Mr Birling Flashcards
Key Ideas: Mr Birling
Mr Birling’s dominant position within a static society (poor stay poor and rich stay rich) is portrayed through:
His patriarchal (male dominated society) role as owner of Birling and Co. which only employs young women at extortionately low wages.
His marriage to Mrs Birling (Sybil), who accepts her own domination by Mr Birling. This is a reflection of Mr Birling’s control over his household; she is often ordered to sit in the “drawing room”, while men talk.
His indifference to his daughter’s (Shelia) concerns regarding Gerald’s alleged affair as this could compromise the economic relationship between the Croft business and his own.
Birling Start
- “Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
Repetition portrays the confidence and pride of the higher class. Dramatic irony creates his impression of arrogance in his experience.
- “a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own”
Capitalistic viewpoint through the personal possessive pronouns his and own.
- “ community and all that nonsense.”
Dismissing community as nonsense. Collective “all” suggests criticism or all socialistic and new ideologies of the time.
Birling Middle
- “Be quiet Sheila”
Imperative tone, short sentence, ordering his child and daughter, patriarchal undertone.
- “If you’d had any sense of loyalty—“
Direct address reprimanding Birling. He is offended by Sheila’s change from adhering to Birlings expectations.
- “Look, Inspector — I’d give thousands — yes, thousands —“
Instant change from unhappy, uncomfortable and violent tone to a more pleasant, charming tone. Typical bribery of upper class. Hesitance suggests intense discomfort yet necessity.
Birling End
- “I’ve got to cover this up as soon as soon as I can”
Tone of necessity yet relief is evident through imperative of ‘got to’. Birling’s worry over his reputation before a human life suggests selfishness. - ‘We’ve been had, that’s all.’
Nonchalant dismissal of previous events and family’s confessions.
- ‘The famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke.’
Comical tone plus generational mocking and divide. Joke is a very morbid interpretation of the past events, very sick.
