gerald

Cards (16)

  • Easy well-bred young man-about town'
    defines him as privileged and young (thus naive, innocent and immature) (act 1)
  • I believe you are right sir'
    believes that he should marry for the sake of money rather than love as he agrees with Mr Birling, his sycophancy towards Mr Birling sets him up as a possible proxy (act 1)
  • I don't come into this suicide business'
    His casual language shows his uncaring attitude to the girl's suicide.
  • no thanks'
    his rejection of a masculine and opulent symbol places Gerald between the younger and older generation, leaving us questioning which side of the equilibrium he will fall to (act 1)
  • You seem to be a well-behaved family'
    Gerald is generalizing their family as capitalist (act 1)
  • I've suddenly realized-taken it in properly-that she's dead'
    fragmented syntax highlighting his empathy (act 2)
  • if she didn't want any more of that sort of thing, she'd better let me take her out'

    sets up Gerald's borderline savior complex as he proceeds to commit adultery, this creates a codependency in which Gerald takes this love and has an affair(act 2)
  • women of the town-'
    Gerald uses hedging language to cover that he went to a bar full of prostitutes to portray his guilt of adultery (act 2)
  • the wonderful fairy prince'

    Gerald at this moment realises the magnitude of his actions as Sheila highlights his savior complex (act 2)
  • I didn't install her there to make love'
    Gerald attempts to justify his actions and also discriminates Eva as he doesn't 'install' her (act 2)
  • he at least had some affection for her and made her happy for a time'
    The inspector is not very critical of Gerald since Priestley was also unfaithful in his marriage and thus tried to justify his own acts of adultery by making other women happy (act 2)
  • Thanks, I think I could do with one now'
    Provides a cyclical structure since the offering of the cigar, however he accepts it and is now shown on the side of the Birlings. (act 3)
  • Fire and blood and anguish
    Since Gerald hasn't broken the 'chain of events' he is now subjected to be taught through a war. (act 3)
  • Everything's alright now'
    Suggests Gerald is more concerned about being caught than about his actual actions, and also disregards his affairs (act 3)
  • But how do we know it's the same girl'
    he attempts to justify that the things they did are not that bad if they did it to different girls (act 3)
  • What girl? There was probably four or five different girls'
    this would mean that more 'Eva Smith's and John Smith's' were exploited making the situation worse as Gerald reverts back to disregarding the lower class (act 3)