Mr (Arthur) Birling



Mr (Arthur) BirlingPhysical descriptionPg1 – a heavy looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties. Social StandingPg1 – Her husband’s social superior – Mrs Birling is of a high class than Mr Birling and therefore he feels he has to compensate for this by showing off to Gerald and the Inspector. Pg 2 – It’s exactly the same port your father gets from him – An example of Mr Birling showing off to Gerald because he is socially insecure as Mrs Birling is of a higher class than him. Pg2 – clearly relaxes – When Edna leaves the room he “clearly relaxes” showing that he is not used to having servants around. Pg 10 – I was an alderman for years- and Lord Mayor two years ago – and I’m still on the bench – An example of Mr Birling showing off to the Inspector and trying to make himself look like a powerful figure in society to intimidate the inspector. Personality Pg5 – Hard headed business man – Mr Birling puts business first and often even before his family. We learn from Mrs Birling that she has to live with being second best because she tells Sheila to get used to Gerald being busy at work. Pg13 – wretched girl’s suicide – He isn’t a very understanding or sympathetic person because he still refers to Eva in these derogatory and impersonal terms despite the fact that she is dead. Pg16 – I’ve half a mind to report you – He is quite threatening towards the inspector because he wants to protect his dignity and family name. Pg19 - And she got herself into trouble there, I suppose – He is a bit of a snob and very judgemental of the people in the lower classes as he gives them this stereotype that they all are bad people out to cause mischief in society. Views and attitudesPg4 – Perhaps we may look forward to a time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together for lower costs and higher prices – Represents his business man nature and capitalist view point that he also shares with Gerald. Pg5 – We’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity – He has very blinkered vision and often predicts events of the future wrong such as the Wall Street crash which caused a huge recession meaning that Birlings predictions are completely wrong. Pg5 – Absolutely unsinkable – the words that Birling uses to describe the titanic which is also an incorrect prediction because shortly after the Titanic did sink, reflecting his blinkered vision. Pg5 – I say there isn’t a chance of war – Again his predictions are completely wrong because there was a second world war. Pg9 – The way some of these cranks talk – He is referring to socialists like the Inspector who he thinks are wrong to talk about social responsibility because he holds the opposing capitalist view point. Pg13 – If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward wouldn’t it – This quote reflects his negative view of socialists and that he that he doesn’t believe in social responsibility. The play’s effectsP43 – When this comes out in the inquest, it isn’t going to do us much good – Even towards the end of the play Birling can’t see that social standing is not important and that the loss of Eva’s life is the more important thing. P54 – You’re the one I blame for this – Immediately after the Inspector leaves Birling starts to blame Eric showing that he has been completely oblivious to everything the play is supposed to have taught him about social responsibility. P55-Sheila: The point is that you don’t seem to have learnt anything – Sheila has leant from the play and she can see that her father clearly hasn’t changed his strong and often harsh capitalist ideas. LanguagePg1 – rather provincial in his speech – Shows that he is not of the area or class that the other characters are from. Mrs (Sybil) BirlingUnfeelingPg3 – You’ll realise men with important work to do often have to spend all their time and energy on their business – She was not very sympathetic or understanding towards Sheila when Sheila was complaining about Gerald not spending enough time with her despite knowing how it feels because she experiences the same thing with Mr Birling. Pg41 – She only had herself to blame – She can’t see that the way her family acted affected Eva and thinks that it is all Eva’s fault so she isn’t prepared to show her any sympathy. Pg47 – I don’t believe it. I won’t believe it. – She isn’t coming to terms with the fact that Eric might have had something to do with Eva’s death. The fact that “won’t” is in italics puts stress onto the word and highlights Mrs Birling’s stubborn nature. Pg53 – No Eric please – I didn’t know- I didn’t understand – This is the only part of the play where Mrs Birling shows some emotion and it is when she doubts that actually the family were partly responsible for Eva’s death. Lack of UnderstandingPg29 – Girls of that class – She is very condescending