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"unSinkable absolutely unsinkable”
"I say there isn't a chance of war"
-Mr Birling dramatic irony
"Crofts and Birlings (...) are working together - for lower costs and higher prices."
-Mr Birling shows how his priority for the marriage is to earn more money and not love -Juxtaposition of "lower" and higher". Hidden meaning behind "costs" is the wages of the lower classes. -He is compromising his workers pay and lives to save money.
Birling: "a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own - and -" ( We hear the sharp ring of a door bell. Birling stops to listen)
-Mr Birling's capitalist ideas. They are interrupted by a doorbell. This implies that the visitor is going to challenge these capitalist views with socialist ideas. -The adjective 'sharp implies something painful and intruding. It foreshadows the discomfort the characters will soon feel.
"All mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense"
Mr Birlings simile about socialism -Simile agrees with birlings idea that it can be claustrophobic with them all living together. -Bees all work together for one aim but they still have a higherarchy so birling is wrong. -This demonstrates his ignorance which could indicate that what he thinks is right - capitalism - is actually wrong. -Bees can be vicious? -"nonsense" dismissive. Doesn't exist. OR he dismisses it quickly so is he jealous?
"this girl (...) she'd had a lot to say - far too much - so she had to go"
Mr Birling describes why he sacked Eva Smith
"obviously it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girl's suicide"
Mr Birling tries to convince the others that sacking Eva had nothing to do with her suicide
"If you don't come down sharply on these people they'd soon be asking for the earth."
"I discharged her"
Birlings blunt description of sacking Eva Smith
(Pointing at Eric and sheila) "the famous younger generation who knows it all. And they can't even take a joke-"
The telephone rings sharply
-Mr Birling criticise Sheila and Eric for being too serious. -This seems inappropriate and even shocking considering a young girl has just committed suicide. -Birlings sarcasm actually highlights that maybe the younger generation do know it all
-Then the telephone stage directions -"sharply". Adverb. Implies a sudden interruption bringing responsibility. A loud and harsh sound that highlights it to the audience. Similar to the doorbell.
//a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior//
Stage directions describing Mrs Birling at the beginning of the play.
(Staggered)" It isn't true"
(Staggered) "Well really! Alderman Meggarty! I must say
"Unlike the other three I did nothing I'm ashamed of (...) you have no power to make me change my mind"
"She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position"
Mrs Birling about Eva's claims to her
"elaborate". adjective. Luxury. Suggests Eva gave too much detail to be believable for Mrs Birling -"absurd" exaggerated. Insult to lower classes -"girl" is belittling and "her position" implies her situation of being pregnant or her lower class status
"As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!"
Mrs Birling shows her negative stereotypical view of the lower class - especially girls
"Look - mummy - isn't it a beauty?"
Sheila's attitude before the inspector "Mummy"= before the change. Seems shallow and immature
"By these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people"
Sheila challenges her Fathers socialist views and underpayment of the workers
"I felt rotten about it at the time and now I feel a lot worse. Did it make much difference to her?"
Sheila describing how she felt about causing Eva smiths sacking -The question shows she wants reassurance and comfort as she knows the answer yet is afraid she is guilty OR it is an honest question which shows Sheila's naivety about the the hard labour market.
"No because I remember what he said(...) what he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish (...) I can't listen to any more of it"
"Yes
I insisted - it seems. I'm not very clear about it (...) I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty"
"You killed her- and (..) my child - your own grandchild (...) you don't understand anything. You never did"
Eric shouting at Mrs Birling for what she did and her disunderstanding for everything
(Bursting out) "You're beginning to pretend as if nothing's really happened at all. And I can't see it like that. The girl's still dead isn't she?"
