Mrs Birling

Question 1

All Mrs Birling Quotes

Answer 1

• “Girls of that class” (Act 2)
• “I won’t believe it” (Act 2)
• “Sheila! What an expression! Really,the things you girls pick up these days!” (Act 1)
• “[distressed] No- Eric- please- I didn’t know- I didn’t understand-“ (Act 3)

Question 2

“Girls of that class” (Act 2)

Answer 2

• Dismisses lower class as inferior
• Collective noun has connotations of feebleness and immaturity and belittles lower class

Question 3

“I won’t believe it” (Act 2)

Answer 3

• Incapable of adressing her own or family wrongdoing
• Deliberate choice extending from selective belief

Question 4

“Sheila! What an expression! Really,the things you girls pick up these days!” (Act 1)

Answer 4

• Exposes superficially driven code of conduct
• Reinforces separation between newer ways of thinking

Question 5

“[distressed] No- Eric- please- I didn’t know- I didn’t understand-“ (Act 3)

Answer 5

• Highlights how subjective welfare organisations are set to fail
• Stage direction shows being unfamiliar in social scrutiny