towards the lower class and this quote portrays her as a snob as she is stereotyping every working class girl. She clearly doesn’t understand that Eva didn’t want to live like she did but she didn’t have a choice just like many of the other working class girls. Pg30 – He’s only a boy – Mrs Birling is very naive and can’t even see that her own son has drinking problems and that he has grown up or it may be that she doesn’t want to accept it. Pg33 – We are learning something tonight – She is learning about gossip and appears to be completely oblivious to the inspector’s morals as she doesn’t understand the consequences of her own actions on Eva. P46 – Then he’d be entirely responsible – She can’t see that she’s just blamed her own son. Even if it wasn’t Eric she is still too naive to see that she could be talking about someone else’s son and that her own son is completely capable of getting someone pregnant just like any other man and she doesn’t expect Eric to be entirely responsible. Self importancePg28 – (enters briskly and self confidently) – From Priestly’s stage directions we can deduce that Mrs Birling thinks she is important because she is entering “briskly” suggesting that she thinks has an important task to carry out or that her presence is need urgently. Pg29 – (haughtily)- Mrs Birling’s speech is said in such a way that she thinks that she is important. For example she speaks “haughtily” suggesting that she has an air of arrogance and superiority about her as she is looking down on the people that she is talking to. Pg44 – A girl in her position – Mrs Birling looks down on Eva and thinks that she is better than her because she has a higher social status. Pg 44 – As of a girl of that sort would ever refuse money. – Again she is being stereotypical of girls of a lower class than her and she doesn’t understand the difficult situation that they are in. By insulting people of a lower class than herself she is trying to make herself look better than them and more important. She is also wrong about Eva because she did refuse the money. Pg45 – You’re quite wrong to suppose I regret what I did” – She won’t admit that she was wrong because that is beneath her. She still believes that she had the right to refuse Eva the money even though Eva didn’t do anything wrong. Public AppearancePg40 – We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases – She is clearly not a member of the society because she wants to help people as she didn’t help Eva and doesn’t seem to have any sympathy for “girls of that class.” It would therefore appear that she is on the committee to make her look as if she wants to help others, improving her social status. P57 – Of course it does – She is referring to the fact that “of course “it matters that the inspector isn’t real. This is because it matters to her because she doesn’t want the public to find out about the family’s involvement with Eva and make society look down on her and her family as she views this as important. Pg60 – (warningly) Arthur – careful! – Mrs Birling often corrects her husband or tells him off for using inappropriate language. This emphasises the class difference between the couple as Mrs Birling is of a higher class family than Mr Birling. Inspector GooleThe nameInspector Goole – Double pun as ghoul and spectre are both words for ghost and the Inspector delivers a haunting message to the Birlings. Physical descriptionPg10 – need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness – This suggests that the Inspector is quite an influential character because he has to be noticed. It also suggests that he is quite important because of his sense of “purposefulness”. Pg10 – he is a man in his fifties – He has lived through the same time period as Mr Birling but yet has completely different views showing that he is not just a modern young man who has formed these socialist opinions but he has lived and is experienced and therefore his socialist opinions carry equal weight to Mr Birling’s capitalist ones. Pg60 – tall, clean shaven –This is the description that Mr Birling gives to the police station when enquiring whether there was actually an Inspector Goole or not. Views and attitudesPg28 – We’ll have to share our guilt – This quote shows that the Inspector is a socialist and believes in social responsibility. Pg39 – Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges – Shows that the Inspector is aware of his own responsibilities. This Inspector is being quite condescending towards Mr Birling showing that he doesn’t agree with Mr Birling’s strong capitalist views. CatalystPg12 – It’s the way I like to work. One person and one line of enquiry at a time otherwise there is a muddle. – This shows that the Inspector is responsible for the way that the play unravels because he is the one structuring the questions