AIC - class

Question 1

(act 1 pg 15)

Answer 1

‘if you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth’

Birlings arrogant and hubristic tone reveals the conflict between the classes which is catalysed by the upper classes wish for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer. This leads to their extreme prejudice towards the lower classes.
the euphemistic and condescending phrase ‘these people’ implies that he looks down on them while generalising working class.
The preposition “down” implies being higher oneself expressing the superiority of the middle class to workers.
by the use of the demonstrative article “these” he distances himself recalling how he escaped the working class and emphasising the distance between them

Question 2

(Act 2, pg 30) - 1

Answer 2

” I don’t … understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class -“

The euphemistic phrase ‘that class’ implies that cannot even name the class indicates that phrase ‘working class’ is rude or offensive to Mrs Birling –
highlighting her patronising nature and contempt surrounding the working classes.
Implies that Mrs birling sees the working class as a different species.

Question 3

(act 2 pg 30) - 2

Answer 3

Sheila tells her mother that ‘You mustn’t build up a kind of wall between us and that girl’.

The metaphor of the wall shows the extremity of the separation and implies there was a physical boundary between the Middle and working class.
the juxtaposition of “us and that girl” acknowledges a class difference between the Birlings and Eva, who is anonymised and loses her identity.
However, Sheila rejects these class boundaries through the incredibly strong negative modal verb ‘mustn’t’ which indicates just how strongly Sheila believes that class should not exist here.

Question 4

(act 2 pg 45)

Answer 4

‘You slammed the door in her face’

further imagery of barriers and the verb ‘slammed’ implies deliberate rejection of lower classes.
‘Door’ is a symbol of institutions that exclude lower classes from help enabling the lower classes situation’s Stagnation like Mrs Birling’s charity.

Question 5

(act 3 pg 56)

Answer 5

“Inspector: there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths”

The hyperbolic repetition of ‘millions’ implies the large number of people in the working class giving the impression that ‘millions’ suffer like Eva – This invokes a strong sense of pity in his audience.

Priestley uses generic names such as ‘Eva Smith’ and ‘John Smith’ to represent the working-class which strips them of much of their identity which reflects the little concern the middle and upper classes have for them despite their livelihood being the source of their wealth.

Question 6

essay plan

Answer 6

Senior Birling’s view on class
* (act 1 pg 15) - ‘if you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth’
* (Act 2, pg 30) - “ I don’t … understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class -“

Sheila’s view on class
* (act 2 pg 30) - Sheila tells her mother that ‘You mustn’t build up a kind of wall between us and that girl’.
* (act 2 pg 45) – ‘You slammed the door in her face’

Inspector’s view on class
* (act 3 pg 56) - “Inspector: there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths”