motif

• What do the motifs of drinking, disinfectant, and bleach symbolize in the play?

  Corruption, guilt, and attempts to cleanse wrongdoing
• How is alcohol associated with the upper-class characters in the play?

  It symbolizes pleasure, recklessness, and avoidance of responsibility
• How do Eric and Gerald use drinking in the play?

  As an excuse for their misbehavior
• What does Sheila say about Eric's drinking problem?

  “You’re squiffy.”
• How does Sheila perceive the impact of drinking on powerful men like Alderman Meggarty?

  It enables exploitative behavior towards women
• What does Eric blame for his assault on Eva Smith?

  His drunkenness
• What does the disinfectant motif symbolize in Eva Smith's death?

  Desperation and self-destruction
• How does the phrase "burnt her inside out" relate to Eva's suffering?

  It emphasizes the pain she endured
• What does the contrast between drinking for pleasure and Eva's use of disinfectant highlight?

  Social inequality and class disparity
• How does Mrs. Birling's denial reflect the theme of cleansing?

  She wants to erase the scandal without change
• What does the photograph motif symbolize in the play?

  Truth, accountability, and selective justice
• How does the Inspector use the photograph as a tool of power?

  He controls who sees it to provoke confessions
• What does the ambiguity of the photograph suggest about the characters' guilt?

  It highlights their collective denial of responsibility
• What does Gerald argue about the photograph in Act 3?

  “We’ve no proof it was the same photograph.”
• What does the ring symbolize in An Inspector Calls?

  Love, status, control, and materialism
• How does Sheila's view of the engagement ring change throughout the play?

  It shifts from excitement to rejection
• What societal context influences Sheila's initial excitement over the ring?

  Women's roles were largely domestic in society
• What does Sheila's rejection of the ring symbolize in terms of social change?

  Rejecting the cycle of ignorance and irresponsibility
• What does Sheila's final refusal of the ring in Act 3 signify?

  Her commitment to personal growth