His wife.. and her husband's social superior (themes)
class
His wife.. and her husband's social superior (context)
mr. birlingâs factory was a success since he had created his factory during the second industrial revolution.
His wife.. and her husband's social superior (analysis)
Mrs. Birling is described as Mr. Birlingâs social superior as she had been born into the upper class, while he was from the middle class. While he was born into the middle class, he has worked very hard to built everything he has and as a result is a very proud man.
Birling: half-civilised folks in the balkans (theme)
bro idk either
Birling: half-civilised folks in the balkans (context)
Refers to WWI that is going to take place two years after the year that the play is set in
Birling: half-civilised folks in the balkans (analysis)
this quotation shows racism when describing them as âhalf-civilisedâ but it also refers back to WWI and how it was going to break out in the near future for
birling: as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive (theme)
socialism
birling: as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive (context)
none that i can think of
birling: as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive (analysis)
quotation shows mr. birlingâs capitalist beliefs and how everyone should take care of those in their family, but not everyone else
birling: weâve several hundred young women there (themes)
class
birling: weâve several hundred young women there (context)
this reflects how the upper classes think about the younger classes
birling: weâve several hundred young women there (analysis)
mr. birling shows how he doesnât think of the girls working in his factory as actual people, but either as an extension of the machines they work for or just as a way for him to continue his business. he doesnât care about the wellbeing of his employees and only actually care about whether or not his business ends up thriving
birling: i canât accept any responsibility (themes)
moral responsibility, class
birling: i canât accept any responsibility (analysis)
mr. birling believes that he could not accept any responsibility as he had âonlyâ fired her from her job and that happened two years before her suicide. he stated that if everyone was responsible for each other, then everything would end up being awkward, showing his capitalist beliefs and how everyone is responsible for themselves.
birling: i refused of course (theme)
inequality
birling: i refused of course (analysis)
mr. birling believes that the girls bad at managing money and as a result is why theyâre broke and have to work in his factory
birling: i refused of course (context)
shows the selfishness and capitalism from the upper class in how they are unwilling to help the lower classes
birling: did you say âwhyâ? (theme)
class
birling: did you say âwhyâ? (analysis)
birling is trying to point out that the inspector is not a businessman
birling: did you say âwhyâ? (context)
the upper class do not believe that the working class would understand anything about business because they are ultimately do not own any businesses of their own
birling: i didnât suppose you did (theme)
class
birling: i didnât suppose you did (analysis)
use of sarcasm
implying that golf is not in the inspectorâs social class.
birling: i didnât suppose you did (context)
back in 1912, and still today, people from the lower classes would not play golf (regularly) since it is a costly sport.
birling: i was quite justified (theme)
hypocrisy
birling: i was quite justified (analysis)
he had just stated that he could accept responsibility, but then immediately stated that he was justified in everything he did. this makes it seem like as if he was starting to accept the responsibility of his actions to some degree, but still would not admit it.
birling: we were having a nice family celebration.. nasty mess youâve made of it now (theme)
inequality, class
birling: we were having a nice family celebration.. nasty mess youâve made of it now (analysis)
here he shows how his family dinner is more important than the death of a girl. however, the response mr. birling would have would be very different if eva smith was from a higher social class
birling: we were having a nice family celebration.. nasty mess youâve made of it now (context)
links back to how the upper classes are shallow and the degree of which they would care about someone is linked to the persons social class
eva smith: she had to go (theme)
inequality
eva smith: she had to go (analysis)
though mr. birling recognises that eva smith was a hard worker, but she caused trouble and had too much to say, so he had to fire her
eva smith: she changed to daisy renton (theme)
inequality
eva smith: she changed to daisy renton (analysis)
eva smith had unfairly gotten fired from two of her jobs and she was unable to find another other steady jobs from then on. but since she had to make ends meet, she had to change her name and become a prostitute.
inspector: a chain of events (theme)
socialism
inspector: a chain of events (analysis)
use of foreshadowing.
all the characters cause a chain of events that are all interlinked via. eva smith
inspector: very awkward (theme)
i dunno bro
inspector: very awkward (analysis)
use of sarcasm
the awkwardness is what the inspector brings to the entire play and delivers to the birlings and gerald
inspector: itâs better to ask for the earth than to take it (theme)
inequality
inspector: itâs better to ask for the earth than to take it (analysis)
implying capitalists are taking the world.
