AIC Quotes and Analysis

"Those girls arent cheap labour, theyre people"

Contrast between "aren't" and "are" could be seen to personify the difference between Sheila and Mr Birling's political views

"you dont seem to have learnt anything"

Accusatory language represents the largest change in relationship between Sheila and her parents.

"mummy", "daddy"

Sheila begins the play with using infantile shortening for her parents, creating a character profile of young or simply for her age. This, along with her responsibility for Sheila's death, creates an ignorant persona at the beginning of the play

"I know im to blame", "im desperately sorry"

Personal pronoun "I" is repeated to show that Sheila only feels personal guilt. This elicits sympathy from an audience however it could also be seen as self-obsessed, linking to her background of being spoilt

"I hate those hard faced doe eyed women"

Gerald lists of the reasons he doesn't like these women (Asyndeton), placing himself in a position of higher worth.

"everythings all right now Sheila"

"now" suggests that Gerald has moved on, and has removed any sense of responsibility he had. He expects Sheila to do the same and follow him because of his stereotypical views on women.

"she gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help"

Gerald uses emotive language when describing his relationship with eva. This almost makes us feel bad for him, as he seems to really care for her.

"sure to be, unless Erics been up to something"

Gerald uses dramatic irony here, demonstrating his arrogance at the position he is in, and how he almost causes the downfall of others.

"I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty"

"that state", "chap" seem very conversational - Eric is very calm about the fact that he sexually assaulted a girl. This could suggest this is not rare, and he used his wealth to abuse a vulnerable woman.

"I was in a hell of a state"

This is regarding Eva's pregnancy. Eric manages to victimise himself, and describe the suffering that he was going through, with no regard for Evas feelings.

"youre not the kind of father a chap can go to when he's in trouble"

Eric deflects the blame onto his father, suggesting that the lack of affection from Mr Birling led him to use Eva (and assault her). This links to responsibility as Eric knows he is wrong, but cannot stand the weight of responsibility.

"It frightens me too"

The word "too" suggests that Eric is still not calm or assured enough to make his own decision, however he still agrees with Sheila that his parents and Gerald are in the wrong. This suggests he is accepting partial responsibility.

"Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable"

Repetition of dramatic irony solidifies him as an ignorant character. The titanic could be seen to represent British society as known, in the text, seeing as the overall speech is about capitalism and the fears of communism.

'I'm talking as a hard headed man of business'

Sheilas marriage is referred to as business, demonstrates how Capitalists have little personal lives, seeing as Mr Birling as turned his daughters marriage almost into work. "Hard headed" although meaning strong could also link to Mr Birling lacking intelligence.

"a man has to make his own way"

"has to", self assured, represents the male egotistical view in society. Priestley almost mocks this through the ignorant character of Mr Birling

"clothes mean something different to a woman"

Mr Birling uses stereotypes of women in the era, and uses them to almost mock the women in his life. This make him less likeable to the wider audience

"girls of that class"

Mrs Birling uses the determiner to scapegoat a class. This links to a wider theme of characters linking morality to class.

"she had only herself to blame"

"only herself" - is ironic as she was eventually left by herself, as everyone blamed her and refused to help her - this caused her to turn to suicide.

"as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money"

Mrs Birling attempts to remove herself from the levels of Eva Smith suggesting that Eva is of a certain "sort", that acts differently and has different morals and intellect than Mrs Birling

"what an expression Sheila!", "you shouldn't say things like that"

Mrs Birling was of a higher class than Mr Birling, and she clearly finds it uncomfortable some of the expressions and phrases that him and her children use, as they do not match the way she was brought up.

"In fire and blood and anguish"

Polysyndeton - the effects will go on forever. This is a direct reference to the war that is about to occur, perhaps suggesting that the war is a result of capitalism thus warning his current audience

"There are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths"

Repetition allows Priestley to attempt to make the play relevant to many people, instead of a singular family. Eva Smith is supposed to represent all working class women.

"you don't need to give me any rope"

The imagery of a rope not only links to Evas suicide, and the pain it will cause to the Birling family, but also to how it is there fault they have got themselves into the mess