Mr Birling - Quotes Flashcards
Act One: A phrase to describe Mr. Birling
‘(heavy-looking, rather portentous man)’
Act One: Mr. Birling thinks that he knows everything because he has his own business
‘I speak as a hard-headed business man’
Act One: What Mr. Birling thinks about the Germans
‘The Germans don’t want war’
Act One: What Mr. Birling thinks about war
‘I say there isn’t a chance of war’
Act One: Mr. Birling thinks that he knows everything and Eric knows nothing
‘You’ve a lot to learn yet’ (about Eric)
Act One: What Mr. Birling thinks about the Titanic
‘Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’
Act One: Mr. Birling is used to being nagged by his wife, but he still over rules what she says, even though she is his social superior
‘Yes, my dear, I know - I’m talking too much’
Act One: This quote from Mr. Birling foreshadows what is about to happen
‘There’s a very good chance of a knighthood - so long as we behave ourselves’
Act One: This shows Mr. Birling’s capitalist views about how you should live your life
‘A man has to make his own way’
Act One: Mr Birling’s views on community
‘Community and all that nonsense’
Act One: Mr Birling thinks that you should keep yourself to yourself and not get involved with other people’s business
‘A man has to mind his own business and look after himself’
Act One: Mr Birling appears to be very unsympathetic about Eva
‘Wretched girl’s suicide’
Act One: Mr. Birling refuses to take any blame for what has happened
‘I can’t accept any responsibility’
Act Two: Mr. Birling makes excuses for Gerald’s bad behaviour because Sheila marrying Gerald would be good for Mr. Birling’s business
‘But you must understand that a lot of young men-‘
Act Two: IG tries to put Mr. Birling in his place, saying how public men have more than just good luck
‘Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges’ (IG)
Act Two: All Mr. Birling cares about is how other people view him and how this will affect his social ranking
‘When this comes out at the inquest’
Act Three: Mr. Birling does not seem to have very honourable friends
‘I hate these fat old tarts round the town - the ones I see some of your respectable friends with-‘ (Eric)
Act Three: Mr. Birling does not want people finding out about what he has done
‘I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can’
Act Three: Mr. Birling is not a very fatherly figure for Eric
‘Because you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble’ (Eric)
Act Three: Mr. Birling blames Eric for being spoiled even though it is clearly Mr. and Mrs. Birling’s fault
‘Your trouble is - you’ve been spoiled-‘
Act Three: Mr. Birling thinks that Sheila is always over reacting
‘You hysterical young fool’ (about Sheila)
Act Three: Mr. Birling blames his son rather than taking the responsibility for himself - he would rather see anyone else be ruined than go down himself
‘You’re the one I blame for this’ (about Eric)
Act Three: Mr. Birling doesn’t care that someone has died and only cares that he will lose his social ranking
‘There’ll be a public scandal’ ‘I was almost certain for a knighthood’
Act Three: Mr. Birling defends him and his wife’s actions
‘There’s every excuse for what your mother and I did’
Act Three: This quotation makes Mr. Birling sound very selfish
‘Who will suffer from this more than I will?’
Act Three: Mr. Birling thinks that anyone that isn’t a capitalist is wrong
‘Probably a socialist or some sort of crank’
Act Three: Mr. Birling doesn’t understand that the point isn’t whether or not IG is real
‘It makes all the difference [that IG isn’t real]’
Act Three: Mr. Birling thinks that now they have realised IG wasn’t real everything can go back to normal
‘You’d better ask Gerald for that ring you gave back to him’
