3: SOCIAL CLASS

But these girls aren’t cheap labour … they’re people

Sheila - humanising the lower classes

You musn’t try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl

Sheila - trying to help her mother - recognizing class divide

No, not yet. It’s too soon. I must think

Sheila - Short sentences - caring more about someone’s actions than what their social class could do for her

It isn’t if you can’t go and work somewhere else

Eric - He recognises that class affects ones opportunities - in response to “It’s a free country,”

Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices

Eric - He recognises the hypocrisy of the upper classes anger with the lower classes campaigns for higher wages

Said I didn’t love her … and all that

Eric - Due to his upbringing he disregards marrying for love

About fifty pounds

Eric - Due to his social class he takes little note of money not even being able to recall exact amounts

If there weren’t, the factories and warehouses wouldn’t know where to look for cheap labour

Inspector - points out how the upper class exploit the lower classes in need of work

a customer complained about her … and so she had to go

Inspector - highlights that the upper class needs rule regardless of the merit of the lower class

she was here alone, friendless, almost penniless, desperate

Inspector - shows the upper classes lack of sympathy

as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person

Inspector - dehumanisation of lower classes

solid furniture of the period/ decanter of port, cigar box and cigarettes

set - shows the birling’s wealth

just a knighthood, of course

Mr Birling - uses his rising status to try and win Gerald’s family

I was an alderman for years and Lord Mayor two years ago/ this is Mr Gerald Croft … son of Sir George Croft

Mr Birling - uses his status symbols to assert dominance

If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth

Mr Birling - Believes the lower class are greedy and need to be controlled

we’re respectable citizens and not criminals

Gerald - believes that because they’re upper class they should be assumed to be moral

this is Mr Gerald Croft … of Croft’s Limited

Gerald - ensures others know who he is (phone)

Not if it was just after the holidays. They’d all be broke if I know them

Gerald - makes assumptions of poorer people’s habits (irony)

[showing annoyance] any particular reason why I shouldn’t see this girl’s photograph

Gerald - doesn’t take it well when he is denied

Arthur, you’re not supposed to say such things

Mrs Birling - Very proper, wants to look good in front of others

my husband was Lord Mayor only two years ago and that he’s still a magistrate

Mrs Birling - uses status to intimidate

as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!

Mrs Birling - assumptions about the lower classes (exclamation)