Gerald Flashcards
‘You seem to be a nice well-behaved family’
L = verb ‘seem’ - appear nice. Irony = they don’t behave well to Eva Smith C= appearances and reputation important in Edwardian society; reality is concealed from public
‘They’d be all broke – if I know them’
C= reflects class prejudice that WC are irresponsible with money. In fact is the Birlings and Gerald who are irresponsible. L =WC treated as collective ‘Other’ – pronoun ‘they’ – not as individuals. Supports Mr B’s capitalist views
‘I don’t come into this suicide business…we can keep it from him’
L = euphemism ‘business’ wants to distance himself emotionally. C = wants to conceal affair from Inspector/public. Reputation more important than honesty
‘she knew it couldn’t last’
R = creates pathos. Daisy has learnt that happiness is something she cannot expect in her life as a WC girl.
C= class difference means their relationship cannot last in a highly stratified Edwardian society; it would be considered scandalous; turn a blind eye to mistresses – hypocrisy/double standards
‘I’m rather more-upset-by this business than I probably appear to be’
L = hyphens – broken syntax – indicate his genuine emotional distress but this does not last and he learns no lesson from his abuse of power over Daisy and does not change as a person.
Everything’s all right now, Sheila. What about this ring
Unlike S and E, G has not changed as a character and he has learnt no moral lesson that has changed his view of how he treats the WC or those with less power and wealth than him. C = he assumes S will accept his proposal as it is a good business match regardless of his infidelity. Reflects expectations of women in Edwardian society
‘It’s a hoax…we’ve been had’
Gerald is the character who introduces the mystery that the Inspector is not on the police force. Who is he? R = audience dramatically engaged by this mystery. G. forms his theory that the girl they each encountered was not the same and there may be no suicide
‘the girl…gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help’
L = metaphorical language makes Gerald seem as if he is Daisy’s saviour who is nobly rescuing her from prostitution. In fact, he is exploiting her vulnerability as a poor woman to keep her as his mistress, an abuse of power and wealth C = reflects UMC abuse of power over WC