and deciding which character is to reveal their story next. Pg14 – It’s my duty to ask questions. – It is the duty of the inspector that makes the play into a play. Without the Inspector asking the questions none of the characters would have realised the consequences of their actions on Eva and the audience would not have been able to learn from the Inspectors messages because the characters would not have revealed their stories. Pg 18 – No work, no money coming in, and living in lodgings with no relatives to help her – The Inspector is responsible for the play having an effect on the audience. With poignant phrases such as the quote above it makes the audience sympathise with Eva and think about the people in the world that still live like that today. Pg 19 - I thought it would do us all a bit of good if sometimes we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women – This is again another example of the Inspector trying to engage the audience within the play and act as a catalyst in the audience’s lives. He is trying to get them to sympathise with Eva again and other girls like Eva that are or have been in a similar position. ImpressionPg1 – The lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives and then it should be brighter and harder. – The inspector changes the atmosphere when he enters. The mood becomes more serious and the characters become more defensive. Pg10 – Thank you, sir – Despite the inspectors obvious disapproval of Mr Birling he is still polite. Pg 27 – (massively taking charge)- The inspector has an authority over the other characters and can control the family unlike Mr Birling and Mrs Birling who seem to neglect their children.Pg30 – (cutting in with authority) - The inspector is again an authoritative character and demands respect both from the audience and the Birling family. MoralityPg 54 – One Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions of Eva Smith’s and John Smith’s still left with is with their lives, their hopes and fears all intertwined with our lives – The inspector is showing his socialist views in this quote. He is the character that Priestley uses to get the morals of the play across to the audience. This quote is trying to encourage the audience to think about the people like Eva in their lives. Pg 54 – We are all responsible for each other – Again the Inspector is showing his socialist viewpoint and his strong belief in social responsibility. Pg 54 – If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. – The “lesson” is the fact that everyone should take responsibility for their own actions and there should be more community responsibility. In this quote the inspector is correctly predicting the war unlike Mr Birling who is adamant that there won’t be a war. EricRelations with familyPg 3 – Eric suddenly guffaws - shows that he is not in sync with the rest of the family because he is behind in the conversation. Pg 52 – You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble – He can’t go to either of his parents for support because they will not help him and judge him. This could be one of the reasons why Eric is a heavy drinker – he wants to escape his problems. ImmaturityPg 1 – Half shy, half assertive – He hasn’t yet grown into his character and is still a developing boy. Pg 21 – Suddenly bursting out – Not very controlled or civilised and unlike how a person of the upper class was meant to behave at the time. Pg 49 – I was a bit squiffy – The fact that he was drunk is immature but the use of the colloquial language “squiffy” is also immature and it is not a word that either Mr or Mrs Birling would use. SelfishPg 50 – I wasn’t in love with her or anything – but I liked her – she was pretty and a good sport. – He was leading Eva on and taking advantage of her. The use of the word “sport” shows that he was just playing a game with Eva and was not taking their relationship very seriously. Moreover, the fact that he comments on her “pretty” appearance suggests that he was just interested in her for sex. Pg 51 – No, not really. I intended to pay it back – This quote shows that Eric is not a totally selfish character because he did the right thing by offering money to Eva to support her. Although, it was stolen money he intended to pay it back. This is the most responsible and unselfish thing he could have done in this situation aside from getting a job to earn the money himself. LearningPg 13 – As you were saying, Dad, a man has to look after himself – At the start of the play Eric believes his father’s view point and is predominantly a capitalist. Pg 49 – I understand a lot of things now I didn’t understand before – As the play develops and the inspector questions the characters Eric learns about each person and begins to understand the concept of social responsibility. Pg 49 – That’s the hellish