Mr Birling - Priestly AIMS Flashcards
What does priestly use Mr Birling as a symbol of?
Priestly uses Mr Birling as a symbol of the callous and heartlessness of capitalism. Through his character he is criticizing the complacency of capitalist prosperity.
Who does he represent
Mr Birling is representative of the older generation who were unwilling to change.
Write about how Mr Birling is presented as being a realistic character by Priestley.
Contrary to whom is represented by Sir Birling through his callous expressionism, he is shockingly presented as a realistic character (through his consistent use of colloquial language).
Furthermore, he was emphasized as being ‘panic stricken’ indicating that his defiance and bravado have finally been shattered. Through this, Priestley allows for the audience to see someone who is so blindly in the wrong and never truly in control of whats happening with him, at least not as much as he aimed. As such, the audience is capable of feeling a level of sympathy towards him.
