LIT1 - AIC - Full quote analysis Flashcards

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1
Q

nice little promising life…nasty mess

A

emotive language to create sympathy in audience for Eva

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2
Q

(massively) Public men…have responsibilities as well as privileges

A

-Inspector reminds him of his duties towards others, belittling B.’s power

-massively - I. is showing omnipotence

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3
Q

(very deliberately) this girl was going to have a child

A

-creates remorse for Eva’s death
-information revealed quite late, I. strategically placed it to get a feeling of suspense and astonishment, similar to the photo, showing his omniscience

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4
Q

I shall do my duty (He looks at his watch)

A

-I. expects Eric to return, showing omniscience
-cleverly doesn’t reveal that he will be questioning and publicly shaming Eric, since Sybil doesn’t know this yet

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5
Q

(taking charge, masterfully) Stop! //they are suddenly quiet, staring at him//

A

-I. has a strong effect on the family, showing his omnipotence
-Mr Birling’s power pales in comparison

He belittles Mr Birling’s power

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6
Q

you can’t even say “I’m sorry, Eva Smith”

A

-I. attempts to induce the feeling of guilt
-shows them how their abuse of power affects other people, further enhancing the tension

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7
Q

their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness

A

-triplet of emotive nouns emphasises that all of the “millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths” have emotions regardless of their class/status
-Priestley’s message of how we should be mindful of each other, and treat others equally

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8
Q

We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other

A

-repetition of first person plural pronouns to highlight the idea of social responsibility
-reminds the Birlings of the need to support the wider community

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9
Q

if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish

A

-distances himself from “men” by using third person plural pronouns, idea of supernatural
-extreme triplet of nouns is a reference to war for post-WW2 audience, to say that they should reform before another war breaks out

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10
Q

just a knighthood, of course

A

B. boasts about status to impress Gerald and act like an aristocrat, in order to hide his provincial background

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11
Q

(rather impatiently) Yes, yes. Horrid business

A

sharp dismissal, as the death of a lower class girl doesn’t concern him

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12
Q

if you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth

A

-disrespect and sweeping generalisation of the proletariats
-shows his belief in class division and justifies his actions according to it

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13
Q

I’m not defending him. But you must understand…

A

-B. tries to defend Gerald’s unfaithful actions towards Eva
-this is for his own benefit, as he wants them to get engaged so he can merge his business with Crofts Ltd.

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14
Q

he was in one of his excitable queer moods, and even though we don’t need him here–

A

-rude to his own son, shows no remorse
-proves that he is a bad father, as said by Eric

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15
Q

you’ve been spoilt

A

B. can’t take responsibility of what he’s done to Eric, and simply blames it on not being grateful for his money

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16
Q

a socialist or some sort of crank

A

unpopular view, as B.’s views are usually associated with negative connotations

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17
Q

downright public scandal

A

only concerned about his status

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18
Q

they can’t even take a joke

A

-B. has not learnt his lesson, and neither has Sybil/Gerald
-considers the whole thing a “lot of moonshine”

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19
Q

when you’re married…you’ll have to get used to that, just as I had

A

-Sybil has accepted the gender stereotypes and inequality in Edwardian society, and is determined to not let them be undermined as it threatens her comfortable lifestyle
-emphasises how the older gen. were recalcitrant
-doesn’t try to defy it like Sheila

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20
Q

the things you girls pick up these days

A

-Sybil infantilises Sheila
-criticises her for saying “squiffy”, but not Eric’s guffaw - reference to gender stereotypes of women having to be polite all the time

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21
Q

I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sheila

A

Sybil talks in a superior tone to Sheila, showing her blatant ignorance and further infantilising of her

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22
Q

absurd business

A

Sybil continues to disregard the magnitude of the situation

23
Q

she had only herself to blame

A

-clearly shows her lack of acceptance of social responsibility, or even sympathy for what happened to Eva
-she justifies her beliefs because of their class difference

24
Q

claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd for a girl in her position

A

-advanced vocabulary in order to disguise her discrimination as being genuine and justified, as she is upper class
-sibilance used to imply Sybil’s evil intent
-deems the lower classes as untrustworthy and not genuine

25
Q

he ought to be dealt with very severely

A

-dramatic irony as Sybil doesn’t know it is her own son
-further emphasises her blatant ignorance

26
Q

But I didn’t know it was you…you don’t get drunk

A

-blatant ignorance/neglect towards her own son
-shows how she defends him only because it is Eric - she had assumed that the man was from a lower class due to his unfaithful nature, denoting her prejudice

27
Q

(shocked) You stole money?

