Gerald- quote explanations

• "easy, well-bred young man about town"

  • self-assured and mature
  • certain worldliness and sophistication in his character
  • Priestley conveys how his wealth and status means he navigates the world with ease
  • upper class status gives him a polite, relaxed but rather arrogant manner
• "(politely) absolutely first class!"

  • compliments the birlings meal
  • adverb 'politely' shows Geralds attempt to endear himself with the birlings
  • tries to establish himself as a member of the family
  • even though mr birling made a faux pas in complimenting the cook
  • Gerald would have realised Arthurs lack of etiquette
  • yet reiterates his compliment to remove awkwardness
• "and I've told you I was awfully busy at the works"

  • seems intimidating and insistent
  • infantilises sheila
  • perhaps Priestley is highlighting the patriarchal society that sheila will be forced to enter
  • tone ins unnecessarily defensive - as if he's hiding something
  • verb 'told' indicates they've had this argument before
  • adverb 'awfully' alludes to awful action of keeping Eva as his mistress
• "you seem like a nice, well-behaved family"

  • appears happy to enter this marriage as the birling's are up and coming capitalists- the nouveau riche
  • forms alliance with Arthur with whom he has the same business ideals
  • verb 'seem' is dramatic irony- the last thing the birlings have been is 'well behaved'
• "we're respectable citizens and not criminals"

  • snobbery and ingrained class stereotypes apparent here
  • suggesting that lower class aren't respectable and assumed to be criminals
  • adjective 'respectable' implies gerald believes he is above lower classes
  • Priestley uses the inspector here to expose corruption and greed among men like Gerald and break this perceived illusion that money and class go hand in hand with moral decency
• "I think miss birling ought to be excused any more of this questioning"

  • clear effort to remove sheila from earshot
  • clearly embarrassed of his actions
  • phrase 'I think' implies he believes his views carry more weight than a young woman
  • sinister undertone- wants to control sheila
  • foreshadows the way Gerald uses his power and influence in taking Eva in as his mistress
• "I didn't install her there so I could make love to her.... I felt sorry for her"

  • attempts to justify his actions
  • verb phrase 'install her there' reflects Geralds dormant attitude towards women
  • presents himself as Evas recur, responding to her 'cry for help' in the palace bar
  • Priestley wants the audience to see that working class women had little recourse
  • uses the excuse that he took pity on her to justify his exploitative behaviour