gerald

• what separates Gerald from the rest of the younger generation represented through Eric and sheila?

  • he represents the upper wealthy
  • he refuses to take social responsibility
  • he is guilty but refuses to make change
  • at the end of the play he resolves to going back to normal after finding out it was a hoax
• what does Gerald represent?


  what society will be left to if nothing changes
• did Gerald love Eva?

  no, but he felt sorry for her.
• what is Gerald's connection to Eva?


  he had an affair with her, and gave her somewhere to live
• how does Gerald attempt to mirror Arthur Birling in the beginning of the play?


  Mirroring Arthur Birling by agreeing with his views and supporting his opinions about how you should only be responsible for yourself and your families
• does Gerald change in anyway?


  not really, he only feels guilty yet won't make any change
• who keeps trying to impress Gerald and why?


  Arthur, because Gerald has more social power than him.
• how is Gerald's obsession with his reputation shown when his affair was revealed?


  he attempts to shut it down and pretend they don't know what they are talking about
• how does Gerald's reaction to his exposition contrast with his fiance's (sheila)?


  sheila seizes the opportunity and learns from her mistake whereas Gerald refuses to take responsibility
• how is he similar to Arthur and Sybil?


  in act 3, when finding out that it was a hoax, he resorted back to re-proposing to sheila, this shows his immaturity and lack of c=social responsibility
• what quote suggests that Gerald doesn't want to change? at the end of the play


  'what about this ring?'
• what does the 1945 audience expect from Gerald?


  the audience expects Gerald to change his attitude, like Sheila and Eric, but he lets the audience down
• what does his upper-class background hold back from Gerald?


  His upper-class background means his social prejudice and lack of social responsibility are innate (natural to him) – Priestley uses Gerald to show how difficult it was to change these attitudes.
• what does Gerald represent?


  the selfish and stubborn attitudes of the upper classes. Priestley uses Gerald as a warning to society