Gerald Croft

start - Naïve, conformist and complacent

Gerald agrees with Mr Birling on his points of: “we’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity” by saying “ i believe you’re right, sir

we’re respectable citizens and not criminals

Gerald's statement is made in response to the Inspector's inquiry about Eva Smith and the circumstances surrounding her death. 

hero complex and victimisation

Eva was "young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful. I became at once the most important person in her life - you understand?” The quote appears in the play when Gerald is being questioned by the Inspector about his involvement with Eva. a2

true selfishness

(about breaking off affair with daisy) she didn’t blame me at all. I wish to God she had now. Perhaps I’d feel better about it. spoken by the character Gerald, who is confessing to the other characters his involvement with Eva Smith's death a2

Dismissive, self-serving, unrepentant - INSPECTOR ISNT REAL

There isn’t any such Inspector. We’ve been had Gerald returns to the stage triumphant having saved their reputations by revealing the inspector is a fake demonstrating that his priority all along has been to protect his reputation.

the ring

Everything’s all right now, Sheila. [Holds up the ring.] What about this ring? when the Inspector's visit seems to be dismissed as a hoax, Gerald reverts to his previous, more selfish and dismissive attitude. Gerald loses all respect fro the audience as he too attempts to erase the events of the evening and believes that he can resume his relationship with Sheila as before showing that he has not learned anything from the inspector.