Gerald Flashcards
(13 cards)
What quote I’m I going to use for gerald
She was young and pretty and warm-hearted – and intensely grateful.”
The phrase “intensely grateful” suggests
that Gerald felt powerful, as if Eva owed him something. This shows the emotional imbalance in the relationship.
Priestley uses this language to show that
even when Gerald thinks he is helping, he is still acting from a place of privilege and control.
Technique:
Romanticised language masks exploitation. This creates dramatic tension
Context
The play is set in 1912, when class divisions were huge and women had very little power or independence. A man like Gerald could easily use and discard a woman like Eva with no real consequence.
Why Priestley presents him this way:
Priestley contrasts him with Sheila and Eric, who show growth, to emphasise generational and gender divides in how responsibility is accepted.
What other quote I’m I gonna use for Gerald
I didn’t install her there so that I could make love to her. I made her go because I didn’t like the idea of her
The verb “install” suggest
mechanical and controlling — it makes it sound like he placed her in the flat like a piece of furniture, highlighting the power imbalance.
Make love” is a euphemism — Gerald uses softer language
to cover up the sexual nature of the relationship, trying to preserve his image.
Didn’t like the idea” – This reflects emotional detachment. He removes Eva
from the flat not necessarily out of care, but because it didn’t sit well with his own conscience.
Context 2
Priestley, a socialist, wanted to expose the hypocrisy of the upper classes who pretend to be moral but refuse real responsibility.
Make the reader feel
I didn’t install her there” and “I didn’t ask for anything in return,”
How the reader feels:
1. Uneasy and suspicious:
sounds polite and defensive but actually reveals his controlling and self-serving
Make the reader feel
Disappointment:
Gerald’s failure to fully accept responsibility and his return to self-justification
