Gerald and Eva Smith

Gerald Croft is the son of Sir George and Lady Croft, whose business is older and bigger than Mr Birling's. He is ‘an attractive chap about thirty’, ‘very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town’ (Act 1). He fits in perfectly with the Birlings and agrees with Mr Birling about business.

His parents don't come to the engagement dinner, which hints that the Crofts think the Birlings are beneath them socially. A marriage between the families would help Mr Birling's business and his status.

In 1911 Gerald met Eva, now calling herself Daisy Renton, in the bar of the Palace Variety Theatre. He rescued her from the unwanted attention of Alderman Meggarty, then let her live in a friend's empty flat and began an affair with her.

He describes her as ‘young and pretty and warm-hearted – and intensely grateful’ (Act 2). Gerald admits, ‘I didn't feel about her as she felt about me’ (Act 2), and he ended the affair when it suited him.

Gerald did show some kindness: he helped her when she was desperate, and he is genuinely upset by her death. But he also used his money and power over a young woman with nowhere else to go.

Gerald comes back having found out that there is no Inspector Goole in the police. He also suggests the family may have been shown photographs of different girls. Relieved, he offers Sheila the ring again: ‘Everything's all right now, Sheila’ (Act 3).

Sheila refuses it. Like the older Birlings, Gerald has learnt nothing.

Why Priestley uses him: Gerald is young, but he belongs to the upper class and sides with the older generation. Priestley suggests that class, not just age, decides whether people accept responsibility.

Eva Smith never appears on stage, but her life links every character. In order:

1. Mr Birling sacks her for striking.
2. Sheila has her sacked from Milwards.
3. She changes her name to Daisy Renton. Gerald makes her his mistress, then leaves her.
4. Eric makes her pregnant and gives her stolen money.
5. Mrs Birling's charity refuses to help her.
6. She dies after swallowing disinfectant, which ‘Burnt her inside out’ (Act 1).

The Inspector calls this ‘A chain of events’ (Act 1): each person's action made the next one worse. Her life is wrecked not by one terrible act but by many selfish ones.

Because Eva never appears, she can stand for many people. Smith is the most common surname in England, and the Inspector warns that there are ‘millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths’ (Act 3).

She represents the working class, who had low pay, no security and no help when things went wrong. She also represents women in 1912, who could not vote and depended on men for money and protection.