aic gerald

Question 1

‘We’re respectable citizens and not criminals’

Answer 1

They self-glorify themselves and vilify the poor. he sees himself as without faults and sees the lower class as criminals

Question 2

‘Now listen, darling-‘

Answer 2

he tries to reason with sheila and antagonises her by calling her darling

Question 3

‘So - for God’s sake - don’t say anything to the inspector’

Answer 3

he does not understand the message of the inspector - is only concerned with his reputation

Question 4

‘Women of the town-‘

Answer 4

he immediately stereotypes. reveals his opinions about women and class

Question 5

‘I didn’t install her there so that I could make love to her’ ‘It wasn’t disgusting’

Answer 5

ironically the same woman whom he had earlier said was rightfully made jobless is also the same woman he then helped financially. he is conflicted however could be good.

Question 6

‘We’ve no proof it was the same photograph and therefore no proof it was the same girl’

Answer 6

he rejects the message - shows the younger generation still has a way to go. shows him to be flawed

Question 7

‘I don’t come into this suicide business.’

Answer 7

This is also a foreshadowing tool used by Priestley.

Question 7

‘I don’t come into this suicide business.’

Answer 7

This is also a foreshadowing tool used by Priestley.

Question 8

‘Sorry- I- well, I’ve suddenly realized- taken it in properly- that she’s dead-‘

Answer 8

fragmented sentences shows he’s truly affected by the death and actually cares a little

Question 9

what does gerald’s character represent

Answer 9

1. Priestley’s intended effect here is to attack the upper-class in Britain. Despite perfect outward appearance, this class of people are still capable of the opposite behaviour.
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2. Gerald represents the ways of ‘old money’ —​ how the upper classes maintain power. To the post-war audience, these capitalist principles of manipulating and deceiting, whilst smooth-talking and remaining respectable to avoid question, is damaging to society.
3. Blame for working-class deaths in war. Priestley wanted to make a point, given how as a soldier he experienced the upper class officers in World War 1 sending working class soldiers to their deaths. He saw these deaths as the result of incompetence and false sense of entitlement of senior ranks, very often upper-class.
4. He represents the selfish attitudes of the upper class.
5. And he lets the audience down; we had hope that he would change his attitudes, but he doesn’t. It conveys how ingrained these attitudes were in the upper class, and how difficult it was to change them.