Analysis of quotes - Mrs Birling Flashcards
(7 cards)
Analyse ‘Now stop it you two, Arthur, what about that famous toast of yours?’
Desire to uphold social etiquette and avoid deeper issues
Mrs Birling is presented as a symbol of the complacent, morally rigid upper class, whose concern with appearance blinds them to suffering others.
‘I don’t think you ought to talk business’
Encapsulates her concern with etiquette, her belief in traditional gender roles and her social conservatism
Priestley criticises how the upper class avoid serious, meaningful issues under the guise of politeness and tradition.
‘I don’t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-‘
Mrs Birling refuses to acknowledge any responsibility for Eva’s suicide.
Noun ‘girl’ diminishes Eva’s status and infantilises her as immature and hard to ‘understand’
Mrs Birling’s highly dismissive tone ‘Girls of that class shows her lack of empathy with working class lives. The determiner ‘that’ puts a distance between the Birlings and Eva.
Audience see the irony that Mrs Birling is part of a charity that helps working class women but is unwilling to stop and think for a moment about Eva’s plight.
‘I accept no blame for it at all.’
Emphasises her lack of responsibility and refusal to acknowledge any role in Eva’s fate.
It highlights the theme of social responsibility, which she clearly rejects.
‘Well, why shouldn’t we?’
Shows how she is eager to dismiss the moral lesson and forget what happened.
‘In the morning, they’ll be as amused as we are.’
Reveals her flippant and dismissive attitude
Tries to downplay the seriousness of the night’s revelations
She’s more concerned about appearances about ethics.
‘I was the only one who didn’t give in to him.’
Pride in her lack of remorse
Portrays her as stubborn and self-righteous
Highlights the generational divide in attitudes towards responsibility