links to the âif you take an inch, youâll take a mileâ idiom
inspector: she changed her name to daisy renton (themes)
class, inequality
inspector: she changed her name to daisy renton (analysis)
in order to obtain a source of income, eva smith had to become a prostitute, and for that, she changed her name from eva smith to daisy renton. but this wouldnât have had happened if mr. birling didnât fire her, or if sheila didnât get her fired from milwardâs.
inspector: so after two months, with no work, no money coming in, and living in lodgings with no relatives to help her, few friends. lonely, half-starved, she was feeling desperate (theme)
inequality
inspector: so after two months, with no work, no money coming in, and living in lodgings with no relatives to help her, few friends. lonely, half-starved, she was feeling desperate (analysis)
the inspector was listing to show just how desperate and helpless eva smith was
eric: i left âem talking about clothes again.. women are potty about âem (theme)
inequality
eric: i left âem talking about clothes again.. women are potty about âem (analysis)
this sexist comment made by eric reflects the inequalities women had faced back in the 1910s, and how they were supposed to marry well. in addition to have little to no thoughts of their own and only caring about things like clothes.
eric: unless ericâs been up to something (theme)
dont ask me idk
eric: unless ericâs been up to something (analysis)
use of foreshadowing.
this is said by gerald and is meant to be a joke, but itâs ironic but itâs because itâs the truth.
gerald: too manly to be a dandy.. well-bred (theme)
class
gerald: too manly to be a dandy.. well-bred (analysis)
describing gerald as âwell-bredâ links back to his social class and how he was born into the upper class
sheila: is it the one you wanted me to have? (theme)
class
sheila: is it the one you wanted me to have? (analysis)
sheila shows how she has no say in what she wants in her relationship with gerald, as he is from a higher class and he is a man, in full control of the relationship
sheila: pretty? (theme)
inequality
sheila: pretty? (analysis)
sheila is presented to be a character with shallow opinions and views. the first thing she asked the inspector about eva smith was if she looked pretty, which shows where her values lie. though, if the inspector had responded that she was ugly, it is likely that sheila wouldnât have felt as bad for her since her values lie with someones physical attributes which is why sheâs the physicality power in the play.
sheila: pretty? (context)
sheila is presented this way since sheâs a woman from the upper class and is therefore not expected to have any thoughts of her own
sheila: but these girls arenât cheap labour - theyâre people (themes)
generational divide, inequality
sheila: but these girls arenât cheap labour - theyâre people (analysis)
unlike mr. birling, sheila recognises that the girls working in his factory are actual human beings and not just his employees. while mr. birling doesnât realise this, sheila does due to the generation gap between them. sheila believes that mr. birling was in the wrong for firing eva smith especially since that was her source of income.
sheila: miserable plain little creature (theme)
inequality
sheila: miserable plain little creature (analysis)
linking back to when sheila asked the inspector if eva smith was pretty, this once again shows her shallow views that are a part of her personality. instead of referring to the personality as miserable, she is referring to the personâs looks. through the link of the two words âmiserableâ and âplainâ, it is like she merged the meanings together in that if you arenât pretty and you look like the social norm, then you are automatically miserable.
sheila: i was there this afternoon - for your benefit (theme)
inequality
sheila: i was there this afternoon - for your benefit (analysis)
links back to the ring gerald gave sheila, how women from that time period were meant to act. the reason for why she went to milwardâs was to look pretty, but the only reason she had to look pretty was for a man. she had no reason to look pretty for herself, and she was living to be pretty to marry well.
sheila: i couldnât be sorry for her (theme)
inequality
sheila: i couldnât be sorry for her (analysis)
links back to sheilaâs obsession over how people look. since sheila recalls how eva smith was indeed pretty, she remembers how she thought that she would be able to take care of herself. and to add on the fact that she was pretty, sheila felt as if she was unable to feel bad for her, in a sort of attempt to justify how she got eva smith fired from her job at milwardâs. the use of the modal verb âcouldnâtâ suggests that sheila is potentially not as nice as she might seem or that she is unable to feel bad for eva smith since she was never expected to feel bad for those from a lower social class than her and therefore never learnt
sheila: i couldnât be sorry for her (context)
the upper class is mostly capitalist dominated, which makes them teach the younger generation to not feel bad for their actions towards the people from lower classes in comparison to their own social class.