Gerald CRILD Poster 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.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.
