Key Quotes/ Character Profile For Sybil Birling Flashcards
Who is Sybil Birling ?
She’s Arthur’s wife. She is obsessed with her etiquette and her status in society. Form the 19th century.
She is also ….
Sybil is also prejudiced against working class people. Superficial - judging at one sight and is also very arrogant
What’s etiquette???
Is a set of rules about social behaviour. What’s acceptable and what’s not.
We know that Mrs Birling has a strong sets of belief about people’s social status, which makes her prejudice. What does this show ?
This shows she’s proud of her social status.
She it traditional …
“ when you’re married you’ll realises ….”
She is proud….
“ I was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him”
She is also prejudiced…..
“ as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money”
And finally she’s cruel. ….
“Are use my influences to have it refuse”
Sybil Birling is from a higher social status family than Arthur Birling . Even though Arthur’s head of the family. This shows she is …
“ social superior “
When does she show off that she is of higher social status?
She warns the inspector that “ you have no power to make me change my mind”. And also reminds her family to have manners
Mrs Birling lives by strict standards……
Has social standards make a prejudiced against people from lower class. she thinks that they have lower standards and can’t imagine her son being involved with “women of that sort “
Sybil support a charity - but she’s nit very charitable
She only supports those with “ deserving cases”
“ deserving cases” show a theme. Which is …
Social responsibility - this is because the word “deserving” was traditionally uses to distinguish between the poor who physical can’t help themselves and undeserving who shouldn’t be helped
By then end of the play sybil doesn’t change
She won’t accept responsibility for her action - “ I accept no blame for it!
She doesn’t learn from the inspector’s message only regrets not having “asked him a few questions “
