MR BIRLING

• “as if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense“

  • zoomorphism - characterises society, particularly lower classes to “bees“
  • degradation and mockery of the concept of collective responsibility - portraying it as animalistic
  • dismisses idea of intertwining his responsibilities - perceives negligence as trivial ”nonsense”
  • hyphen prompts theatrical pause - emphasises repulsion to the concept (inability to even verbalise it)
  • acting as a microcosm for capitalist ideologies
  • preference for materialism over human relationships
• "public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges"

  • syntax "responsibilities" before "privileges" reflects the direct order of importance emphasised by the inspector to Birling
  • Birling inverts the sequence - prioritises privileges and materialistic gains over his responsibilities
  • short fragmented sentences - mirrors how Birlings fragmented perception of responsibility and accountability for his exploitative treatment of lower class
• "there'll be a public scandal"

  • euphemistic language - exacerbates his stubbornness as a representative of the older generation, adamantly refuses to acknowledge the truth and feels no remorse for his exploitation of Eva
  • implies hesitancy to confront the crime - would dismantle the carefully crafted facade he maintains for public perception
  • stagnant character - ignores moral and civic obligations and prioritises social status over compassion, remorse and social reform
• "the famous younger generation who know it all. now they cant even take a joke"

  • irony - derisively labels younger generation as "know-it-alls" given that he himself is a "know-it-all" referencing events like the "titanic" and dismissing concerns like "silly little war scares"
  • Priestley sets play in 1912 to fragmentize the "know-it-all" ignorance of the older generation
  • urges audience to repudiate capitalist perspectives
  • speech is cut off by the telephone, echoing the earlier interruption by the inspector
• "I cant accept any responsibility"

  • adverb "any" reveals complete lack of morality
  • believes he had no impact on her life
• "obviously it has nothing to do with that wretched girl's suicide"

  • adverb "obviously" emphasises arrogance and disregard for his own social responsibility
  • calling her a "wretched girl" showcases a complete lack of compassion
  • "wretched" has of being miserable and poverty-stricken which the Birlings have brought upon Eva
  • determiner "that" dehumanises Eva, further pushing an unlikeable image of Mr Birling
• "a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties"

  • "heavy-looking" - plumper frame was synonymous with affluence and indulgence
  • heaviness is deeply metaphorical - physical assertion of the solidity of his status whilst standing to represent his hedonistic and undisciplined tendencies
  • "portentous" - exposes superficiality of a capitalist - he can only see value in wealth and status
• "dubiously" tells his wife "The press might easily take it up-"

  • "dubious" has connotations of shyness and uncertainty which juxtaposes his former confident and extroverted self
  • Birlings anxiety at the mention of the press stems from a fear of reputations being compromised
  • dramatic irony intends to evoke a bitter excitement that Birling is due a dire fortune as the audience knows his knighthood is at stake
• "a young unmarried girl, is being dragged into this"

  • critiques the Inspector at every opportunity, almost searching for his flaws and mistakes
  • adjective "unmarried" is used as an epithet of weakness which emulates male arrogance suggesting a woman 'needs' marriage as a form of safety