Gender

Question 1

‘Men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You’ll have to get used to that, just as I had’

Answer 1

• ‘Just as I had’ - ‘just’ creates the sense that Mrs Birling thinks it’s a part of life, that it’s fine while ‘as I had’ passes on the generational expectations to her daughter, keeping the gender stereotypes going

Question 2

‘She was a lively, good-looing girl - country-bred’

Answer 2

• One of the first things Mr Birling notices about Eva is her looks, showing how little women were valued for any other qualities