Quotations

• What does the quote "rather too manly to be a dandy" suggest about Gerald?

  He is content and confident in his masculinity.
• What could the quote "... young man-about-town" suggest about Gerald?

  It could suggest he is a fashionable socialite.

  Or it could foreshadow Gerald's unfaithful nature, he goes around town and into the Palace bar to look for female companions.
• Why is the quote "I hate those hard eyed, dough-faced, women" significant? How does him saying that Eva seemed "out of place" emphasise this point?

  In this quote Gerald is referring to prostitutes.

  Priestley portrays Gerald as having spent time in bars and using prostitutes.

  The way Gerald describes them could only have come from experience.

  Saying that Eva seemed "out of place" implies that he knows what prostitutes are usually like.
• What does the quote "She was pretty- soft brown hair and big dark eyes- [breaks off] My God!" suggest?

  Gerald only cared about Eva because of his lustful desires. His break off in speech comes after he describes her appearance. Reveals he only felt attracted to Eva physically- he feels grief after remembering her physical beauty.
• "I think my father would agree to that, too." (Act 1).

  • Shows how similar his family's beliefs are to the Birlings' that upper class business owners should have lower costs and higher prices.
  • The actual workers would see none of this increased profit.
  • This presents Gerald as an entitled, wealthy, and upper class man, with no social responsibility. He agrees with the capitalist ideals like his father.
  • Also shows how Gerald is on the villainous side of the story at the start- he doesn't care about individuals.
• "I didn't feel about her as she felt about me." (Act 2)

  • Openly admits that he didn't really have feelings for Eva, he just kept her for a sexual relationship and as a mistress.
  • Priestley does this to show how upper class people would take what they wanted regardless of the impact on others or the emotional strain it could have.

  
  

  He sees himself as heroic because he rescued Eva and gave her money.
• "What about this ring?" (Act 3)

  • Even though Sheila changes dramatically throughout the play, Gerald proves he hasn't changed at all by the end.
  • He offers Sheila the engagement ring back, suggesting he wants to forget about everything that happened and go on with their lives as normal.
  • He expects Sheila to agree and pretend that the whole ordeal with Inspector Goole never happened.
  • This also proves he hasn't learnt anything from the story.