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Flashcards in Mr Birling Deck (11)
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1
Q

Mr Birling

Why is “port” important?

A

“Giving us the port, Edna?”

  • Costly and associated with the wealthy in society.
  • Serving good quality wine was key in demonstrating cultural capital and good taste.
  • Instantly he is seen as someone who likes to show off.
2
Q

Mr Birling

How does Birling try to impress Gerald?

A
  • Name drops “Finchley” to show off upper class contacts.
  • Gerald (son of Lord Croft) is Birling’s social superior.
  • Imbalance of power; reduced to name dropping in attempt to endear himself to a family whose social position he personally aspires.
3
Q

Mr Birling

How does Priestley present him as flawed, misled and pompous?

A
  • Speech centres around his opinions on economic future of the country and failing of neighbouring nations.
  • Repetition of “hard-headed businessman” and then “hard-headed practical man of business” shows his self-perception is based on views of himself in terms of work and money.
4
Q

Mr Birling

Where are Mr Birling’s priorities?

A

Not with people or family but how much wealth he can accumulate through them.
-Shows lack of empathy for the people he exploits.

5
Q

Mr Birling

How does he represent the ideology of Capitalism?

A

“a man has to make his own way - has to look after himself.”

-A system where business is privately owned for the sole purpose of making profit and to do this he has to “keep labour costs down”.

6
Q

Mr Birling

Describe how dramatic irony is used to criticise Birling. (war)

A

“The Germans don’t want war”- two WWs in coming years.

  • Regards war as “nonsense” and says “fiddlesticks!”
  • Dismissive tone shows how confident he is.
7
Q

Mr Birling

Describe how dramatic irony is used to criticise Birling. (titanic)

A

“The Titanic…….absolutely unsinkable”

-The audience have witnessed the sinking of the Titanic.

8
Q

Mr Birling

Describe how dramatic irony is used to criticise Birling. (economic growth)

A

“And we’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity”

  • Wall street crash in 1929. It took 25 years for the market and for people to recover.
  • 1945 audience would still be suffering from its effects.
9
Q

Mr Birling

What are the effects of the use of dramatic irony on the audience’s impression of Birling?

A
  • Seems ill-informed and ridiculous.
  • Audience thinks his views on the treatment of his employees and on business are just as incorrect.
  • Opinions instantly devalued.
10
Q

Mr Birling

What does Birling’s reaction to the truth about Eric tell the audience about him?

A
  • After discoveries, most his dialogue with Eric is solely about recovering his lost money.
  • Impact on business causes him consternation, not the death of his grandson or alcoholism of his son.
11
Q

Mr Birling

What quote is used to show his lack of responsibility?

A

“There’s every excuse for what both your mother an I did.”

-Fails to learn Inspector’s and Priestley’s lesson about social responsibility -reinforces Inspector’s “young ones are more impressionable”.