mr birling quotes Flashcards
“All mixed together like bees in a hive”
Mr Birling is treating this idea of supporting everyone equally as sort of laughable. “Mixed” is explaining it like socialists just want everyone to live in a world with zero structure but equal money.
“Fiddlesticks, the Germans don’t want war.
Mr Birling is saying this before either world war but as we know 2 years after the play is set WW1 happens and this use of dramatic irony is good device to show the ignorance of the capitalists. “Fiddlesticks” is a fairly dismissive word treating this idea of war as a completely ridiculous notion even with all the evidence.
“Unsinkable absolutely unsinkable”
This is Mr Birling talking about the titanic. This is using dramatic irony as the audience in the 1940’s would have known about the titanic sinking and this shows his complete ignorance as he only knows from the rumours that it’s unsinkable as he wouldn’t have had any talks with the working class people who made the titanic. He is too sure of himself.
“Just a Knighthood of course”
Mr Birling showing off to Gerald, a man in a family of old money. The adverb “just” shows off how he is either very ignorant of the importance of a knighthood as he sees it as completely deserved and like it is nothing special OR he is throwing it in nonchalantly as a way of impressing Gerald.
“Isn’t a chance of war!”
Another showing of dramatic irony as he is treating the situation of war happening soon as preposterous and it’s a direct answer, Mr Birling doesn’t doubt himself whatsoever.
“they’d soon be asking for the earth”
This is very ignorant and shows Mr Birling and many capitalist’s complete lack of self awareness as they have already taken the world by force and they are complaining about people asking for it.
“A man has to mind his own business and look after himself.”
Just shows the selfishness of capitalism.
“In 1940- you might be having a little party like this”
In 1940, WW2 is happening so they will probably be locked up in a bunker whilst their city house is being destroyed along with their expensive dining room. This is another showing of Dramatic irony.
“Sheila, run along.”
“run along” is something you’d probably say to a child when some adults are trying to talk about stuff that is too complicated for a child to understand or not suitable for them. But of course Sheila isn’t a child she’s in her early twenties and Eric is the same and he stays in there. This shows Mr Birlings thoughts on women and how he has the same misogynistic outlook of most men at the time.
“Young unmarried girl has been dragged into this”
This shows Mr Birlings thoughts on women again and how he feels a woman can’t handle such things in general and how he feels that the only way they can is if they have a husband to support them.
“Be quiet Sheila”
Mr Birling showing his ideas of women and how he commands them in this quote.
“There’ll be a public scandal”
Only cares about his image even after being told he was partly to blame for the death of someone.
“Look inspector - I’d give thousands”
He is willing to give the inspector thousands as a bribe to uphold his image after the fact but he refused to give a few extra shillings to prevent the issue.
