Application Writing
To,
The Principal,
Tameer-e-Nau College,
Quetta.
Subject: Application for sick leave
Respected Sir,
With due respect, it is stated that I am a student of
grade 1st year at your college. I have not been feeling good since last
many days. My physician has advised me to take rest for three days.
Therefore, you are requested to grant me leave for 3
days (1st Dec 2025 to 3rd Dec 2025). I will be very thankful to you for
this favor.
Yours obediently
Salar Khan
Roll No 123
Date 2nd Dec 2025 Class 1st year
How Priestley Uses Eva Smith to Explore Different Attitudes
Toward Suicide
In An Inspector Calls, J.B. Priestley never allows Eva Smith to appear on stage, yet she is the emotional
centre of the play. Through the characters’ reactions to her death, Priestley presents a range of contrasting
attitudes towards suicide. These attitudes reveal not only the characters' moral values but also Priestley’s
wider critique of Edwardian society.
1. Sympathy and Social Responsibility: The Inspector’s Attitude
The Inspector treats Eva’s suicide with seriousness and dignity. He emphasises the human tragedy at the
heart of the event:
He repeatedly uses her name — “Eva Smith” and “Daisy Renton” — to remind the family that
she was a real person.
His description of her final suffering is graphic and deliberate, intended to shock the Birlings out
of complacency: “she died in misery and agony.”
Through the Inspector, Priestley presents suicide as the result of societal failure. It is not a “private” act
but a direct consequence of how people with power treat the vulnerable. The Inspector’s attitude reflects
Priestley’s socialist message: we are responsible for one another, and neglecting this responsibility can
lead to tragic outcomes.
2. Denial, Defensiveness, and Lack of Responsibility: Mr Birling’s Attitude
Mr Birling represents the most callous and dismissive attitude towards suicide.
He refers to Eva’s death as “wretched” but shows no genuine remorse.
He is more concerned about protecting his reputation and avoiding a scandal than
understanding why a girl would take her own life.
He tries to downplay his role by claiming her death had “nothing whatever to do with” him.
Through Mr Birling, Priestley exposes the cold, capitalist mindset that refuses to acknowledge systemic
injustice. For people like Birling, suicide is an inconvenience, not a moral wake-up call. Priestley
criticises this lack of humanity.
3. Guilt and Emotional Growth: Sheila’s Attitude
Sheila shows the most compassionate and self-aware reaction.
She is genuinely shocked by the idea that her actions might have pushed Eva towards suicide.
She recognises the chain of events that contributed to Eva’s despair: “I know I’m to blame — and
I’m desperately sorry.”
Sheila’s attitude reflects Priestley’s hope for the future: the younger generation is capable of empathy,
change, and accepting responsibility. Her reaction shows that understanding suicide involves
acknowledging how our behaviour affects others.
4. Romanticised Guilt and Self-Justification: Gerald Croft
Gerald’s reaction is more complicated.
He is upset because of his past emotional attachment to Daisy Renton.
However, he also softens the seriousness of her suicide by framing their relationship as something
that “made her happy for a time.”
This attitude shows how some privileged individuals selectively feel guilt: they care only when it impacts
them personally. Gerald’s reaction blends genuine regret with self-justification, which Priestley criticises
as another barrier to social responsibility.
5. Cold Pragmatism and Self-Preservation: Mrs Birling’s Attitude
Mrs Birling’s attitude is perhaps the most harsh and hypocritical.
She refuses to take responsibility for rejecting Eva’s plea for help.
She blames Eva entirely, calling her a “troublesome girl.”
She even claims Eva’s suicide was “a piece of gross impertinence,” showing zero emotional
understanding.
For Mrs Birling, suicide is not a tragic human event but a moral failure on Eva’s part. Priestley uses her to
expose the cruelty of upper-class moral judgement, especially towards poor women.
6. Shame and Personal Despair: Eric’s Attitude
Eric’s reaction is deeply emotional.
He recognises that his actions contributed significantly to Eva’s desperation.
His guilt is raw and immediate: “the fact remains that I did what I did.”
Eric’s attitude shows an understanding that suicide often results from accumulated mistreatment,
exploitation, and emotional distress. Priestley uses Eric to highlight the potential for young people to
learn from their mistakes — but also to reveal the devastating consequences of thoughtless behaviour.
Conclusion
Priestley uses Eva Smith’s suicide as the central moral event of the play. The characters’ reactions allow
him to explore a spectrum of attitudes:
Compassionate and socially responsible (Inspector, Sheila, Eric)
Self-serving, dismissive, and morally blind (Mr Birling, Mrs Birling)
Selective guilt and emotional complexity (Gerald)
Through these contrasting responses, Priestley shows that suicide is not simply a personal decision but a
symptom of a broken society lacking empathy, fairness, and responsibility. Ultimately, Eva Smith’s death
becomes a powerful tool for Priestley’s message: our actions affect others, and ignoring this truth can lead
to irreversible human tragedy.