Sybil Birling

• what is sybil proud?


  her reputation and her social status, she'll do anything to protect them and theyre more important than the happiness of her children
• what 4 things is sybil? add quotes to back it up

  1. traditional - "when your married youll realize"
  2. proud - "I was the only one of you who didnt give in to him"
  3. prejudice - "as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money"
  4. cruel - "i used my infuence to have it refused"
• is sybil Mr birlings "social superior"?


  yes - becausde sybil is from a family with a higher social status then arthur birling's family. even though birlings head of the family, sybil is his "social superior"
• what evidence is there to show that Sybil is Mr Birlings social superior?

  1. sybils tells her husband of for saying the food was good infront of a guest, this is impolite to mention the cook or servants
  2. sybil reminds her family to use proper manners for example she told sheila of for using slang
  3. sybil wont let people boss her around, for example when she warns the inspector - "you have no power to make me change my mind"
• how does sybils strict standards affect eva/daisy and her son?


  Sybil refused to help eva/daisy when she most needed it and blamed the father of the unborn child ( which was sybils son) and she condemns her own son and demands that he should be made to pay and to confess publicly
• how can sybil support charity but no be very charitable?


  Mrs birlings invoveled with the Brumley Womens Charity Organisation which she says only helps "deserving cases" and Mrs Birling decides who is deserving and who's not
• in What way does Mrs birling not change?

  • shes selfcentred - doenst notice her owns son alcholism and her daughters concerns that gerald has lost interest last summer
  • she wont except responsibility
  • she doesnt learn from the inspectors message
• what stage directions suggest that Sybils made up her mind?


  Mrs Birling answered "haughtily", "very sharply" and "bitterly
• what quote shows all Mrs Birling cares about is coming out on top?


  in act three when Mrs birling repeatedly tells everybody that she knew it was a hoax and that she "triumphently" tells everyone she knew it all along
• what suggests that Mrs Birling had put the night's events behind her?


  in the final moments of the play Mrs Birling is "smiling" and telling everyone to feel as "amused" as she is by the evenings events