A

-more shocked at him stealing money than the whole situation with Eva
-highlights her disregard for the lower classes, and her shallow personality

28
Q

(Mrs Birling has collapsed into a chair)

A

Priestley uses this to show the defeat of the older generation and the weakness of capitalist views

29
Q

in the morning they’ll be as amused as we are

A

-Priestley makes Sybil look ignorant, as she feels that others will treat the situation as a joke
-makes the recalcitrant older generation seem ignorant

30
Q

(politely) Absolutely first class

A

polite and flattering manner towards Birling

31
Q

They’d be all broke - if I know them

A

-ignorance and class prejudice
-assumes that the proletariats are irresponsible with money

32
Q

we’re respectable citizens and not criminals

A

-class complacent
-he has heard a confession already (Mr B.) but still considers the upper class to be morally good, showing his ignorance
-ironic as everyone has a role to play in Eva’s death

33
Q

[I: young women ought to be protected from unpleasant and disturbing things?]

G: If possible - yes

[I: Well, we know one young woman who wasn’t, don’t we?]

A

-suggests that Gerald believes women are incapable of dealing with unpleasant issues
-Inspector points out his class hypocrisy towards Eva, showing how Gerald is only saying this to make his supposed rescue of Eva seem heroic

34
Q

(breaks off) My God!…she’s dead

A

-lied initially, but now shows genuine distress
-shows that he has the potential to change

35
Q

nothing less than a cry for help

A

-makes himself seem heroic so that it is clear that his intentions were of good nature
-reiterates gender stereotypes (damsel in distress situation)

36
Q

nearly any man would’ve done

A

tries to defend his affair with Eva by saying it was because he is male, and not selfish, showing how he refuses to take responsibility for his actions

37
Q

(slowly) That man wasn’t a police officer

A

-purposefully tries to create tension, acts heroic again
-attempts to disprove the Inspector’s claims, showing how he hasn’t changed for the better

38
Q

[Sheila: you haven’t to know the rest of our crimes and idiocies]

G: That’s alright, I don’t want to

A

-short syntax, quick dismissal afterwards
-sums up the upper class attitude to the problems of the proletariats - they don’t care

39
Q

Everything’s all right now, Sheila

A

-implies that everything is back to normal and no one has done anything wrong
-he has not recognised his social responsibility

40
Q

(involuntarily) My God!

A

-innately moral actions show that he has genuine concerns for Eva
-the only one to show emotion, highlighting that he is the odd one out in the family

41
Q

Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?

A

-Priestley is keen to show Eric’s socialist views, and is liked by the audience
-infrequent questioning showing his wavering confidence, reflecting his initial presentation of being “half shy, half assertive”

42
Q

in that state when a chap easily turns nasty…threatened to make a row

A

-blames his state on the alcohol
-generalises his actions by saying “chap”, and struggles to take responsibility

-abuses his power as a man and his money to threaten Eva

43
Q

you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble

A

shows the neglect Eric receives, and reiterates the fact that B. is a bad father

44
Q

(nearly at breaking point)…you killed them both

A

-repetition of “you” creates accusatory tone

-furious at his ignorant mother for not helping Eva, and how it led to her killing a family member
-reminiscent of Mr B.’s advice - “to look after himself – and his family too.”

45
Q

(shouting) The girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her - and that’s what matters

A

-massively increased confidence, showing how much the Inspector has influenced him and his views
-he reminds his family what was most important about the interrogation

46
Q

You lot may be letting yourselves out nicely, but I can’t

A

-Eric accepts full responsibility for his actions, presenting him an an innately moral character
-shows a strong character development as he is not the same person who sat down for dinner that evening

47
Q

(puts ring on admiringly) Now I really feel engaged

A

-materialistic person at the start of the play (shows her capitalist side)
-when she returns the ring in Act 2, it shows her development and highlights the impact the Inspector had on her

48
Q

these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people

A

-socialist views
-pause used in order to focus on the second part, emphasising it to the audience

49
Q

it was my own fault

A

Sheila recognises her responsibility for her actions, showing her growing maturity

50
Q

(she looks at him almost in triumph. He looks crushed)

A

-connotes the crushing of capitalism towards the end of the play, and the growing power of the suffrage movement
-irregular situation due to the imbalance of the typical gender stereotypes of men being superior to women

51
Q

you mustn’t try to build up a kind of wall…Inspector will break it down

A

-metaphor shows how Sheila is aware of the social barrier between classes
-insightful and matured, as she understands the Inspector’s methods - shows how much he has had an impact on her

52
Q

[I: going to have a child]

S: (horrified) Oh - horrible - horrible!

A

-extremely distressed
-shows her genuine concern for Eva

53
Q

(bitterly) I suppose we’re all nice people now

A

adverb “bitterly” shows how he is no longer naïve, but transformed to be awake to the evils of Edwardian society

54
Q

between us we drove that girl to commit suicide

A

reminds the family of their actions, acting as Priestley’s second mouthpiece