Mr Birling Flashcards
What does the titanic comment symbolise
“The titanic…unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
This represents his own family- he believes they are untouchable but the inspector is the reason the ‘ship sinks’
Another interpretation is Mr Birling believes his views and what he says is completely correct however in this he’s seen to be completely wrong and therefore shows how he doesn’t understand anything about the real world and will only believe what benefits bim
How does priestly present Birling as a callous and heartless capitalist man(3)
“I’m talking as a hard headed business man”
How can a “man (has to) make his own way” if he’s being paid low “keep labour costs down”- capitalist ideology
“Probably a socialist”
How does Mr Birling change by the end of the play
His language becomes more colloquial “y’know” conveying his authority is breaking down
He is described as “panic stricken” indicting his defiance and bravado have finally been shattered and shows how blindly wrong he is.
How does Mr Birling not take responsibility (3)
“There’s every excuse for what your mother and I did”
He often used “I” but changed to “we” so he doesn’t take his own responsibility and shifts Blame
Quotes for Mr B seeing himself better then the younger gen
“But what do many of you don’t seem to understand”
Mr B seeing himself better than the other classes
“As if we were all mixed up together r like bees in a hive-community and all that nonsense”
Mr B doesn’t respect women
“Edna’ll awnser it” and then “we’ll join the ladies. That’ll stop me giving good advice
Mr B is ignorant to his sons behaviour
“You, you don’t know what some of these boys are getting up to nowadays”
