social class

• A1 : stage directions - dessert plate and champagne glasses ... decanter of port , agar box and cigarettes


  Demonstrates how the upperclass live .

  " agar box and cigarettes" reflects the luxuries the upper class were able to enjoy due to the high social class while the lower class were struggling to live.
• A1 - Mrs Birling - Arthur , I don't think your ought to talk business on an occasion like this


  This shows mrs B has a higher social rank than mr b in the relationship.

  "Ought" suggests she is criticising his actions due to mannerisms being very important to her .

  Priestley has done this to show that women can be more powerful in a relationship in 1912
• A1 - Mr Birling - perhaps I ought to warn you that Chief Constable is an old friend of mine


  Shows the upper class use their power of being high class to get what they want

  "Warn" suggests he is being manipulative as he thinks he can get the inspector fired
• A1 - Mr Birling - wretched girls suicide


  Shows how the Birling's treat Eva due to her low social class.

  "Wretched " Eva is a nuisance to him because he is upper class and he can't empathise with them.
• A2 : Sheila - you mustn't try to build a kind of wall between us and that girl


  She has started to see that social class shouldn't matter in life and she wants people to be equal

  "Wall " used to show the physical difference in the divide between the rich and the poor
• A2 : Mrs Birling - girls of that class


  The upper classes think they are superior to lower classes

  "Girls" she has used the word as a plural so she is generalising a whole group. Also shows Eva is treated like a child

  "That" can't even say the name of their class
• A2: Gerald Croft - I suppose it was inevitable


  Thinks the upper class can take advantage of the lower class

  "Suppose " trying to justify his actions and show cheating is ok
• A3 : Eric - pretty and a good sports


  Shows the attitude towards the lower class people

  "Pretty" expects women to look appealing to him

  "Good sport " shows most men just use their power to get what they want
• A3 : Mr B - there will be a public scandal and who will suffer more than I will


  Only cares about how his social class will be affected after a girl has died

  "Suffer" thinks he is suffering when a girl has died