Gender

• Priestley explores the theme of gender through how Mrs Birling treats Eva Smith, how Mr Birling and Gerald Croft view women and how Eva Smith is portrayed as independent and outspoken before her death
• "I hate those hard eyed, dough-faced women"

  This is said by Gerald and shows that he(and other men at the time) can be very superficial in their view of women. If they don't meet the standard of how they "should look", he dislikes them
• "Not only something to make 'em look prettier-but-well , a sort of token or sign of self respect"

  Shows Mr Birling has a patronising view of women, suggesting that a woman's value and worth is reduced to materialistic items and beauty. It implies that clothes are the only source of self respect. It also shows that he does not see women as individual people but rather that he thinks all women think and feel the same way
• "She was claiming elaborate, fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd for a girl in her position"

  Mrs Birling suggests that Eva (and other females) are incapable of having suitable feelings and shows that even women can be just as cruel and old fashioned as the men are. She does not even try to empathise with a member of her own gender,probably because Eva is of lower status. It also highlights her prejudiced attitudes towards the working class
• "And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things."

  Gerald has the belief that women should be "protected" because he feels they are too fragile, weak and unstable to be part of complicated conversations. This was a common view from men at the time and it was the view that gave the reason for women to not be able to vote (which at the time of writing had been abolished) because they didn't have the judgement to do so. It could also be inviting the audience to question their preconceptions of women