mrs birling

Question 1

describe the first impressions of mrs birling:

Answer 1

• ‘about fifty, rather cold woman’, perceived as oxymoron at time. women supposed to be loving, maternal, emotional. reveals her unsympathetic and individualistic nature. her husband’s ‘social superior’.
• represents selfish nature of the upper
  classes, their privileges, and their
  prejudices.
• perceives working class as inferior.
• inequality between men and women shown in her reluctance to challenge husband. knows her place. it was convention for women to go into the drawing room after dinner, allowing men to remain in the dining room, discussing news and politics. mrs birling need not be commanded to leave, she initiates their exit as she announces it’s time for her and sheila to ‘leave you men’.
• committed to maintaining status quo. becomes complicit in her own oppression and she inflicts it upon herself and her daughter.
• perceives displays of emotion as a sign of weakness. attempts to silence and dismiss sheila, ‘you’re behaving like a hysterical child’. the concept of hysteria has historically been used to control women and prevent them from acquiring positions of power.
• Sheila’s newfound socialist views are opposed by mrs birling and she uses hysteria to dismiss her as delusional - she does not have a satisfactory counter argument.

Question 2

describe the final impressions of mrs birling:

Answer 2

• mrs and birling are static characters, beliefs unchanged. she cares deeply about others’ perception of her.
• ‘i did my duty’ in denying eva aid, due to
  lack of evidence in story.
• her idea of ‘duty’ is limited to a capitalist
  social duty of keeping the rich rich and
  poor poor. neglects moral duty to
  assist those who need help.
• image conscious. eva’s use of ‘birling’ surname was embarrassing for mrs. felt disgusted by being associated with lower class.
• contrasts birling - his ‘social superior’
  aware of how family should appear.
• admonishes him, he isn’t ‘supposed to
  say such things’ after he acknowledged
  the staff. mrs wants to maintain an image
  of ignoring working class.
• mrs deliberately misuses upper class, privilege - immoral. implies source of poverty is greed and immorality of upper classes.
• eva wouldn’t accept eric’s money, so
  needed help from charity, mrs birling
  ironically calls her greedy. her avarice is
  much stronger than working class’s
  avarice.
• mrs refuses to help eva. moral
  predicament. legitimate aid source
  prejudiced against, poor cannot afford to
  choose where money comes from.

Question 3

how is it shown that wealth and class don’t bring happiness to the upper classes?

Answer 3

• discontented and constantly paranoid of reputation being tarnished. exposes class system as toxic and spreads discontent amongst all.
• birlings’ wealth doesn’t bring happiness
  but paranoia and insecurity. their home is
  ‘heavily comfortable’ but not ‘cosy or
  homelike’.
• birling is never content with current
  status, wealth because believes must
  prove wealth, success due to provincial
  origins. mrs is greedy for wealth as
  marries birling for his money.

Question 4

describe mrs birling’s relationship with sheila:

Answer 4

• at first, sheila is a victim of mrs birling’s influence. influenced by mother’s formal vocab - both use ‘impertinent’ when describing sheila.
• towards end, sheila rejects use of adjective, ‘such a silly word’. mrs birling lost all influence over daughter.
• sheila exemplar response to inspector’s message, mrs birling antithesis.
• mrs birling: ‘i’ll tell you what i told her. go
  and look for the father of the child. it’s his
  responsibility.’ denies all responsibility,
  inadvertently deflects blame to son.
• sheila accepts role in suicide immediately,
  remorseful, ‘i know i’m to blame, and i’m
  desperately sorry.’

Question 5

describe mrs birling’s relationship with the inspector:

Answer 5

• significantly opposed to inspector. mrs birling abhors inspector’s forthright, accusing tone through rhetorical question, ‘what business is it of yours?’. outraged at being dictated by an inspector of lower class background.

Question 6

describe mrs birling’s relationship with eric:

Answer 6

• expresses disappointment in her son’s actions (after inspector leaves, might object). ‘eric, i’m absolutely ashamed of you.’ mrs still hasn’t accepted responsibility.
• eric: ‘well, i don’t blame you. but don’t
  forget i’m ashamed of you as well - yes,
  both of you.’ eric accepted responsibility,
  doesn’t blame his mother for being
  ashamed. doesn’t allow parents to escape
  responsibility either.
• mrs remains unsympathetic towards eric,
  despite denying aid to granddaughter-to-
  be’s mother.

Question 7

describe mrs birling’s contempt for eva:

Answer 7

• maintains hatred for eva and working class background. strong held beliefs against these people.
• tells sheila she ‘ought to go to bed - and
  forget about this absurd business.’
  adjective absurd reveals dismissiveness;
  due to eva’s death not directly affecting
  mrs, she sees no point in caring.