Arthur Birling Quotes

Question 1

Lower —— and higher ——-

Answer 1

Lower costs and and higher prices
-Capitalism

Question 2

I’m talking as a hard-headed, ———— man of business.

Answer 2

I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business.
-Arthur, Act 1, young vs old, responsibility, Capitalism

Question 3

Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.

Answer 3

Arthur, Act 1, irony, Naive

Question 4

“You’ll hear some people say that war’s inevitable. And to that I say- fiddlesticks ! The Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war,”

Answer 4

Arthur, Act one, Naive

Question 5

man has to mind his own business and look after himself

Answer 5

Arthur, Act one, Capitalism

Question 6

There’s a fair chance that I might find my way into the next Honours List.’ Just a knighthood, of course’-‘But it’s a bit too early for that. So don’t say anything.’

Answer 6

Arthur, Act one, Arrogance

Question 7

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.

Answer 7

Arthur, Act 1, capitalism, authorial intent

Language technique: Zoomorphism (giving humans animal qualities) makes community seem unimportant.

Structural technique:
Hyphen (used after Hive “-“)
Creates a theatrical pause, reflects his physical repulsion to the concept, suggests his inability to even verbalise it.

Microcosm= represents Capitalism

Question 8

A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own

Answer 8

Arthur, Act 1, Capitalism

Question 9

I can’t accept any responsibility

Answer 9

Arthur, Act 1

Question 10

Rubbish! If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth.

Answer 10

Arthur, Act 1, capitalism

Question 11

There isn’t the slightest reason why my daughter should be dragged into this unpleasant business

Answer 11

Arthur, act 1, infantilism

Question 12

Why the devil do you want to go upsetting the child like that?

Answer 12

Arthur, Act 1, Infantilism

Question 13

No, Sheila, I’m not defending him. But you must understand that a lot of young men –

Answer 13

Arthur Birling, Gender

Question 14

I’m a public man –

Answer 14

Arthur Birling, act 2, capitalism, social class, hierarchy

Question 15

I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can

Answer 15

Arthur Birling, Act 3, responsibility,

Question 16

Look, inspector – I’d give thousands – yes, thousand –

Answer 16

Arthur Birling, Act 3, cyclical structure if capitalistic vs socialistic views

Question 17

Most of this is bound to come out. There will be a public scandal. 

Answer 17

Arthur, Act 3

Question 18

I was almost certain for a knighthood in the next honours list-

Answer 18

Arthur Birling, act 3, learnt nothing, selfish

Question 19

Probably a socialist or some sort of crank

Answer 19

Arthur Birling, Act 3

Question 20

Now look at the two of them – the famous younger generation who know all.

And they can’t even take a joke –

Answer 20

Arthur Birling, Act 3, young vs old generation

Dramatic irony (seems to know it all, but we know he doesn’t “silly little war scares” “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”

His speech being cut of by the phone can symbolise how Priestly believes Mr Birlings Capitalists beliefs should be physically and symbolically removed from society