mrs birling gender roles

Question 1

Hint: Mrs Birling reveals her class and gender prejudice.

Answer 1

“Girls of that class—”Class prejudice

Question 2

Hint: She blames Eva rather than society.

Answer 2

“She had only herself to blame.” Judgemental tone

Question 3

Hint: She assumes poor women are greedy.

Answer 3

“As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!” Irony

Question 4

Hint: She defers to traditional male-female social roles.

Answer 4

“I think Sheila and I had better go into the drawing-room and leave you men—” Gendered division

Question 5

Hint: She tells Sheila to accept male behaviour in marriage.

Answer 5

“You’ll have to get used to that just as I had.” Defeatist tone

Question 6

Hint: She demands authority over how others speak to her.

Answer 6

“Please don’t contradict me like that.” Imperative

Question 7

Hint: She boasts about not giving in to the Inspector.

Answer 7

“I was the only one who didn’t give in to him.” Self-congratulatory tone

Question 8

Hint: She shifts the blame entirely to the father of Eva’s child.

Answer 8

“Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.” Deflection