Mr Birling Flashcards
‘Birling is a heavy looking, rather portentous man.’ (p.1)
The use of the term ‘heavy looking’ could suggest that Mr. Birling possesses a significant amount of weight, drawing attention to his wealth and ability to afford abundant food. The reference to him being ‘rather portentous’ emphasizes his deliberate attempts to appear overly serious and important, indicating his preoccupation with impressing others and maintaining a favorable image and reputation.
‘…in his middle-fifties with fairly easy manners but provincial in his speech.’ (p.1)
Explicitly mentioning Mr. Birling’s age serves as an indicator of his position within the older generation. Additionally, describing him as ‘provincial in his speech’ serves as a reminder to the audience that he comes from new money rather than an aristocratic background, as his dialect reveals his upbringing.
‘…perhaps we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together – for lower costs and higher prices.’ (p.4)
Mr Birling seizes the chance to connect his congratulations to business matters. He perceives this union as a financial advantage for himself and, consequently, his family, as it transforms a competitor into an ally through marriage.
• The phrase ‘for lower costs and higher prices’ encapsulates the capitalist ideology, focused on amassing immense wealth. Mr. Birling’s primary goal is to maximize his profits, and he does not view moral considerations as obstacles in this pursuit
“The titanic […] unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable” – Page 7
The titanic may represent his view of his family, as he believes they are untouchable. This may also foreshadow that things will not got to plan for Mr Birling, as the selfish behaviour of his family is exposed. The repetition of
“unsinkable” demonstrates his false sense of overconfidence. This is an example of dramatic irony, as the audience is already aware that the titanic sunk.
“have him in and get it over..”
Here Mr birling attempts to assert his power by telling the inspector what he should do
“What’s the matter with that child”
This highlights the gap in the younger and older generation as Sheila does not share the same capitalistic views as Mr Birling and he does not like it
“And what I was going to say was that I … is being dragged into this —“
This statement can be interpreted in two ways. The first interpretation suggests that Mr. Birling is attempting to shield his daughter and protect her from potential harm. In this view, his actions may be driven by genuine concern for her well-being.
The second interpretation posits that Mr. Birling is using the idea of protecting his daughter as a disguise to safeguard his own reputation. In this perspective, his actions may be seen as self-serving, with the appearance of being protective merely serving as a cover-up for his true motivations, which are focused on maintaining a favorable public image.
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can”
his first instinct is to cover up the issue rather than address it since the only thing that is important is his social status and if this gets out into the public it can cause a “scandal” which would be detrimental for his reputation.
“(Angrily) don’t talk to me like that, Your trouble is – you’ve been spoilt”
The use of the stage direction “angrily” reflects Birling’s lack of responsibility as he violently deflects the accusation onto the younger generation. The accusative phrase - “you’ve been spoilt” is ironic as Birling is blinded by his own faults and is dangerously unaware of his own flaws.
“By jingo! A fake!
Mr. Birling eagerly embraces the idea of pretending as if nothing had happened because it would prevent any public scandal from arising, which was his primary concern. In this state, he can protect his reputation and avoid any negative consequences or judgments from the public.
“We needn’t bother him with all that stuff”
Birling addresses Gerald as a respected member of the upper class. This fixation on social status is apparent throughout the play and is Birling’s most detrimental flaw. The common noun “stuff” demonstrates Birling’s active dismissal of the situation, due to his preoccupation with class and power.
