Sybil Flashcards
What an expression! …The things…
you girls pick up these days!
Disapproving Sheila
Shows the generation gap and how she does not seem to understand Sheila
Her being unmotherly shows here - does not seem to make effort to understand her generation and why they say such things
a rather cold woman, and her husband’s social superior
Get the impression that she is a stereotypical rich woman
Cold, stern, not very motherly
“you’re not supposed to say such things” shows that whereas Birling does not seem to fit in upper middle class she does
Already within the very beginning, we see she overlooks the working class - does not appreciate them, showing she is cold
Social superior shows - snobbish
Men…sometimes have to spend all their time and energy on business
Mrs Birling represents views of women in the 1910s
They work, and she does not seem to, so she is accepting
Shows that women were taught to accept that men have to work and they should not try to stop them even if it means “never [coming] near” them
Represents how even women of higher classes still had struggles
Girls of…
that class Sees people as class and not as who they really are Represents how people of higher classes viewed others during those years
(staggered) It…
You’re not…
(staggered) Well, really!
isn’t true - In reply to Sheila’s revelation of Eric’s hard drinking
the type - you don’t get drunk
Aldermand Meggarty!
“staggered” shows how her struggle of taking it in
She is also quite shocked as it does not fit in with the class stereotypes which she is so accustomed to shown through her statement of how he doesn’t get drunk
Again even sees own family of “types” - her classism has even affected how she sees her own family
Replies “bitterly” - disgruntled that he is putting across a negative and distasteful view of their class
Concerned about image
Surprise shown when she finds out Meggarty is a “notorious womanizer” - because her class is putting her class to shame
Naturally that was one of the things…
that prejudiced me against her case Against working class women "naturally" shows that she is used to it - as if classism is a part of her, which it most likely is as she has a privileged background - blinded by it and its effects Priestley uses her as an example of how not to act, warning the audience not to be prejudiced and discriminate due to possibly grave consequences
She was claiming elaborate…
fine airs and scruples Shows she believes all working class women take advantage of others She is proven incorrect however, as Eva "didn't want to take any more money" as it was stolen; Eva refused to name the person responsible for her pregnancy; Eva refused to marry Eric - Eva cares about others and has morals which Sybil believes she doesn't have
First, the girl…
Secondly, I blame…
herself
the young man
Refusal to accept her role in the suicide and instead blames it on others - she has not learnt her lesson which is highlighted by Sheila who says “you don’t seem to have learnt anything”
Didn’t I tell you?
I felt it all this time
Acts superior to them all and as if she knew that he was not an Inspector despite giving into him
