Preoccupied with reputation (act2)

• Act 2 is an opportunity for all the characters to start contemplating feelings of remorse yet we don’t see this from mr birling

  As a member of the older generation mr birling exhibits a high external locus. Meaning the  at he perceives his actions as a result of external influences and not the fault of his own. 
• He “dubiously” tells his wife “ if this comes out at the inquest it isn’t going to do us much good. The press might easily take it up” 
• We see him subtly reprimanded his wife for her negligence of eva which exposes his hypocrisy and demonstrates him desperately trying to expel the blame and responsibility onto someone else
• The “dubious” mention of the press has connotations of shyness and uncertainty which juxtaposes his former confident and arrogant self. Birling an anxiety of the press comes from fear of his reputation being ruined and not motivated by guilt or pity for Eva.
• This is dramatic irony and it is intended to evoke a bitter excitement that birling, a disagreeable character is due a dire fortune. The audience know he is about to get a knighthood and priestly is perhaps exploring how every fibre of mr birlings being is superficial- the only thing that can obtain an emotional response from him is another frivolous trope of wealth, yet he remains un phased by the idea of suicide and death