English Literature Paper 1 quotes and moments Flashcards
MEMORISE THESE QUOTES AND MOMENTS
What does the Inspector interrupting Mr Birling during his speech to Eric and Gerald signify?
That socialism is overpowering capitalism by passing on their ideology to the younger generation, the ones who will absorb it all and use it to change the future
1 quote from Mr Birling during his speech to Eric and Gerald
“that a man has to mind his
own business and look after himself and his own”- the basics of capitalism
A quote from Mr Birling’s interrogation that shows he hasn’t learnt his lesson
“Still, I can’t accept any responsibility”- he is outright rejecting social responsibility and showing he hasn’t learnt his lesson
A quote from Mr Birling’s interrogation showing his disregard for Eva Smith
“we’ve several hundred young women there, y’know, and they keep
changing”- he saw Eva as just a means to an end, highlights the exploitation that goes on under capitalism
“wretched girl”- women are infantilised, she was a grown woman, not a girl
A quote from Mr Birling’s interrogation showing how Eric has started to internalise his father’s beliefs.
” And as you were saying, dad, a man has to look after himself-“ -shows that young people are the future of capitalism just as much as socialism
The Inspector’s stage directions
“massiveness, solidity and purposefulness”
“weightily”
A quote from the Inspector in Mr Birling’s interrogation highlighting the way that capitalists behave
“They might. But after all it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it”
A quote from the Inspector showing that he cannot be bought
“I don’t play golf, Mr Birling”- he doesn’t play into capitalist ideals and cultures, he is not swayed by anyone else’s opinion of him
A quote from Sheila’s interrogation showing her empathy
“But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people”
A quote from Sheila’s interrogation showing her remorse for her actions
“I felt rotten about it at the
time and now I feel a lot worse”
“And if I could
help her now, I would”.
A quote from Sheila’s interrogation that shows how gender expectations played a part in Eva being sacked.
“But she was very pretty”- Sheila is using Eva’s femininity as a reason to feel jealous, suggesting that in the patriarchy she felt powerless and unfeminine, so in order to deal with that she put somebody else down
A quote from Gerald’s interrogation from the Inspector that illustrates the importance of collective responsibility
if Sheila doesn’t stay : “then she’ll feel she’s entirely to blame, she’ll
be alone with her responsibility”
A quote from Gerald’s interrogation that implies a power imbalance between him and Eva
“I didn’t feel about her as she felt about me”
Mrs Birling undermining and infantilising Sheila and Eric
“He’s only a boy”
“Sheila, don’t talk nonsense”
“it would be much better if Sheila didn’t listen to this story at all”
“silly boy”
Continuously calls her a child
Mrs Birling- I did nothing I’m ashamed of
or that won’t bear investigation
