Mr Birling (AIC) Flashcards
Act 1 quote on responsibility?
“As it happened 18 months ago, nearly two years ago- obviously it has nothing to do with the wretched girl’s suicide”
- He’s iggnorant and illogical. “Obviously” shows arrogance and defensiveness.
- He doesn’t show remorse reflecting the stubbornness of the older generation. Doesnt let them think he’s responsible
- Apostrophe on girl’s shows the suicide had nothing to do with him. Macrabe matters were possesions of working class
Act 3 quote on responsibility?
“(Jovially) But the whole thing’s different now”
- “Jovially” depict an unorthadox emotion for a play concerned with the matter of suicide. Mr Birling’s so self absorbed to operate in his own realm. He is apathetic
Act 3 Quote on younger vs older generation?
“Now look at the pair of them- the famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke”
- His callousness is apparent through both his acerbic tone and to dismiss suicide. And exploits working class as a “joke”
- He ridicules his own children which is ironic who he thinks he “knows it all” with his sources of “unsinkable” and “silly liitle war scares”. JB younger generation to reject beleifs of parents
Act 2 quote on younger vs older generation?
“What’s the matter with that child”
- Dismissive noun “child” is used to regard Sheila’s beleifs as immature and unimportant
- Pronoun “that” used to expel himself from responsibility when she exhibitstes socialist beleifs. He is strongly repulsed he will reject his own child
Act 1 quote on captilism vs socialism?
“As if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense”
- zoomorphism to portray principles of socialism as animalistic,absurd and unacheivable
- idiomatic noun “nonsense” used to depict Mr Birling’s arrogance and ignorance as he is dismissive with anything he doesn’t agree with
2nd Act 1 quote on capitilism vs socialism?
“We may look foward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but working together for lower costs and higher prices”
- He sees Sheila and Geralds marriage as a financial transaction as this is all that matters to him
- It is selfish disregard for his daughter
- exposes his exploitive nature as he takes advantage of worker and customer. He is overly self absorbed
Act 1 quote 3rd Capitilism vs Socialism?
“Heard headed practical man of business”
- Political allusion of Sir Stanley who accused “Heard faced men” of profiting on wars. Mr Birling represents the businessmen who callously too advantage of the suffering of war for financial gain
- Alliteraitive “h” on “heard-headed” sounds aggressive , used to assert status and power
Act 3 quote on guilt?
“There”ll be a public scandle… and who here will suffer for that morethan I will?”
- Use of question is an attempt for Mr Birling to evoke pity and sympathy from his family. Exposes hypocrisy as exhibited no synpathy for Eva
- Verb “suffer” is hyperbolic and melodramatic, making him self-centred
- He is uncapable of guilt as he is preoccupied of “public” reprucussions. “Public” is used to show how intertwined wealth and reputaion were
Gender Act 2 quotes?
“A young unmarried girl is being drang into this”
- His care for his daughter is ironic as we know he exploits Sheila for social and financial gain through marriage. We see insincerity as he doesn’t care for a young girl suiciding
Act 1 quote on gender?
“Not only something to make ‘em look prettier - but - well, a sort of sign or token of their self respect”
- Mr Birling is a mouthpeice for steryotypical woman. He says clothes have a deeper meaning to woman. He collectivises woman like he doesn’t see them as individuals
- Womans sole purpose is to look “prettier”
- colloquial language “em” and “sort of” shows how he didn’t take woman seriously as he speaks about them with offhand.
Act 2 quote on gender?
“Is there any reason why my wife should answer questions from you,inspector?”
- possesive pronoun “my” is establishing control to elevate himself. Rhetorical question emphasises Birling as patrionising as he is immediately resorting to aggression and disrespect to win the social battle.
