gender

• in 1910 regardless of class who were seen as second class citizens

  women
• who does priestley use to critique the idealised pre-war era

  eva smith
• who is symbolic of how in 1903, people aimed too 'wake up the nation' and expose the reality of womens suffrage

  sheila
• how is mrs Birling representive of tradional 1912 women

  she acts subservient in the presence of men
• This quote shows what about mrs Birling 'When you're married you'll realize that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You'll have to get used to that, just as I had'

  She supports male ideology and will make excuses for them
• what quote parallels this one about sheila 'she was a pretty girl in her early twenties '

  'she had been pretty, very pretty'
• why is eva smith described in a idealised way

  To present her as the perfect helpless victim
• what is the only major difference between eva and sheila 


  class
• what quote show mr birling thinks women should be seen and not heard

  ''she'd had a lot to say – far too much – so she had to go'
• how did mr birling exploit eva

  he mistreated her commercially through the work force
• what does this quote ' I didn't install her there so that I could make love to her 'reveal about geralds character

  The words ‘install her there’ reflect his dominant attitude to women in general and it is clear that he did indeed intend to make her his mistress
• what does the quote 'she was pretty and a good sport' imply

  It implies Eva is a superficial game to be used and played with when convenient
• what can be interpreted about this quote ' I think miss birling ought to be excused from any more of this questioning'

  Gerald and mr Birling try to silently exclude sheila and push her out because they think the details of evas smith death are too horrific for her to here
• how is it hypocritical of mr birling to say 'now there isn't the slightest reason why my daughter should be dragged into this unpleasant business'

  Because he tries to sheila, a young woman from the things he and the rest of the family subjected eva another young girl too
• what is alderman meggarty symbolic of

  He represents the upper class men who seek to gratify there own desires by using there wealth and power
• how is alchol a symbol of male corruption

  All the men drink which is symbolic of greed, wealth and corruption
• how are gerald and eric hypocritic. Gerald says 'I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced women' and eric says 'I hate these fat old tarts round the town'

  This is hypocritical because they are insulting these women an saying they hate them but they both still pay for prostitutes