AIC

Arthur Birling - “The Titanic - she sails next week [...] and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable” [A1]

• Repetition. Obnoxious, and entitled, reflects WWI – men who fought so they could rule the world creating chaos

• This shows a lot about Mr Birling's character, his high role in society leads him to act arrogantly and in a way that he is certain that he is correct of what he is saying. We learn that this turns out to be one of his flaws as later on in the play this characteristic leads him to be manipulated by the inspector who challenges his masculinity and arrogance into realising what he has caused and how he is in the wrong. Yet at the end of the extract we come to the understanding that what we thought was him learning his lesson, as soon as the inspector turns out to not be “real” the arrogant Mr Birling has again come about showing that until they learn an inspector is coming from the closing line, Mr Birling has not be changed and resorted back to his capitalist idealism.

Arthur Birling - “If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth” [A1]

• We can see in this quote Mr Birling aligns with the capitalist ways in that everyone should fend for themselves and make their living rather than everyone being treated fairly and receiving the same amount. The adverb “sharply” suggests to us that Mr Birling only feels that the lower classes are pests who need to be dealt harshly with otherwise they will become dependent on the rich. This further exemplifies his capitalist views that by removing the incompetent of rock society the rich can keep getting richer while the poor are stuck in a cycle of poverty which is inescapable for most due to the ignorance of the poor wanting the prioritise the growth of their wealth. On top of this, the use of the indirect address in “These people” adds to our understanding of Mr Birling viewing them as a lower class even in his thought process about them. We are openly exposed to his hatred of the lower classes by degrading them as a second nature. His thought process has been implemented to already think of anyone who doesn't hold the same wealth as him as a less of a person.

Arthur Birling - “You’d think everybody has to look after everybody else as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense” [A1]

• shows he is against socialism

• simile- compares humans to bees- symbolic, bees being a community

• doesn’t want to be associated or help others from different classes

• symbolism “bees”- bees symbolising the working class which later ‘sting’ him

Arthur Birling - “There’ll be a public scandal – unless we’re lucky – and who here will suffer from that more than I will?” [A3]

• Self-interest over morality: Birling’s first concern is reputation, not responsibility. He cares more about newspapers than Eva Smith’s death.

• Language – “unless we’re lucky”: He wants to escape consequences, not reflect. Luck, not justice, is his saviour.

• “Who here will suffer... more than I will?”: Classic narcissism. He centers himself in a tragedy that had nothing to do with him at first glance.

• Capitalist critique: Priestley’s giving the finger (gently) to people who view social issues through a profit/reputation lens.

Sheila Birling - “Look mummy isn’t it a beauty” [A1]

Materialistic outlook on everything due to her upbringing.

Sheila Birling - “But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people” [A1]

• Rejects metaphor. Interrupts and disagrees with Birling. 

• Use of contractions = informal language – foreshadows change

Sheila Birling - “You mustn't try and build up a kind of wall between us and that girl. If you do, the Inspector will just break it down” [A2]

• Recognises the need for accountability and responsibility.

• “Wall”- physical separation of societal class through their grand buildings

• “Break down”- ref. Inspector Goole breaking down their “wall” of lies

• “That girl”- superior undertones

Sybil birling - “She was giving herself ridiculous airs [...] claiming elaborate fine feelings [...] that were simply absurd in a girl in her position” [A2]

• Thinks poor people lack humanity. 

• Adjectives = reductive towards the poor

• “simply absurd”- ironic as the child was her grandchild

• lexical field of ridicule

• “girl”- belittling by avoiding her name

Sybil Birling - “I’m sorry she should have come to such a horrible end. But I accept no blame at all” [A2]

• Impervious to any sense of responsibility

• Considers the poor inhuman and rich beyond scrutiny.

• juxtaposition “sorry” to blame”- sentence begins with an apologetic tone and ends with a selfish tone

• “accepts”- reflects her continuous rejection of her moral duties as a blue-blooded wealthy woman

• almost sarcastic- shows extent of avoidance of responsibility

Sybil birling - 'When you're married you'll realise that men with important work to do sometimes spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You'll have to get used to that, just as I had. [A1]

Capitalist Outlook

Eric Birling - “Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices” [A3]

• question- suggests moment of realisation against A.Birling

• transformation- reflection of socialism in post-war youth

• inclusive noun “we”- attempts to change views of family

• repetition “high”- shows the extortion of workers

Eric Birling - “I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her - and that’s what matters” [A3]

• Rejects family’s avoidance of responsibility.

• “We” inclusive noun, collective responsibility

• “What matters” criticism of family as a whole

Eric Birling - “And that’s when it happened. And I don’t even remember - that’s hellish thing” [A2]

• Eric admits it happened, but deflects: “it” and considers hellish thing is not remembering, rather than raping her. 

• Priestley shows the damage of drinking culture, and how the wealthy avoid criminal responsibility

• biblical allusion “hellish”- references his punishment in hell

• “Hellish”- links to Inspector’s later message of “blood and fire and anguish”

• repetition of “and”- shows his inability to process and express thoughts, immense regret but cannot show

Inspector Goole - “An impression of massiveness, solidity and purpose” [A1]

• lexical field of usefulness- emphasises his purpose to teach a lesson to the Birlings

• adj. “massive”- imposing and authoritative presence- used to disrupt the complacency of the Birlings and force them to confront their action

• adj “solidity”- inspector is grounded and resolute- firm sense of purpose and mission- contrasts with uncertainty of Birlings

• adj “purpose”- Inspector’s mission and determination to seek truth

Inspector Goole - “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other” [A3]

• Rep. of “we”- indicates how it is the upper class’ responsibility as a whole- diatribe

• Lexical field of oneness

Inspector Goole - “If men will not learn lesson, then they will be taught in fire and blood and anguish” [A3]

• refers to WWI. How wealthy ruling class create damage/chaos across the country

• Lexical field “fire”, “blood” and “anguish”- ref. To hell

• Biblical imagery “fire”, “blood” and “anguish”- ref. To punishment in afterlife

Inspector Goole - “there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us” [A3]

• repetition “millions”- emphasises the sheer amount of poverty, exploitation of working class

• patronymic name “eva smith” and “john smith”- represents ordinary people and the widespread societal problems

• “left with us”- emphasises social responsibility and call to action

• timeless message- relevant today

Context

• He was a socialist: believed capitalism exploited the poor so governmental measures were needed to curb capitalist greed. 

• Very religious. 

• Anti-alcohol. 

• The family dynamic. 

• Play set in 1912 Edwardian era (really unequal society due to class structure)

• First performed in Russia (communist country). Priestley may have been a communist. Total rejection of capitalism. 

• Fought in WWI. Suffered a gas-attack → PTSD. 

• 1945 the country votes Labour. Attlee:
  - The NHS
  - The Welfare State
  - Trade Union friendly laws

• Performed in London 1948 to English audience

Mr Birling - “A man has to make his own way, look after himself, and his family

Most important thing for Mr birling is himself

shows how Priestley is trying to present the idea that being self centred leads to your downfall

Look inspector i’ll give thousands, yes thousands

Your offering money at the wrong time