Mrs Briling

Question 1

‘I don’t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class -’

Answer 1

• She lacks the capability to empathise with the suffering of the lower classes
• She sees herself as socially and morally superior, and does associate herself with them
• Reveals her prejudiced outlook on the lower classes
• The use of the determiner “that” dehumanises Eva and those in the lower class, as she believes that it is expected behaviour in why they would act that way
• The plural of the noun ‘girls’ is a huge generalisation that all poor, or less fortunate girls will try and commit suicide
• Priestly is revealing that capitalism promotes/ encourages moral corruption

Question 2

‘That - I consider - is a trifle impertinent, Inspector’

Answer 2

• Mrs Birling attempt to convey a demand of respect through her formal and complex vocabulary, evidenced by her accusing the inspector as being “a trifle impertinent”
• Mrs birling is offended -she sees the inspector as socially inferior and so he shouldn’t even dare to contradict her

Question 3

Accuses Sheila of staying for: ‘Nothing but morbid curiosity’

Answer 3

Mrs birling doesn’t want her involved because of how young women were supposed to act at the time, relating to the social context as well as the theme of gender and age

Question 4

‘You know of course that my husband was lord Mayor only two years ago and that he’s still a magistrate.’

Answer 4

-She abuses her power as a weapon to intimidate the inspector

Question 5

‘(staggered) Well, really! Aldermand Meggarty! I must say, we are learning something tonight’

Answer 5

-She sees upper class as perfect and is therefore shocked that a member of the upper class would act like that as she believes only working class would act in those ways

Question 6

“Yes I think it was simply a piece of gross impertinence - quite deliberate and naturally that was one of the things that prejudiced me against her case”

Answer 6

She finds Eva calling herself Mrs Birling impertinent (rude) but she doesn’t seem to have the same sort of anger towards the fact that Eva has died, that Eva is a victim of a flawed society.

Question 7

“Yes it was. I didn’t like her manner”

Answer 7

She abuses her power to disregard those she does not like. Just because she called herself Mrs birling, Mrs birling did not allow her to be given the proper help.

Question 8

I’m very sorry, but I think she had only herself to blame

Answer 8

This is one of the most important quotes in the play and the very antithesis of what J.B. Priestley is attempting to expound via the play. Eva did not bring all of this upon herself. She was the victim of a society where she had to struggle to survive and suffered. Mrs Birling’s comments are cruel and reflect a lack of pity for Eva’s suffering and also do not take in to account the role of her family in Eva’s sad demise. The wealthy in society cannot exonerate themselves from the suffering of the poor and bear responsibility. This is the fundamental message of the play that Priestley is seeking to promote.