Mr Birling Flashcards
“(somewhat impatiently) Look- there’s nothing mysterious- or scandalous- about this business- at least not as far as i’m concerned.”
“somewhat impatiently” suggests he is losing patience with the Inspector as he is not used to? doesn’t like being the less powerful one in the relationship.
the dashes imply that he is under pressure- he knows that he is responsible but will lie in order to protect his own business.
“I’m concerned” -represents his selfishness in tough situations
“a man has to make his own way- has to look after himself- and his family too.”
“man”
- misogynistic and patriarchal
- repetition of male pronouns
- focus on gender shows that he believes women aren’t powerful enough
“own”
- doesn’t like to depend on others
- selfish and capitalist mindset
the dash shows he had to remind himself that his family are also important
- “too” suggests that he puts himself before his family
- selfish and self-centred
“You’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we’re all mixed up together like bees in a hive.”
“you’d think”
- extremely sarcastic tone
- mocking the idea of social responsibility
- coming across as very narrow-minded
- links to the quote “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
- priestley revealing the stubborness and parochial attitudes of upper-class men in 1912
simile “bees in a hive”
- comparing community to a beehive
- doesn’t like dependance
- bees are irritating, mindless
- hive is cramped, claustrophobic, stifling, can’t breathe
- no freedom or liberty
- no space for individuality
- ironic-he sees disadvantaged people having more rights as something so negative
- once again reminding us of his selfishness
- only cares about not losing out
“not only something to make ‘em look prettier, but- well, a sort of sign or token of their self-respect.”
-arrogantly talking about women’s business as if he has a deep understanding of it.
“‘em”
- abbreviation is dismissive and degrading
- stereotyping women whilst fighting for men’s individuality (juxtaposition and irony)
“token”
- sinister undertone
- insinuating a women’s clothing is what deems her as worthy
- highlights the class-divide; women who didn’t have the privilege of obtaining fancy clothing were much more vulnerable
- misogynistic
- sounds like something you would put on a dog- women are similar to pets or dolls
- mr priestley is appealing to his generation of female audience members and is recognising the ster
“they wanted the rates raised so that they could average about 25 shillings a week. I refused, of course,”
“of course”
- treating life-changing matters for working class people as something that could easily be dismissed
- he is a capitalist that wants to keep the workers desperate and poor so he becomes more powerful and more rich
- miserly
“unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
- dramatic irony, the titanic did sink
- Priestley is making them look arrogant
- highlights the arrogance of wealthy men in 1912
- emphasises and mocks narrow-mindedness, society must progress
-repetition shows stubborness
