An Inspector calls QUOTES Flashcards
(21 cards)
Unsinkable
“Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
- Mr Birling
Freud: id
-foreshadowing
- symbolism (Titanic was a symbol of power, wealth, capitalism)
- capitalism (Capitalism will never sink / die)
- shows Mr birling’s arrogance
- repetition
Cutting in
“The sharp ring of a front door bell”
“cutting in”
- both are stage directions
- Mr Birling is cut off by the doorbell
- Form
A man
“A man has to make his own way - has to look after himself - and his family, too”
- Mr Birling
- Imperative language (command)
- Rule of 3
- People should look out for themselves (shows the individualistic qualities of a capitalist society)
- family is an afterthought
- intrusive thoughts
- men and women have different rules / roles
- Mr birling is a slave to his desire / id
Imperative language - a man HAS to make his own way.
Clothes
“Clothes mean something quite different to a woman.”
- Mrs Birling
- clothes are a symbol of respect
- women should be respected based on how they are dressed
- shows the the side of a patriarchal society where women are sexualized
- justified because women were treated based on the way they dress
- foreshadows how they treat eva smith / daisy renton
Young
“Young and fresh”
- Gerald
- zoomorphism (when a human is given features of an animal)
- foreshadowing
- patriarchy (gerald is super rich and male)
When you’re
“When you’re married you’ll realise”
- Mrs Birling
- foreshadowing
- warning from Mrs Birling to Sheila
- imperative (Mrs Birling tells sheila men are more powerful, women have different roles, etc)
- patriachy
We are
“We are members of one body”
- metaphor (Comparing society to a body, where organs depend on each other) (We are all responsible for each other)
- directly opposes capitalism
- socialism
- symbolism
The point is
“The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything.”
- shows Sheila’s change in character
- juxtaposition
- supports the “rich girl” stereotype (she can’t think for herself)
Fire
“Fire, blood and anguish”
- Could be referring to the fires of hell, and the religious punishments they could suffer
- rule of 3
- id (shows the dangers of following your desires)
- WW1 (foreshadowing ) (Could be referring to WW1 and the downfall of society)
- Semantic field of punishment
Girls
“Girls of that class”
- respect
- gender
- patriarchy
- poor girls should suffer and be disrespected
- society was based not only on gender, but also wealth
He could have..
“He could have kept her instead of throwing her out”
- Eric talking about how Mr Birling fired Eva Smith.
These girls…
“These girls aren’t just cheap labour, they’re people”
- Sheila
Sheila is challenging her father’s decision of firing eva smith
Metaphor for girls being cheap labour
Upper class views working class as expendable
Priestly uses sheila to promote his socialist views
community and
community and all that nonsense… mixed up together like bees in a hive
Mr Birling
Simile - compares us to bees, insects not able to think for ourselves
We’ve
We’ve been had that’s all
Mr Birling
Colloquialism - Mr Birling is trying to downplay everything
I accept
I accept no blame for it at all
- Mrs Birling
Mrs Birling refuses to accept any responsibility for Eva Smith’s suicide
I didn’t
I didn’t like her manner
Mrs Birling
I don’t
I don’t play golf
- Inspector
golf is a stereotypical sport played by the rich and wealthy, and by stating this the inspector creates a sense of class divide and inferiority.
“play” could be referencing how the Birlings see this as a game
I was
I was sorry for her
- Gerald
convtroversial in front of the birlings
revealing previously unknown emotion
“was” implies he is no longer sorry
I believe
I believe you’re right, sir
- Gerald
Sucking up to Mr Birling, agreeing with everything he says
Why shouldnt
Why shouldnt they try for higher wages
- Eric
Sticking up for the lower classes
Foreshadowing that eric becomes a socialist at the end of the play
You’re not
You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble
