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- Obsessive compulsive. Cleans when distressed 'polishing madly' when the scene become tense in Act One; Scene 1. Shows her like for cleanliness and routine. Dislikes dirt 'The whitewash has been stripped away and underneath is pure filth'. Broken glass is symbolic of Kristallnacht -The night of the broken glass. 'A chipped glass is ruined forever'
- Over cautious. Offers Faith two tea pots as 'One might break'
- Motherly. wants the best for Faith. 'What I want is irrelevant. This is your life, Faith'. When talking about Faith leaving home. Tragic Irony as Eva was never given the chance to make a decision about whether or not she wanted to leave, she was simply sent away.
- Dislikes uncertainty. This could be derived from her continuous uncertainty as a child as to whether or not her Mother would return for her 'I want you to make a mature and reliable decision. An adult decision. This continual vacillation is not helpful to either of us', 'You've made a commitment to moving in to that place. Stick by it'
- Polite, even as a child 'I musn't stare at that cross eyed boy'. Well brought up which she tries to instill in Faith 'I didn't bring you up to speak as if your mouth were filled with sewage'
- Paranoid 'You think I'm paranoid too, do you?' 'I do at the moment'
- Stubborn. Eva refuses to take of jewellery when she is leaving to be evacuated 'I'm not taking it off' 'Give it me. I'll take it home' I'm not taking it off'
- Bitter. 'Did I start the war? Am I Hitler?' 'You may as well have been'. Resentful towards all who have made difficult decisions in her life; perhaps she wanted to be involved in the decisions but was never given the choice? 'Part of me is dead because of you'
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- Protagonist of the play. We meet Eva as a young child and the play ends with her as an adult. Juxtaposition during the play allows us to see her past. We see Eva's childhood from 9 until 17. Eva's adult scenes run over the course of a day.
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- We meet Eva as a young child at 9 years old being prepared to leave home by her Mother Helga. Helga is teaching Eva to sew buttons on to her coat as 'You have to be able to manage on your own' - Use of tragic irony. She in fact manged all too well and no longer needs her mother 'is it really what you wanted?'
- In act once, scene one we sense that Eva and Helga are soon going to be separated as Helga has given Eva a coat which is too big as 'it's to last next winter too'.
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- Mother to Faith
- Divorced from Faith's father 'Dad sent me another cheque', 'It's probably still leftovers from her Dad going'
- Domesticated 'She carried a tea towel'. Has a large collection of household goods and kitchen utensils- We know this as she offers Faith a great deal of them to leave home with.
- Very English. 'Would cups and saucers be of any use?' Offers tea during tense situations. typically a very British thing to do. stark contrast to her German-Jewish heritage.
- Terrified of the ratcatcher. he is ever present in Evelyn's life and although he is never seen he frightens her. His presence is felt in the form of a book, shadows and music. The play opens and closes with the presence of the ratcatcher creating a cyclical feeling of being trapped much as Evelyn does.
- Smokes when stressed 'Beside her is an ashtray containing a large number of cigarette stubs', 'I thought you'd given up?' 'I have'
- Scared of figures of authority 'I'll call the fire brigade if I have to...' 'No!'
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