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hbsgwudhwuxnskxns-An Inspector Calls links. (Mrs Birling (Mrs Birling…
hbsgwudhwuxnskxns-An Inspector Calls links.
http://missharropyear11.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-inspectors-final-speech.html
Gerald
Act 1
"And I've told you I was awfully busy at the works all that time"
Gerald responding to Sheila complaining that he never saw her over summer. We now know this is when he had his affair with daisy.
"Absolutely first class"
Response to dinner, showing that he is used to upper class things.
"I don't come into this suicide business"
He either cant remember his affair or is scared that the inspector knows this and is scared of it getting out. Therefore he makes everyone believe that he is not involved at all, making it more shocking when his affair is revealed.
Act 2
"So why on earth don't you leave us to it"
Said to Sheila, after a sarcastic comment about Daisy. Showing he is touchy when it comes to speaking about Daisy as he had clear feelings for her. And clearly still cares.
"My God...! suddenly realised... she's dead"
Said after hearing a description of her. Showing genuine shock and care for the fact she is dead.
He is an
aristocrat
- the son of Lord and Lady Croft. We realise that they are not over-impressed by Gerald's engagement to Sheila because they
declined the invitation to the dinner.
Act 3
"Well you're right. There isn't an inspector. We've been had"
After finding out the inspector wasn't real, shows no change or remorse in is involment despite what he has been told being true he accepts no responsibility not seeing the wider picture inferred by the inspectors speech, rather he is out for his own benefit,
"Everything's all right now Sheila. What about the ring"
He wants to go back to normal. Doesn't see what he has done as a big deal. It easily forgot about despite showing how he much he cared about Eva's weekend.
Mrs Birling
Mrs Birling tells Arthur when he’s going too far with what he’s saying.
Act 1
“
Arthur you’re not supposed to say such things
” – shows how Mrs Birling has to remind Arthur who he’s talking to and shows she is slightly more mature.
Theme: Gender
Mrs Birling tells Sheila to be careful with her engagement ring.
Act 1
“
It is a lovely ring. Be careful with it
”. The verb ‘careful’ implies that Mrs Birling doesn’t feel like Sheila is old enough to look after this ring, shows a lack of trust.
Theme: Age
Mrs Birling straight away dismisses her or her family’s involvement in Eva’s suicide.
Act 2
“
I don’t think we can help you much
” – Sybil knows nothing about what her family have done but maybe she has done something and is why she’s trying to get rid of the Inspector.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Mrs Birling finds out about Eric’s drinking problem.
Act 2
“
you must know it isn’t true
” – shows Mrs Birling s quite shocked at the news of Eric drinking for years. Shows how bad a mother she is as she doesn’t know something like that about her own son.
Theme: Class
Sybil is shocked with the news about Gerald and Eva.
Act 2
“
What?
” – Mrs Birling is shocked when she finds out Gerald kept Eva as his mistress. He is upper class and she doesn’t expect that of someone like Gerald, plus he’s engaged to her daughter.
Theme: Class
Mrs Birling sees herself as above the Inspector.
Act 2
“
You have no power to make me change my mind
” – shows that Mrs Birling sees herself as above the Inspector, who has the power of the law, shows how she thinks she is more important than everyone.
Theme: Equality
Sybil accepts no blame for Eva’s death even after acknowledging what she did.
Act 2
“
But I accept no blame for it at all
” – Mrs Birling talks about how she refused Eva/Daisy the help she needed, but still says that it’s not her fault and how she is not to blame for any of this.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Mrs Birling is both shocked and upset by finding out what Eric has done.
Act 3
“
Oh, Eric, how could you?
” – lerm-shows how distressed Sybil is because she said all these negative things about whoever got Eva pregnant and it turns out it was her son. She comes across as quite guilty.
Dylan-Similarly rather than supporting her son she decided to distance her self and appear ashamed in order to protect her reputation infront of the inspector
Theme: Gender
Mrs Birling finds out Eric had stolen money from Birling’s business.
Act 3
“
Eric! You stole money?
” – the fact she is questioning it shows how astonished she is that her son went through everything including stealing money from his own family’s business for Eva. Also, she doesn’t expect it as the family are represented as quite wealthy.
Theme: Class
Mrs Birling believes she was the only one who didn’t give in to the Inspector.
Act 3
“
I was the only one who didn’t give in to him
” – shows how Mrs Birling believes that she didn’t give in to him and everyone else did, yet she sort of contradicts herself because she told the Inspector what she did to Eva.
Theme: Gender
Mr Birling
Birling is about to begin his speech.
Act 1
“
holds them for a moment before continuing
” – everyone should be silent, builds tension for the audience, links to social class – smug personality.
Theme: Class
Mr Birling tries to act as though he is genuinely happy about Gerald and Sheila’s engagement.
Act 1
“
I hope it won’t be too long before you’re married
” – more bothered really about companies joining for ‘lower costs and higher prices’, audience think selfish.
