AIC Mr Birling Flashcards
the engagement speech
‘the world’s developing so fast that it’ll make war impossible’
- opposite effect- JB Priestley argues capitalism (aka development) caused war, not made it impossible- uses Mr Birling to show the opposite of his views
the engagement speech
‘in a year or two we have aeroplanes that will be able to go anywhere ‘
‘auto-mobiles’ ‘ships’ are ‘making headway’
- They do! But are used in war as weapons and transport – Priestley uses a mix of true and incorrect information to emphasise Mr Birling’s inaccuracy and stupidity
Capitalism profited from war and widened class divide
the engagement speech
‘unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’
the engagement speech
‘silly, little war scares’
the engagement speech
‘peace and prosperity and rapid progress’
- no peace - more society divide by the end of the war so less prosperity for most
- on the whole more poverty/rationing/death rate - any progress is caused by war
the engagement speech
‘we cant let these Bernard Shaws and H.G. Wellses do all talking’
the engagement speech
..except in Russia, which is always behind
- communist and the first place where the play was shown
the engagement speech
‘hardheaded practical man of business’ ‘we’ve had experience’
- hardheaded has anegative connotation, suggests that a person is resistant to change, unreasonable and unyielding. It implies stubbornness and a lack flexibility as Mr Birling does not change his views by the end of the play.
- the fact that he has experience in business shows the audience that he
the engagement speech
MR BIRLING: ‘as long as we don’t get ourselves into police court or start a scandal’
GERALD: ‘you seem to be a nice well behaved family’
MR BIRLING: ‘we think we are’
the engagement speech
‘clothes mean something quite different to a woman. Not just something to wear or make ‘em look prettier- but- well, a sort of sign or token of their self-respect’
