Mr Birling Quotes

• 'hard-headed, practical man of business'


  Suggests he is a self-made man that has acquired his wealth.

  Not upper class

  Symbol of capitalism - selfish

  'hard-headed' suggests he is confident in running his business and that his main concern is profit. It also suggests he lacks empathy for workers and exploits them for profit.
• 'unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable' 


  The dramatic irony shows Mr Birling's foolishness, creating a sense of distrust and doubt within capitalism.

  Symbolically, the titanic is destined to sink, so therefore Mr B's political ideology is under the Inspectors interrogation.

  Symbolises that the family believe they are unsinkable up until the Inspector's rude awakening.
• 'community and all that nonsense'


  He doesn't consider those with less than himself.

  Mr Birling's attitude made him a target of Priestley's socialist views as he felt that Mr B's view of the world needed to change.

  Mr B criticises/belittles socialism and the idea of looking after others.