Gerald Croft Flashcards
First impression and big ideas
Son of wealthy businessmen and croft family business more competitive and also bigger, older than Birling co
- individualism of UC
- Capitalism , selfish attitude
- failure to develop sense of social responsibility
“an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town,”
- “Rather too manly “ , overly concerned about fashion but content and confident in his own masculinity and he is a fashion socialite. Alternatively, phrase could have plural connotations. Perhaps Priestly is foreshadowing the unfaithful nature of Gerald as he literally goes about town, to place bar in search of women companions.
- Minor role at start, vague and neutral = audience to be ambivalent in feeling toward him
- Stage directions
- easy well-bred young man-about-town,” = idiomatic phrase
is it the one you wanted me to have? - Sheila to GC
The words ‘you wanted’ implies that not only is Gerald in control of their relationship, but he also controls Sheila’s mindset. The fact that she poses a question connotes to the reader that she adheres to not only Gerald’s preferences, but also her outlook on life, and the way in which the ruling class should conduct themselves within society.
The word ‘wanted’ creates a sense of ownership and entitlement- it is almost as though he has a right to make Sheila’s decisions for her, as her husband to be. This has been done intentionally by Priestley to represent the way in which women were treated during Edwardian England- their sole purpose was to merely support their husbands, but never by necessarily offering their own opinions or advice. This is why Sybil recognises that they must exit the dining room and ‘leave the men’ to discuss matters of importance. The fact that Gerald now has the ability to make decisions for Sheila perhaps implies that she has become nothing more than a possession that Gerald is free to manipulate as he pleases.
The fact that Gerald chose the ‘ring’ is equally symbolic of his dominance within the relationship. A ring is a symbol of not only love, but a covenant between two parties- it is supposed to be be emblematic of a mutual agreement between two people. Conversely, since Gerald had the final say on which ring he presents to Sheila as a supposed token of their love, this implies that their relationship isn’t reciprocal in nature, but is in fact controlled entirely by Gerald.
” After all, y’know, were respectable citizens and not criminals “
“criminals - suggest Gerald feels he and the Birling family should be immune, exempt from the Inspectors questions due to their social standings - uc entitlement
The wealthy seem to always believe that the lc are only capable of being criminals, committing mistakes
y’know, - Gerald assumes that everyone will recognise his power due to him being “respectable” . This assumption comes from his social status.
- juxtaposition
” I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced women “
reveals his superficial and sexist views, suggesting he judges women based on their appearance and associates negative qualities with them. Gerald’s comment reveals a shallow and judgmental attitude towards women, particularly those who don’t fit his perceived ideal of beauty or attractiveness.
“Hard-eyed”:
This phrase suggests Gerald views these women as cynical, jaded, and possibly hardened by life’s struggles.
“Dough-faced”:
This phrase implies Gerald finds the women’s faces unappealing, perhaps associating them with a lack of vitality or interest.
**Patronising and misogynistic **
- consistently excludes women from current situation as an attempt to oppressing women’s voices.
(distressed ) “ Sorry - I - well - I’ve suddenly realised - taken it in properly - that she’s dead “
Gerald Croft’s delayed and ultimately shallow reaction to the death of Eva Smith, highlighting his detachment and eventual responsibility.
Shallow Empathy: The use of “taken it in properly” suggests that Gerald is only now beginning to acknowledge the reality of Eva’s death, rather than feeling immediate remorse or understanding of the impact of his actions.
Detachment: The fact that Gerald’s realization comes so late, after the Inspector has already revealed a lot of information, suggests a certain detachment from the suffering of others and a focus on his own self-preservation.
Symbolism: The hyphens in the quote mirror Gerald’s internal struggle and the way he is struggling to process the information.
Contrasts with Sheila: Gerald’s delayed reaction contrasts with Sheila’s immediate, genuine remorse, highlighting the contrasting nature of the characters and their responses to the Inspector’s revelations.
” I suppose it was inevitable. She was young and pretty and warm hearted – and intensely
grateful. I became at once the most important person in her life “
- List of daisy’s qualities almost as a way to justify his actions
- adjective inevitable implies it wasn’t in his power to prevent their relationship
- “intensely “ adverb suggests how Gerald’s wealth allowed him to care for daisy and help him
” Everything’s all right now, Sheila. (Holds up the ring.) What about this ring ? “
reveal his superficiality and lack of genuine remorse, as he attempts to resume their relationship as if nothing has changed.
Surface-Level Thinking:
Gerald’s statement, “Everything’s alright now,” demonstrates a shallow understanding of the events and their impact, suggesting he prioritizes returning to normalcy over acknowledging the consequences of his actions.
Ignoring the Inspector’s Message:
The ring, offered again, symbolizes his desire to erase the past and resume his relationship with Sheila as if the Inspector’s visit and the revelation of Eva Smith’s story never happened.
