Characters Flashcards
What type of family are the Birlings?
Wealthy upper class family who enjoy the luxuries and social superiorty they have
Quotes suggesting Mr Birling is arrogant
“I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business”
“There isnt a chance of war”
“Titanic… absolutely unsinkable”
What does Mr Birling’s arrogance result in for the reader?
We lose trust in him from early on
What does Priestly exhibit Mr Birling as?
The living embodiment of the capitalist ideology
Mr Birling wears formal clothes
Reflection of capitalism
“Heavy looking” -Mr B
Greed
“Rather portentious looking” -Mr B
Tries hard to impress people
Pompous meaning
Self absorbed
“She’ll make you (Gerald) very happy” - Mr B
Values Sheila on her capacity to further the family company
What does Mr B value more than his own daughters happiness and engagement?
“Lower costs and higher prices”
Prospect of increased profit
“Id give thousands- yes, thousands” -Mr B
Wouldnt pay eva a few extra shillings but attempts to bribe inspector
What does Mrs B being “social superior” reveal?
She came from a higher class family than Mr B and he hasn’t always been rich upper class
“Community and all that nonsense”
Mr B very anti socialist and only cares about himself and his own wealth/status
“Girls of that class” - Mrs B
Thinks she is socially and morally superior
How does Mrs B cold and uncaring nature lead to her downfall?
She unkowingly condemns her own son
“Arthur you’re not supposed to say such things” - Mrs B
Thinks she is socially superior
“I dont know anything about this girl” - mrs b
Lying to cover her own back
“We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases” - mrs b
Facade to make her look good
“Gross impertinence” - mrs b
Eva tried to use her name
Classic snob
“She had only herself to blame” - mrs b
Unsympathetic/cold
“As if a girl of that sort would refuse money” - mrs b
Attitude to lower class
“I accept no blame for it at all” - mrs b
Responsibility
“Working together - for lower costs and higher prices” - mr b
Selfish capitalist
“There isn’t a chance of war” - mr b
Naive
Ironic
Dismissive
“I might find my way onto the next honours list” - mr b
Arrogance
Showing off
“As long as we behave ourselves” + dont “start a scandal” - mr b
Foreshadowing
“Man has to look after himself” - mr b
Shows capitalism
“I cant accept any responsibility” - mr b
Responsibility
“Ive got to cover this up as soon as i can” - mr b
Only thinks about their reputation
How did eric treat eva smith?
It is SUGGESTED that he raped her
Abused his power as upper class
“The fact remains that i did what i did” - eric
Ashamed and accepts responsibility
“Not quite at ease” - stage about eric
Clearly uncomfortable
“He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out” - eric
Willing to speak up
Not as capitalist as father
“In a way she treated me as if i were a kid” - eric
Patronised
“Just you keep out of this” - to eric
Patronised - not treated his age
“It isnt if you cant go and work somewhere else”
Empathetic
“Your not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble” - eric
Mr B isnt a good father
Feels unsupported
“I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty” - eric
Suggets he was abusive to her
“Now i really feel engaged” - sheila
Materialistic
“I think it was a mean thing to do” - sheila
Willing to speak up
“These girls arent cheap labour they’re people” - sheila
Socially aware
“Now i feel a lot worse” - sheila
Guilty
It doesnt much matter who it was who made us confess” - sheila
Learned her lesson
“You and i arent the same people who sat down to dinner here” - sheila
Matures through play
“I wish you hadnt told me” - sheila
Self centred
“Mummy” “daddy”
Young and naive
“Mother” - sheila
Matures
“I was sorry for her” - gerald
Good intentions
“Just the kind of son in law i always wanted” - mr b to gerald
Favoured by birling
“I did keep a girl last summer” - gerald
Unfaithful
“I hate those hard eyed dough faced women” - gerald
Disrepect to lower classes
“Im not going until i know all that happened” - inspector
Forceful
“We are members of one body” - inspector
Priestly’s voice
Socialism
“Theres no inspector goole on the police”
Enigmatic
“Dont stammer and yammer at me again man” - inspector
Not intimidated by class
“Each of you helped to kill her” - inspector
Accusatory
“We are members of one body” - inspector
Socialist
“We are responsible for each other” - inspector
Responsibility
“They will be taught in fire blood and anguish”
Links to bible and christianity
