The Diary of Eva Smith
Eva's letter
The Inspector tells Mr. Birling that Eva Smith/Daisy Renton “left a letter…and a sort of diary”. The letter could be to her nearest relative or to Gerald Croft. Write - as you imagine Eva would have done - the letter and diary entries (between 1910 and 1912) for the key events in her life, from her starting to work for Birling & Co. to her suicide.
Year and month What happens
September 1910 Eva sacked by Birling & Co.
December 1910 Eva employed by Milwards.
Late January 1911 Eva sacked by Milwards.
March 1911 Eva becomes Gerald's mistress.
Early September 1911 Gerald breaks off the affair.
Eva leaves Brumley for two months.
November 1911 Eric meets Eva.
December 1911/January 1912 Eva finds she is pregnant.
Late March 1912 Mrs. Birling turns down Eva's application for help.
Early April 1912 Eva's suicide/the Inspector calls*
(*Dated by Titanic's maiden voyage.) The diary is also mentioned on pages 179 and 193 (Penguin edition).
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Eva's life - the media version
Suppose that Eva's diary is discovered by a journalist who decides to present an item on her suicide for a Brumley newspaper, or for a local radio or TV broadcast (this is strictly anachronistic but could be done as a modern retrospective account). In a newspaper this could be a single report, or a series over several days (as comments are made by the Birlings, Gerald Croft and their solicitors). A broadcast account would perhaps take longer to prepare - but might still be inaccurate.
Remember that not all of the people involved would tell the truth (or the whole truth) about what happened. Try to obtain interviews/comments from some of the characters in the play and others, such as:
Eva's work-mates at Birling & Co. or Milwards; the “woman” who wanted Eva to go to the Palace bar (clearly a kind of agent for Brumley's prostitutes), neighbours in her lodgings, and so on.
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Who is to blame?
Who is to blame for Eva's death? Consider how each of the
The Inspector tells Mr. Birling that Eva Smith/Daisy Renton “left a letter…and a sort of diary”. The letter could be to her nearest relative or to Gerald Croft. Write - as you imagine Eva would have done - the letter and diary entries (between 1910 and 1912) for the key events in her life, from her starting to work for Birling & Co. to her suicide.
Year and month What happens
September 1910 Eva sacked by Birling & Co.
December 1910 Eva employed by Milwards.
Late January 1911 Eva sacked by Milwards.
March 1911 Eva becomes Gerald's mistress.
Early September 1911 Gerald breaks off the affair.
Eva leaves Brumley for two months.
November 1911 Eric meets Eva.
December 1911/January 1912 Eva finds she is pregnant.
Late March 1912 Mrs. Birling turns down Eva's application for help.
Early April 1912 Eva's suicide/the Inspector calls*
(*Dated by Titanic's maiden voyage.) The diary is also mentioned on pages 179 and 193 (Penguin edition).
Back to top
Eva's life - the media version
Suppose that Eva's diary is discovered by a journalist who decides to present an item on her suicide for a Brumley newspaper, or for a local radio or TV broadcast (this is strictly anachronistic but could be done as a modern retrospective account). In a newspaper this could be a single report, or a series over several days (as comments are made by the Birlings, Gerald Croft and their solicitors). A broadcast account would perhaps take longer to prepare - but might still be inaccurate.
Remember that not all of the people involved would tell the truth (or the whole truth) about what happened. Try to obtain interviews/comments from some of the characters in the play and others, such as:
Eva's work-mates at Birling & Co. or Milwards; the “woman” who wanted Eva to go to the Palace bar (clearly a kind of agent for Brumley's prostitutes), neighbours in her lodgings, and so on.
Back to top
Who is to blame?
Who is to blame for Eva's death? Consider how each of the