Gerald Croft Quotes Flashcards
Gerald Responsibility Quote (Know)
“Where did you get the idea that I did know her?”
Gerald’s guilt is demonstrated through his immediate defensive tone as he questions the Inspector “where did you get the idea that I did know her”. This allows Gerald to gage how much the Inspector knows and therefore adapt his story to be consistent with the Inspector’s knowledge.
Gerald Responsibility Quote 2 (Taken)
“Sorry - I-well, I’ve suddenly realised - taken it in properly-that she’s dead”
Gerald’s delayed reaction to her death is diluted with hyphens as this stammered and staggered speech reveals the overwhelming sadness he feels. Priestley reveals the internal conflict within Gerald, between his natural emotional reaction and his attempt to suppress any (feminene) emotion that he shows, as he has to remain masculine in a patriarchal society.
Gerald Responsibility Quote 3 (said)
“Leave after a strike” //
“Said something about the shop too”
Gerald remembers that Eva had to “leave after a strike” and
“said something about the shop too” and therefore confirms the story of Mr Birling and Sheila. Therefore, Gerald knows that Eva is the same person, yet he later suggests that
“there’s still no proof it was really the same girl’. Here, Gerald is trying to excuse his own behaviour and also convince himself that he is innocent, through breaking the
“chain of events” and therefore implying that his actions did not lead to a suicide.
Gerald Responsibility Quote 4 (justified)
“Yes I think you were (justified in getting Eva sacked” //
“you couldn’t have done anything else”
On the one hand, Gerald’s support for Mr Birling’s convictions, is necessary for Gerald to uphold good relations with his future father-in-law and therefore he aligns himself with Mr Birling’s views.
However, it seems more likely that this is Gerald’s legitimate belief as he will inherit the Croft family business and thus is a true capitalist at heart.
Gerald Responsibility Quote 5 (happy)
“He at least had some affection for her and made her happy for a time”
The Inspector notes that Gerald’s kindness towards Eva separates him from the rest of the characters as “he at least had some affection for her and made her happy for a time”. Yet, the help that he provided to Eva was in his own interest as he admits that he must have been a “wonderful fairy prince” to Eva.
Gerald Likeable Appearance Quote
“[rather too manly to be dandy]”
Priestley describes Gerald in the stage directions as “rather too manly to be dandy”, suggesting that he his very much content and confident in his own masculinity.
Gerald Likeable Appearance Quote 2
“leasy well-bred young man-about-t own]”
Priestley describes Gerald in the stage directions as “easy well-bred young man-about-town”. This idiomatic phrase suggests that Gerald is a fashionable socialite. Alternatively, this phrase could have plural connotations; perhaps, Priestley is foreshadowing the unfaithful nature of Gerald, as he literally goes about-town and into the Palace bar in the search of female companions.
Gerald Capitalism Quote
“I insisted, I made her take some money”
These are both monetary exchanges, rather than financial aid. Therefore, Gerald is disgusing prostitution as charity.
Priestley’s use of imperatives bears connotations of power and force; Gerald was always in power and in control.
Gerald Desire and Lust Quote
“she was pretty - soft brown hair and big dark eyes - [breaks off]
My God!”
Priestley’s use of aposiopesis (abrupt break off in speech) comes directly after Gerald describes her beauty. Therefore, revealing that Gerald only felt attracted to Eva physically as he feels the greatest grief when remembering her physical beauty.
Gerald Desire and Lust Quote 2
In her early twenties” //
“Looked young and fresh and charming”
“A pretty girl Perhaps Gerald is simply marrying Sheila for her attractive
physical appearance as she is “a pretty girl’ and in her “early twenties”
“, while Gerald is “about thirty”. Priestley has already evidenced Gerald’s attraction to youth and appearance through his description of Eva and why he pursued her as she was “young and fresh and charming”.
Gerald Desire and Lust Quote 3
“young and fresh and charming and altogether out of place down there”
Priestley incorporates a predatory description of Eva as there are connotations of desire and fertility from the adjective
“fresh”
‘, as Gerald views her sexually from the start.
Priestley’s use of this adjective has plural connotations as
Gerald views Eva like food - a possession
Gerald Desire and Lust Quote 4
“Women of the town” “I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced woman”
Priestley uses euphemistic language to evidence Gerald’s determination to conceal his use of prostitutes as “women of the town” Priestley evidences this familiarity through Gerald’s vivid description of prostitutes as “I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced women”. This opinion of prostitutes is one that can only come from experience, rather than a one off or chance occurrence.
Gerald Class Quote 1
“It wasn’t disgusting”
Gerald refutes Mrs Birling’s remark about his relationship with Eva being disgusting. Priestley does this to, perhaps, separate Gerald from the older-generation of characters and their traditional classist views.
Gerald Class Quote 2
“Knew it couldn’t last”
It wasn’t Gerald’s ending of funding that impacted Eva, but rather the end of a caring and intimate relationship, which pushed her over the edge and onto suicide as this hurt her emotionally. This sudden ending of their relationship is evidenced through Gerald dropping Eva like a possession as she “knew it couldn’t last”, due to her lower-class origins.
