First Impressions

• How is Gerald described in the stage directions?

  "an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town"
• What does Priestley use Gerald to represent?

  Individualism of the upper class.
• How does Gerald disappoint the audience?

  They hope he will change his capitalist and selfish attitudes, but he doesn't.
• How does Priestley use Gerald's failure to change his attitude?

  To develop his sense of social responsibility and to show how entrenched (unlikely to change) his upper class attitudes are- even death won't change them.
• How does Gerald initially come across in the play?

  Humble. He is polite to the Birling parents. His humbleness is in stark contrast to Mr Birling.