Summary Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is the play about?
Society and class divide
Society wasn’t equal in that people with money had more power
It was also a warning about more diastema if people did not learn re their past mistakes
In act one st the engagement party, how does P create the image of a perfect middle class family?
Father is a successful businessman
Mother works hard keeping family reputation
Son works for dad
Daughter is engaged to the son of their competitor-cd improve business/merge in future
What hints of conflict are there?
The Croft’s ate more established family and socially superior-makes AB anxious
Differences in expectations ban men and women-men busy with work/public affairs and women house/clothes/etiquette
What is dramatic irony?
When the audience knows more about something than the character on the stage
Examples of dramatic irony?
AB says conflicts ban workers and bosses will come to nothing but there were many strikes and General Strike of 1926 which saw the country grind to a halt for 9 days.
He also says the Titanic is ‘unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’.
When the Inspector calls, he shows a photo to AB but not to the others-why is this important?
Gerard later suspects each person was given a different photo believing it to be same one.
AB sees employees as cheap labour-how did he go about protecting his profits?
Sacked the ring leaders of the strike including ES.
How does the mood change in the room once the inspector arrives?
He disrupts everything and let’s their secrets out.
What is the importance of the Inspectors reappearance in Act 1?
It makes the audience wonder how much the Inspector knows and how much there is yet to find out
The Birlings don’t think S sad hear the grim details of Eva’s death but S is independent and wants to think for herself-how is this portrayed?
S is told repeatedly to leave the room by her parents
S states it’s her duty to stay any hear the whole story
What is an euphemism?
Way of avoiding saying some unpleasant by using other vague words
Give an example of how P uses euphemisms.
Eva ‘went onto the streets’ where she ‘lived another kind of life’ with the ‘women of the town’ -prostitution
Eva is described as a ‘girl of that sort’ - lower class
The Inspector doesn’t use euphemism-why?
His language is more direct. He is about accepting the truth
How does P use imagery?
Creates a strong picture to shock eg ‘burnt her inside out’ image that distressed S and the audience
Uses images from the Bible- ‘they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish’ - people are punished for their sins
S suggests that Daisy fell in love with G - what phrase does she use?
G was her ‘wonderful fairy prince’
How does the Inspector increase tension between parents and children?
He uses Sheila to help to get Sybil to tell the whole story
Examples of how Sybil doesn’t take any social responsibility.
She resists answering the Inspectors questions
She blames the father of the child rather than admitting her own guilt
She assumes she won’t know a man who drinks and steals
How does S change through the play?
She matured
She is stubborn/determined to find the truth
She demands that Dybil and Gerard answer the Inspectors questions
She hands back the ring to Gerard ‘they weren’t the same people who sat down together’
Eric is missing for most of the play-what’s the significance of this?
He is always running away from his family and their expectations of him.
Quote” no he’s giving us rope so that we will hang our selves’ -what does it mean?
Sheila realises that the B are going to walk into the Inspectors trap.
How do you know Eric is ready to confess?
He says ‘ you know, don’t you?’
How does Eric describe the event with Eva?
He forced Eva to have sex/pregnant/was so drunk and threatened to cause a row if she didn’t let him into her flat
AB says he has ‘learnt plenty’ -but has he?
He has learnt how S and E really behave and think but he is still focused on keeping the family reputation as he doesn’t want a scandal to affect his social status
When the family find out there is no Inspector, how do they react?
Sybil starts to rewrite her role-she’s ‘proud’ she she didn’t give in to him
G becomes detective and rings the hospital to confirm no suicide
AB thinks he is guilt free
G offers the ring back to S thinking everything’s all right now
The atmosphere is relaxed and joking similar to the beginning of the play
