Mr Birling Flashcards
Mr Birling
Why is “port” important?
“Giving us the port, Edna?”
- Costly and associated with the wealthy in society.
- Serving good quality wine was key in demonstrating cultural capital and good taste.
- Instantly he is seen as someone who likes to show off.
Mr Birling
How does Birling try to impress Gerald?
- Name drops “Finchley” to show off upper class contacts.
- Gerald (son of Lord Croft) is Birling’s social superior.
- Imbalance of power; reduced to name dropping in attempt to endear himself to a family whose social position he personally aspires.
Mr Birling
How does Priestley present him as flawed, misled and pompous?
- Speech centres around his opinions on economic future of the country and failing of neighbouring nations.
- Repetition of “hard-headed businessman” and then “hard-headed practical man of business” shows his self-perception is based on views of himself in terms of work and money.
Mr Birling
Where are Mr Birling’s priorities?
Not with people or family but how much wealth he can accumulate through them.
-Shows lack of empathy for the people he exploits.
Mr Birling
How does he represent the ideology of Capitalism?
“a man has to make his own way - has to look after himself.”
-A system where business is privately owned for the sole purpose of making profit and to do this he has to “keep labour costs down”.
Mr Birling
Describe how dramatic irony is used to criticise Birling. (war)
“The Germans don’t want war”- two WWs in coming years.
- Regards war as “nonsense” and says “fiddlesticks!”
- Dismissive tone shows how confident he is.
Mr Birling
Describe how dramatic irony is used to criticise Birling. (titanic)
“The Titanic…….absolutely unsinkable”
-The audience have witnessed the sinking of the Titanic.
Mr Birling
Describe how dramatic irony is used to criticise Birling. (economic growth)
“And we’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity”
- Wall street crash in 1929. It took 25 years for the market and for people to recover.
- 1945 audience would still be suffering from its effects.
Mr Birling
What are the effects of the use of dramatic irony on the audience’s impression of Birling?
- Seems ill-informed and ridiculous.
- Audience thinks his views on the treatment of his employees and on business are just as incorrect.
- Opinions instantly devalued.
Mr Birling
What does Birling’s reaction to the truth about Eric tell the audience about him?
- After discoveries, most his dialogue with Eric is solely about recovering his lost money.
- Impact on business causes him consternation, not the death of his grandson or alcoholism of his son.
Mr Birling
What quote is used to show his lack of responsibility?
“There’s every excuse for what both your mother an I did.”
-Fails to learn Inspector’s and Priestley’s lesson about social responsibility -reinforces Inspector’s “young ones are more impressionable”.
