Q7: "But the way ... all that nonsense."

Question 1

“But the way some of these _____ talk and write now, you’d think ____ has to _____ ____ everybody else, as if we were all ____ up ____ like ____ in a ____ - ____ and all that _____.”

Answer 1

“But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive- community and all that nonsense.”

Question 2

who said it and when? who did they say it to? what is it about?

Answer 2

Act 1. Mr Birling pontificating about social responsibility in retrospect to the Inspector’s arrival.

Question 3

5 key points:

Answer 3

• acrimonious speech about socialism is strongly reminiscent of laissez faire politics as nobody had “to look after everybody else”
• refers to the socialists as “cranks”. derogatory term encapsulates his pejorative perception of them.
• the lower-classes and socialists in society as “bees”; sedulous and interdependent nature completely juxtaposes with Mr Birling’s inadequate and self sufficient character
• bees’ co-dependent nature = capable of upholding more efficient and functional hives, which in this instance contrasts with the inefficient nature of society that is perpetually vouched for by the upper classes
• dichotomy between the cogency of the socialists’ ideologies and Mr B’s notions only further exemplifies his beliefs as nonsensical. social responsibility = “nonsense”, despite his argument lacking substance and only being upheld by his dysfunctional views of society.