thing. Oh – my God! – This quote is the moment when Eric realises the true consequences of his actions upon Eva. The use of the blasphemy “Oh – my God!” highlights the fact that he himself is shocked at his actions now he realises their impact. Pg 54 – What does it matter now whether they give you a knighthood or not? – He has realised by the end of the play that social status is not actually the most important thing like Mr Birling was trying to teach him at the beginning of the play. Pg 55 – Well I don’t blame you. But don’t forget I’m ashamed of you as well – Eric is showing that he knows they are all partly responsible including him and therefore he is not placing the blame on one individual family member. The fact that Eric is “ashamed” suggests that he is embarrassed by his mother and fathers actions as well as his own. This quote also shows how Eric has matured throughout the play because he is able to take the moral high ground and not blame his parents however much he dislikes them. He has taken some of the responsibility on himself. Pg 62 – The money’s not the important thing – He has realised what is really important in life and that money is less important than how Eva felt and the responsibility that the family shared for that. He differs from his father because to him working for “lower costs and higher prices” appears more important than his own family. SheilaFirst impressionsPg 1 – Sheila is a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited. – This description of Sheila, if it didn’t tell the reader her age, makes her sound like a child. The word “excited” shows that Sheila doesn’t control her emotions like a young lady of the upper class at the time would have been expected to and therefore she comes across as a lively character just like a child. Pg 2 – Yes, go on, Mummy – The use of the word “mummy” is an immature term and it would be expected that a girl of twenty would refer to their mother as mum or mother. Pg 4 – “Quiet and serious” about the engagement but speaks “excitedly” about the ring – Shows that she is materialistic because she cares more about her beautiful engagement ring that she does about the prospect of spending her life with Gerald. Pg 5 – I’m sorry Daddy – The use of the word “Daddy” is an immature term and it would be expected that a girl of twenty would refer to their father as Dad or father. Pg 23 – She was pretty and looked as if she could take care of herself – Shows that she is very na?ve and that she has been sheltered from the real world by her parents. In her life she has been able to get by just because she is pretty but she doesn’t realise the harshness of the working class at the time and just because Eva was pretty it didn’t help her to live and earn money. The only thing that good looks meant to Eva was that if she was desperate she could have easily become a “woman of the town.”OutspokenPg 3 – Don’t be an ass Eric – Us e of the taboo language “ass” shows that Sheila doesn’t moderate her language choices when she has company outside of the family showing that she speaks her mind. She is also prepared to argue with her brother in public showing that she is immature. GuiltPg 20 – Gives a half stifled sob - Pg 21 – I felt rotten about it at the time and now I feel a lot worse Pg 22 – (distressed)Pg 23 – (she almost breaks down but controls herself)Pg 27 – I can’t stop thinking about itPg 27 – I know I’m to blame and I’m desperately sorrySympathyPg 17 – What was she like? Quite young?Pg 17 – I can’t help thinking about this girlPg 18 – (warmly) It’s a rotten shame RealisationPg 19 – But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re peoplePg 25 – Why – you fool – he know. Of course he knowsPg 27 – So that’s what you think I’m really like. I’m glad I realised it in time, Gerald. Pg 28 – (she goes closer to him wonderingly) I don’t understand about you Pg 30 – No he’s giving us rope – so that we’ll hang ourselves ChangePg 23 – I’ll never do it again to anybodyPg 25 – She looks at him almost in triumphPg 28 – You seem to have made a great impression on this child inspector - Pg 29 – Do stop before it is too latePg 38 – You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here Pg 56 – It doesn’t matter much who made us confess LanguagePg 3 – You’re squiffy Pg 28 – It’s simply my fault in the end she – she committed suicidePg 33 – I’m supposed to be engaged to the hero of itGeraldFamilyPg 1 – Man about townPg 2 – The govenorPg 2 – I insist upon being one of the family nowPg 7 – Feels you might have done better for yourself sociallyBusiness manPg 3 – I was awfully busy at the works all that time - RegretPg 25 – (looks crushed) Pg 36 – It wasn’t disgustingPg 38 – I’m rather more – upset – by this business than I probably appear to be ................
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