(Distressed) My God!... I've suddenly realized (...) - that she's dead-"
Gerald shows shock. It implies he really did care for eva
"I didn't install her there so I could make love to her. I made her go (...) I was sorry for her"
Gerald defending giving Eva accommodation
"install" seems controlling and objectifying -" I made her go". He still forced her as he expects to have power and control over Eva -" I was sorry for her" pity not love. Because of her class (She did become his mistress so a
"Everything's alright now Sheila(...) how about this ring?" (Sheila: "no not yet. It's too soon")
Gerald to Sheila. He thinks nothing has changed between them. Sheila says "not yet" but not no.
Birling: " (...) he's an old friend of mine (...) we play golf together" Inspector: " i don't play golf"
Birling trying to show his social class to the inspector.
" She was here alone
friendless
"We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other"
Inspectors final speech. Socialist ideas Metaphor for every part working together for one cause
"if men don't learn that lesson
then they shall be taught in fire and blood and anguish. Goodnight"
Inspector: "The girl discovered that the money you were giving her was stolen
didn't she." Eric: "Yes (...) She wouldn't take anymore"
"Still I can't accept any responsibility. If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with”
(Miserably) "So I'm really responsible?"
Sheila doesn't understand that her actions have consequences. "?"
yet she says it "miserably". Adverb shows she is changing slightly
"It's what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters(...) that's why I don't feel like sitting down and having a nice cosy talk"
Eric gets angry that everyone is acting like it never happened.
Eric still calls her "the girl".
"We all" implies he is taking responsibility for his own actions and everybody else. -"Nice
"there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths (...) all intertwined with our lives"
Theme of responsibility The inspectors final speech -The repetition emphasises the amount of people. It shows the inspectors passion and even reflects preiestlys passion. -"Eva smith and John smith" are common lower class English names. -Even in a capitalist society we are all in one community living together even if people don't realise it so we need to work together. -Like a vine growing round a tree we all need support and to work together
"I left 'em talking about clothes again (...) Women are potty about 'em "
Theme of gender Eric. Clothes.
" she was young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful. I became (...) the most important person in her life"
Theme of gender and social class Gerald. Shows he saw Eva as dependent on him
Birling is annoyed at Eric and more worried about a "public scandal" Eric: (Bursting out) "(...) You're (...) I can't (...) The girls still dead isn't she?"
"there'll be a public scandal - unless we're lucky - and who here will suffer from that more than I will?"
Mr Birling Theme of reputation and social class
"Why shouldn't they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices(...) I'd have let her stay"
Eric challenges his fathers socialist views and money. He shows that he is different and would have acted differently
'used her as if she was an animal”
"we're respectable citizens and not criminals"
Pg 20. Gerald shows his negative view of the lower class
"you used the power you had (...)to punish the girl"
Pg 22. Inspector to Sheila. She acted badly in getting Eva fired
"I'll never never do it again to anybody"
"You'll see"
Sheila is very perceptive about the fact the inspector already knows everything.
"You mustn't try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl"
Pg 21 Sheila. Them of class divides
"wall" is metaphorical for the class divide. -Sheila agrees with priestly ideas. -"That girl" is dismissive
"Go and look for the father of the child. It's his responsibility" or " i blame the young man who was the father of the child"
Pg 39 Mrs Birling By putting the responsibility on the father of the child Mrs Birling unknowingly puts responsibility straight on Eric
" You began to learn something. And now you've stopped. You're ready to go on in the same old way"
Theme of the generation gap and unchanging older Birlings Sheila
"you're not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble"
Eric points out how Birling is not much of a father
"there are a lot of young women living that sort of existence (..) Cheap labour. Ask your father."
Theme of social class The inspector points out to Sheila that many people live like Eva Smith and that she should just look at her father.
//The lighting should be pink and intimate until the INSPECTOR arrives and then it should be brighter and harder.//
Lighting described on page 1 Pink + intimate seems cosy. Rose tinted glasses - the Birlings only see the positive things Bright per and harder shows how the inspector is interrogating them and allowing them to see the truth
"(...) your mother - Lady Croft ... feels you might have done better for yourself socially"
Theme of social class Mr Birling to Gerald about his mothers view on the marriage
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