Who, in your opinion, is the most responsible for the death of Eva Smith? I think Mrs Birling the most responsible for Eva Smiths death because she is very prejudice towards lower class women. This is shown when she says very dismissively about Eva “Girls of that class”, she also does not belie that a lower class woman would not take stolen money. This prejudice side of her made it very hard to relate to Eva and help her. I think Mrs Birling is responsible for Eva Smiths death because she has only sees what she wants to see in people.She tries to deny things that she doesn't want to believe: Eric's drinking, Gerald's affair with Eva, and the fact that a working class girl would refuse money even if it was stolen, claiming "She was giving herself ridiculous airs. " This made her not want to help Eva or accept responsibility for her death.
She does not accept responsibility for anything she causes and is very cold and unforgiving when she refuses Eva help. She has the least respect for the Inspector of all the characters.She tries unsuccessfully to intimidate him and force him to leave, then lies to him when she claims that she does not recognise the photograph that he shows her. This portrays her as snob as she believes she is above the police inspector Goole and above anyone and is allowed to do as she pleases.
I think Mrs Birling is the most responsible of the Birling’s (and Gerald) for the death of Eva Smith because she simply was too self-righteous and “above everyone” in her view which made her refuses help to a woman trying to protect Eric identity as the father whch after the help was refused drove her to suicide.
