls that go on strike. If he had not have been like this then Eva would not have gone through all that she did. He is set in his ways, and that it is survival of the fittest. Mr Birling sacked her, which left her with nothing. It was the catalyst that started off the tragedy that ended with Eva Smith's death.
On June 7th 2008, Sarah May Ward was arrested for the murder of Eli Westlake after she ran him over in a motor vehicle in St. Leonards. Prior to the incident the offender had been driving the wrong way down Christine Lane which was a one way street. Whilst this was occurring she was intoxicated, under the influence of marijuana, valium, and ecstasy and was unlicensed to drive. The victim and his brother who were also intoxicated, where walking down the lane and where nearly hit by the offender. This prompted the victim to throw cheese balls at the car and make a few sarcastic remarks regarding her driving ability. After a brief confrontation between the two parties the victim and his brother turned away and proceeded to walk down Lithgow Street. The offender followed the victim into the street and drove into him while he was crossing a driveway.
Eva and his son Eric is annoyed by this. He seems to be a very hard
she needed more money. So she said to him give me 25/6 because of that
Priestley’s Main Aim in An Inspector Calls JB Priestly wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ to enhance the message that ‘we don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other’. This is something Priestly felt strongly about and he succeeded in representing his views through the character of the Inspector in the play itself. He wanted to communicate the message that our actions, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, always affect others.
especially for a woman. Even if a woman did get a job they would get
they have done even know they do not lead her to her suicide. But a
member of the family to admit to the fact she did wrong and is willing
upon so many levels. On the surface it is a simple tale of how one man
Birlings, as they find out that they have all played a part in a young
World War I, also referred to as the Great War, was global conflict among the greatest Western powers and beyond. From 1914-1918, this turf war swept across rivaling nations, intensifying oppositions and battling until victory was declared. World War I was immediately triggered by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, however several long-term causes also contributed. The growing development of militarism, the eruption of powerful alliances, as well as the spread of imperialism, and a deepening sense of nationalism, significantly promoted to the outbreak of the Great War.
family, but it must not be 'cosy’ or homely. The lighting is to be a
Also, he was telling her what to do. He wanted her to sit around at home and not work and it was no conducive to her plans.
to Eva Smith two years down the line, after he sacked her. As he said
On April 30, 1907, an idea was born out of the minds of Bruce Ismay and William James Pirrie to build an unsinkable ship: the Titanic. A company, Harland and Wolff, out of Belfast, Ireland were commissioned to build this miraculous ship (United States). The company made quick work, and within a few days short of five years, the Titanic was then ready to set sail from its location in Belfast to Southampton, England. On April 10, 1912, the Titanic left for Southampton and arrived within the next 24 hours. There were 2,223 passengers consisting of immigrants to millionaires on board preparing to set sail for New York hoping to find their way to a better life (United States). The Titanic gave many people a chance to start a new life in America,
Written in 1947, J.B. Priestley's didactic murder-mystery, An Inspector Calls, accentuates the fraudulent Edwardian era in which the play was set. Britain in 1912 was inordinately different to Britain in 1947, where a country annihilated by war was determined to right the wrongs of a society before them. In 1912 Britain was at the height of Edwardian society, known as the "Golden Age". A quarter of the globe was coloured red, denoting the vast and powerful Empire and all Britons, no matter what class they belonged to were proud to be British - the "best nation in the world".