Mrs Birling

Question 1

“ girls of that class “

Answer 1

Mrs B superiority
View of poor is out of sight out of mind - distances herself from them. Symbol of hypocrisy for upper class
Lack of respect and disgust- can’t bring herself to name the working class
Short sentence - emphasise lack of respect and time for them

Question 2

Your behaving like a hysterical child

Answer 2

Emotion = weakness
Silence/ dismiss Sheila. Opposing her new found socialism
Using hysteria to dismiss her as delusional

Question 3

Difficult to emphasise with - static character riddled with snobbery

Callous

Answer 3

Portrayed good - charitable committee but we learn she abuses her power
Dislikable - prejudice to Eva from beginning
Lack moral compass
Callous - audience can’t relate to her

Question 4

“ I did my duty “

Answer 4

Mrs b perception of duty is capitalist social duty of rich = rich, poor = poor
Neglecting moral duty for those who need it most
Symbolic - upper class resistance to change
Public image utmost importance

Question 5

“ a rather cold woman “

Answer 5

Oxymoron
Contemporary women conform to expectation of gender - loving, maternal
Mrs b = cold, little smooth
Pr conveys mrs b detached mentality = irrational / unnatural
Unsympathetic to Sheila after she discover her role in the death

Question 6

Collective responsibility rejected by Mrs B

Answer 6

Denies her role - no need for greater social responsibility - Eva chose her life she lead- her fault so class inequality didn’t cause the death
Consciously knows immoral but convinces herself she has no reason to be
“ I won’t believe it “

Question 7

Committed to maintain patriarchal status

Answer 7

Domestic life in 20th century
Inequality of men and woman
Mrs b reluctant to challenge Mr b
Mrs b knows her place “ leave you men” doesn’t have to be commanded to leave

Question 8

Driven by authority

Answer 8

Infantilises children . Stunts emotional / moral growth

Question 9

“acting like a hysterical child”

Answer 9

manipulates Sheila: accuses her of having a mental illness in the simile

-symbol for the hypocrisy of the rich
- demonstrates internalised sexism

Question 10

“cold woman”

Answer 10

goes against maternal and warm expectations, may cause her and therefore her views to seem
• unnatural to the audience

Question 11

“i didn’t like her [Eva’s] manner”

Answer 11

• she refused to help Eva because of her lower class origins.

Question 12

.

Answer 12

doesn’t directly mention his violence
towards Eva

and clearly feels guilty and distressed

Question 13

ericsgrowth

Answer 13

moves towards socialism at the end of the play, and shows signs of disagreement with his father