Gerald Quotes

Question 1

“Not if it was just after the holiday. They’d all be broke - if I know them” [in response to Mr Birling saying the strike didn’t last long]

Answer 1

Gerald takes on the prejudiced stance that the working class aren’t frugal, and are instead irresponsible with money. He lacks social awareness.

Question 2

“You couldn’t have done anything else’ [in response to Birling firing Eva]

Answer 2

Gerald believes that this was Mr Birling’s only option this shows how he supports the capitalist system. Rather than having a more compassionate attitude that even the leaders of the strike should have been reinstated as they too were economically dependent on these jobs he supports their dismissal. Shows his ignorance of the working class situations. Capitalist mindset.

Question 3

“I hadn’t set eyes on the girl for at least six months. I don’t come into this suicide business”

Answer 3

• not taking responsibility for his actions. Fails to acknowledge his part.
• dramatic irony in this statement with untended purpose to foreshadow the audience that each character has a person contribution to Eva’s suicide.
• Gerald is in denial over his actions driving someone to suicide unravels his hidden ignorant nature
• the shortness of the claim shows how Gerald disregards anything that seemingly doesn’t directly concern him. The short structure demonstrated that he has voiced his involvement + nothing else will be said on the matter, almost an instructive undertone.
• language is flippant + disrespectful of the situation, indicating his vast animosity towards the lower class

Question 4

“We can keep it from him” [when attempting to convince Sheila to conceal his knowledge of Daisy from the Inspector]

Answer 4

His natural instinct is for self preservation, yet here he seems to have realised that openness + honesty will serve him better in the afterlife

Question 5

“Old Joe Meggarty, half-drunk and goggle-eyed, had wedged her into a corner with that obscene fat carcass of his”

Answer 5

Alderman Meggarty is presumed to be a respectable gentleman due to his title. Gerald depicts the true nature of many of these supposedly respectable characters. Exposing men of the upper class and their entertainment of objectifying and using women for their own personal desires and pleasures

“Obscene fat carcass” gives Meggarty animalistic characteristics and “wedged her” suggests Eva was corned like prey, unable to escape.
- Gerald also uses predatory + dysphemistic language to divert the attention away from him

Question 6

“I think my father would agree to that too”

Answer 6

• Gerald shows how his families beliefs are similar to the Birling’s - capitalist views
• Gerald is a wealthy, affluent upper-class man with no social responsibility
• also shows the audience that although the is young his attitude is the same as the older generation

Question 7

“I suppose it was inevitable. She was using and pretty and warm-hearted and intensely grateful”

Answer 7

• only character who had ‘some affection for her’
• Gerald describes her character increasing the injustice the audience feels towards her death
• polysendetic list
• her suicide is all the most unjust as she is depicted as such a wholesome character. Tri-colon emphasises she has a future ‘young’ was attractive ‘pretty’. The phrase ‘warm-hearted’ stands her out from Sheila who’s young + pretty but not warm-hearted
• “inevitable” emphasises hoe the upper class use the lower class for their own personal gain.