Mr Birling Flashcards
Describe words mr Birling
Birling is a successful and ambitious business man:
His daughter’s marriage is like a business deal hoping it will bring “lower costs and higher prices”
He is optimistic and thinks strikes won’t be a problem for his company and dismisses any fear of war as “silly little war scares”
Dramatic irony
Foolish and short sighted
Undermines his authority
He won’t accept responsibility for the death of evacuees smith
He sees other people as “cheap labour”
2) Birling didn’t just refuse higher wages for his workers — he actively makes things worse for them. He personally fired the ringleaders of the sine
3) Birling is selfish and self-centred. He’d rather pass off the Inspectors visit as a “hoax” or a joke than face up to what he’s done.
Mr Birling is selfish show how
“A man has to make his own way”
“A man has to mind his own business and look after his own”
“A man has to mind his own business and look after himself”
Here, Mr Birling speaks in the third person in an attempt to create a philosophical element to his speech.
“It’s my duty to keep labour costs down.”
• The word “duty” suggests Birling sees it as a moral obligation to protect profits, not people.
• He equates responsibility with financial efficiency, showing how business owners like him prioritise money over human welfare.
Dehumanisation of Workers
• “Labour costs” is a cold, impersonal phrase. He doesn’t refer to his employees as people but as expenses.
• This shows how working-class individuals are objectified and undervalued.
Priestley’s Critique
• Priestley uses Birling to criticise the capitalist system, showing how it leads to exploitation.
• Birling’s attitude is directly linked to Eva’s downfall — by keeping costs down, he denies her a living wage.
“Probably a socialist or some sort of crank”
The noun “crank” is an attempt by Mr Birling to condemn socialism, however, Priestley’s use of dramatic irony causes the audience to oppose Mr Birling’s views and therefore sympathise with socialists.
“I can’t accept any responsibility.”
The use of the adverb “any” reveals Mr Birling’s complete lack of morality, as he believes sacking Eva Smith had no impact on her life, which drove her to suicide.
Birling’s refusal to accept responsibility highlights his individualistic and capitalist mindset.
The word “can’t” shows his belief that he is not to blame, as if it’s impossible for someone of his status to be responsible for someone like Eva Smith. It reflects arrogance and a lack of social awareness.
This links to Priestley’s criticism of capitalism—Birling represents those in power who exploit the working class but refuse to acknowledge the consequences of their actions. His refusal also contrasts with the Inspector’s message that “we are members of one body.”
“If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody…. it would be very awkward wouldn’t it?”
Priestley’s use of the adjective “awkward”, coupled with Mr Birling’s self-absorbed character reveals that an increased sense of responsibility for everyone would really only be “awkward” for him. This awkwardness extends to the class and ideology that he represents: capitalist middle-class.
“It’s one of the happiest nights of my life… your engagement to Shelia means a tremendous lot to me”
The selfish nature of Mr Birling is revealed by the use of the personal pronoun “me” and “my life”. The emphasis on Mr Biling’s own life is due to his own reputation and social status increasing after Sheila’s marriage to Gerald. In reality, it matters not whether Sheila and Gerald are happily married.
“(the Titanic is) unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
The certainty shown by Mr Birling’s repetition of
“unsinkable” demonstrates his poor judgement. This is due to the Titanic sinking,
Birling’s certainty is ironically wrong, and the repetition of “unsinkable” with “absolutely” intensifies his overconfidence. This makes the audience distrust his judgement, especially as he makes other false claims (like saying there’ll be no war).
By showing that Birling is wrong about something so huge, Priestley is mocking his belief in unchecked progress and capitalism. The Titanic, a symbol of human pride and class division, becomes a metaphor for the downfall of those who ignore the warnings of social responsibility.
“You’ll hear some people say that war is inevitable.
And to that I say - fiddlesticks!”
The use of the noun “fiddlesticks”, alongside Priestley’s use of dramatic irony causes Mr Birling to seem overwhelmingly confident in his arrogance. This is due to Britain entering WWl soon after 1912.
Birling dismisses the idea of war as nonsense, using the childish term “fiddlesticks” to mock those who disagree with him. The 1945 audience knows war did happen, making Birling’s confidence look naive and foolish. This shows how out of touch he is with reality, especially as he’s meant to be a respected businessman.
“Lower costs and higher prices”
The phrase perfectly encapsulates Birling’s capitalist values: making more profit by reducing expenses (often at the expense of workers like Eva Smith).
• “Lower costs” refers to cutting wages or reducing staff benefits, while “higher prices” implies exploiting consumers.
• It shows greed and lack of concern for people in pursuit of profit.
J.B. Priestley uses Birling to criticise the selfishness of business owners who prioritize profits over people.
“A man has to make his own way”
• Birling emphasizes self-reliance and the idea that success comes from personal effort.
• He believes people should focus on themselves and their immediate family—not wider society.
• This ideology justifies his lack of social responsibility, as seen when he sacks Eva Smith for asking for a raise.
Selfishness & Social Responsibility
• Priestley uses this line to criticise the selfish nature of capitalism.
• The idea of “making your own way” ignores community, fairness, and compassion, all of which are central to Priestley’s socialist message.
