Mrs Birling

• What quote shows the theme of responsibility & guilt for Mrs Birling?

  "He certainly didn't make me confess" (A3)
• 1. What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "He certainly..." & what is the analysis?

  • "He certainly didn't make me confess" (A3)
  • Connotations of verb "confess" -> crime connotations, stating she hasn't committed unlawful acts discreetly implies responsibility lack -> effortless accountability denial, acceptance, boast of selfishness -> irresponsibility within capitalist ideologies without moral or legal condemnation
• 2. What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "He certainly..." & what is the analysis?

  • "He certainly didn't make me confess" (A3)
  • Imperative verb "make" -> reason to actively rejects responsibility -> keeps afloat in power struggle between her & Inspector -> admitting truth to Inspector poses a threat to her status so she is safeguarding her position within societal structure dictated by capitalism
• What quote shows the theme of social class, responsibility & capitalism vs socialism for Mrs Birling?

  "I consider I did my duty" (A2)
• What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "I consider..." & what is the analysis?

  • "I consider I did my duty" (A2)
  • Abstract noun "duty" -> tool to explore difference in cap. & social. perspectives -> maintain class vital, refusing Eva help to uphold class gap -> contrasts with her philanthropic role in her organisation (which Priestley renders hollow, corrupt & performative) so Priestley introduces social vs moral duty through Edwardian classism
  • Personal pronoun "I" -> audience expects her to demonstrate remorse & guilt -> rejection of being accountable -> has to portray pristine persona
• What quote shows the theme of older vs younger & gender for Mrs Birling?

  "Sheila, what an expression! Really the things you girls pick up these days" (A1)
• 1. What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "Sheila, what an..." & what is the analysis?

  • "Sheila, what an expression! Really the things you girls pick up these days" (A1)
  • Exclamative sentence -> frantically trying to iron out social faux pas so they operate within class expectations -> reluctant to deviate from these in any way as she is a marionette of her class, complicit in upholding its conventions -> almost held in aspic within the hard-wired conventions of a capitalist & classist society
• 2. What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "Sheila, what an..." & what is the analysis?

  • "Sheila, what an expression! Really the things you girls pick up these days" (A1)
  • Condescending noun "girls" -> patronises Sheila, baby-like attitude towards Sheila in A1 -> symbolises emancipation, Mrs Birling wants to keep her docile & submissive, fears changes that put her class under threat -> wants to belittle Sheila to dismiss her behaviour & portray it as foolish to reinforce separation between the older robust to new thinking & youngers vulnerable to "pick[ing]" them up as if a disease
• What quote shows the theme of social class for Mrs Birling?

  "I don't suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-" (A2)
• 1. What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "I don't suppose for..." & what is the analysis?

  • "I don't suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-" (A2)
  • Repetition on "girl" -> conveys notions of innocence & vulnerability -> exploitative & prejudicial treatment of lower social class repeatedly commences within society e.g. Ms Birling shielded from consequences bc. class -> Mrs Birling's understanding of innocence in e.g. Eva simultaneously willingness to exploit & rationalise for capitalist advancement
• 2. What is the Mrs Birling quote that starts "I don't suppose for..." & what is the analysis?

  • "I don't suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-" (A2)
  • Demonstrative adjective "that" -> groups lower classes, dismiss them as aggregate (as one), emphasises distinctions in social classes -> entirely governed by arrogance of her social status, she can't bring herself to specify Eva's class considering it so far beneath her -> views lower class as inferior & homogeneous (all the same) group that all behave in the same way