AIC - Gerald Croft

Overview - Gerald as a Symbol of the Privileged Class

-Gerald represents the upper-class male, who has both social and financial advantages, which he uses to manipulate and control those beneath him.

-He is a symbol of capitalist entitlement, where power is often exploited for personal satisfaction without moral consideration.

-However, through Gerald's character arc, Priestley explores the moral conflict within the privileged class - his guilt suggests self-awareness but also self-interest.

-Reluctantly admitting mistakes, Gerald's final position is ambiguous, and his willingness to accept responsibility is undercut by his desire to protect his social status.

Gerald's Relationship with Eva Smith - Manipulation and Exploitation

-"I didn't ask for anything in return" - This self-justifying language portrays Gerald as seeing his actions with Eva as generous, but this is an euphemism for exploitation.

-"She was young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful" - Objectifying language and romanticisation of Eva reveals how he reduces her to an object of his desire.

-Gerald's actions mirror the exploitative nature of the upper class, using his wealth and power to control Eva under the guise of a romantic relationship.

-Priestley contrasts Gerald's view of his affair with Eva to the Inspector's more moral assessment, revealing Gerald's self-deception and privilege.

Gerald's Guilt - Ambiguity and Lack of Full Accountability

-"I'm ashamed of it" - Initially, Gerald expresses guilt for his actions, but his remorse seems tied more to the social embarrassment rather than true moral regret.

-"She didn't blame me at all" - Denial of responsibility: Gerald tries to absolve himself of culpability by framing Eva as blameless and grateful, which contrasts with the Inspector's view of shared guilt.

-His final relief at discovering the Inspector may be a fraud suggests that self-preservation outweighs true moral awakening.

-This lack of complete self-awareness reveals how the privileged class often fails to confront their moral shortcomings.

Gerald's Response to the Inspector - Defensive and Self-Justifying

-"I don't see why she should have been let go" - He deflects blame by questioning the rightful actions of the working class, showing his entitlement.

-His defensiveness reveals his belief in his superiority and that Eva, a woman of lower class, was undeserving of sympathy or fair treatment.

-When challenged by the Inspector, Gerald's tendency to justify his actions further exposes the gap between the moral reckoning of the younger generation and the self-interested, resistant older generation.

-Priestley uses Gerald's defensiveness to demonstrate the arrogance and refusal to change in the upper class, exposing their complicity in perpetuating injustice.

Gerald's Changing Attitude Towards Responsibility

-"I think you'd better take this with you" - By the end of the play, Gerald seems to accept the consequences of his actions, but this is also his attempt to divert attention from the truth.

-Relief at the Inspector's apparent falseness indicates that Gerald doesn't truly understand his role in Eva's death, underscoring his lack of deep moral awakening.

-His flawed redemption arc highlights how **the privileged class can temporarily mask their guilt, but without meaningful self-reflection, their behaviour remains unchanged.

-This highlights the impermanence of his supposed change and reveals that, for the upper class, social responsibility often only extends so far.

Gerald's Character Development - The Complexities of Moral Awareness

-Gerald's emotional conflict and apparent guilt demonstrate the complexity of the privileged class in dealing with moral culpability.

-He represents the transitional figure between the traditional establishment (represented by Mr. and Mrs. Birling) and the younger, more socially conscious generation (Sheila and Eric).

-However, Gerald's return to his old attitudes by the end of the play suggests that true moral change requires more than superficial acknowledgment.

-Priestley's portrayal of Gerald as a flawed, but not irredeemable character, adds depth to the play's social critique by showing that even the wealthy can struggle with accountability, but that struggle is often ultimately dismissed for the sake of status.