Desire and lust/Gerald Croft Flashcards
“she was pretty - soft brown hair and big dark eyes - [breaks off] My God!”
Priestley’s use of aposiopesis (abrupt break off in speech) comes directly after Gerald describes her beauty. Therefore, revealing that Gerald only felt attracted to Eva physically as he feels the greatest grief when remembering her physical beauty.
“A pretty girl in her early twenties” // “Looked young and fresh and charming”
Perhaps Gerald is simply marrying Sheila for her attractive physical appearance as she is “a pretty girl” and in her “early twenties” , while Gerald is “about thirty”. Priestley has already evidenced Gerald’s attraction to youth and appearance through his description of Eva and why he pursued her as she was “young and fresh and charming”.
“young and fresh and charming and altogether out of place down there”
Priestley incorporates a predatory description of Eva as there are connotations of desire and fertility from the adjective “fresh”, as Gerald views her sexually from the start. Priestley’s use of this adjective has plural connotations as Gerald views Eva like food - a possession.
“Women of the town”
Priestley uses euphemistic language to evidence Gerald’s determination to conceal his use of prostitutes as “women of the town” .
“I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced women”
Priestley evidences this familiarity through Gerald’s vivid description of prostitutes as “I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced women”. This opinion of prostitutes is one that can only come from experience, rather than a one off or chance occurrence.
