Mr Birling Flashcards
“all mixed up together like bees in a hive”
Bees are relatively equal, all working hard for the benefit of the hive. Priestley’s choice of the simile “like bees in a hive” conveys Mr Birling’s disdain towards socialism, he benefits from capitalism so much that he does not have to work particularly hard, and sits comfortably at the top of the hierarchy of ‘workers’. Socialism
would not benefit him because he would have to work harder. Priestley structures the play in a way that Birling’s capitalist ideology is immediately challenged, foreshadowing the play’s critique of his views. The metaphor of a “hive” implies that collective responsibility is essential for a functioning society, Priestly uses Mr Birling as a caricature of a wealthy business man to critique the selfishness of capitalism.