Theme: Class
Birling is certain the titanic won’t sink.
Act 1
“
unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable
” – shows him as overconfident, repetition is embarrassing, dramatic irony.
Theme: Age
Arthur doesn’t see himself as involved.
Act 1
“
It doesn’t convey anything to me
” – doesn’t care, shows Capitalist views as isn’t responsible for other people, only really cares about himself and family.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Mr Birling becomes angered with the Inspector.
Act Two
“
I don’t propose to give you much more rope
” – angry about the way the Inspector is handling the enquiry, doesn’t think about what he’s saying, rope links suicide, audience surprised because of Birling’s class.
Theme: Age
Birling orders the Inspector to apologise.
Act Two
“
apologise at once
” – highly respected, expects everyone including the Inspector to obey his orders, sees himself as more important than the law.
Theme: Equality
Birling tries to come up with an excuse as to why he should be apologised to.
Act Two
“
I’m a public man
” – Birling thinks that because he has a lot of money he should be respected more, audience would find this ridiculous as money doesn’t mean higher importance.
Theme: Gender
Birling wants to cover up what’s happened immediately.
Act Three
“
cover this up as soon as I can
” – Birling wants to hide the truth, doesn’t want the press finding out as that will damage his and his family’s reputation around town.
Theme: Class
Arthur tries passing on the blame.
Act Three
“
you’re the one I blame for this
” – not willing to accept responsibility for Eva/Daisy’s suicide, will do anything to avoid a ‘
public scandal’
.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Birling starts talking about knighthood and the next Honours list.
Act Three
“
almost certain for a knighthood in the next Honours list
” – hasn’t taken anything from the Inspector. Actions have consequences, because of what he’s done, his chance of a knighthood is reduced.
Theme: Class
Relationships
Sheila and Eric
Act 1 (Sheila to Eric) : you're squiffy. This shows the close relationship between the siblings as this is said with minor confrontation on the part of Eric. This also lays the foundations in the set up to the reveal what it was that caused Eric's involvement within the play as it establishes him as a drunk from the beginning.
Eric: all the best! She's got a nasty temper sometimes- but she's not really that bad. Good old Sheila!>
Again they use a light TONE and friendly disagreement that is to be expected in a sibling relationship.
"ERIC: Can't blame her.
SHEILA: I think it was a mean thing to do. Perhaps that spoilt everything for her."
Their relationship begins to change near the end of Act One when they voice similar astonishment at the poor treatment of Eva Smith. Then as it is revealed she changed her name to Daisy Renton they show sympathy. Sheila, in particular, questions the morals of the older generation.
"ERIC: My God, it's a bit thick, when you come to think of it-
SHEILA: (stormily) Oh shut up, Eric."
After Sheila has been questioned Eric comments on her part of the story as "a bit thick" which shows their sibling rivalry perhaps as it is a bit strong of him considering she had just been "put through it" showing maybe some insensitivity towards her but also that he hasn't completely changed yet.
ERIC: You told her. Why, you little sneak!
SHEILA: No, that's not fair, Eric. I could have told her months ago, but of course I didn't."
After Eric re-enters and everyone knows he is the father of Eva Smith's child the tension is extremely high. It is revealed that Sheila told their mother he had had a drinking problem for a long time he turns on her, however then she makes it clear she could have done so long ago but was LOYAL to him showing affection even if they do argue.
SHEILA: That's just how I feel Eric. And it's what they don't seem to understand
By the end of the play Eric and Sheila have teamed up against the older generation showing unity and togetherness.
Sheila
Sheila is still not an adult.
Act 1
"
half serious, half playful
" – this description of ‘serious’ and ‘playful’ are two contrasting personalities, shows she isn’t fully grown up yet/immature.
Theme: Age
Sheila is genuinely upset about the death of this girl.
Act 1
"
Oh - how horrible! Was it an accident?
" – shows how genuinely shocked she is at what happened, the adjective ‘horrible’ reflects how upset she is by the news.
Theme: Gender
Sheila thinks that her assumptions meant it was ok for Eva to be sacked.
Act 1
"
'as if to say: 'Doesn't she look awful''
" – Sheila is trying to shift the blame to Eva so it doesn’t seem like her fault that she was sacked from her job.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Sheila accepts responsibility.
Act 2
"
She feels responsible
" – even though Sheila is the youngest she acts like the oldest by actually feeling responsible for her actions and what she has done, unlike her parents.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Sheila is often kept out of the conversation.
Act 2
“
Please be quiet, Sheila
” – shows Sheila’s still young as she is told to be quiet by her mother which implies she could say something wrong in front of the Inspector. Alternatively, Sheila could be right but her mother doesn’t want to admit it.
Theme: Age
Sheila has to remind her parents that she isn’t a child.
Act 2
"
I'm not a child, don't forget
" – the noun ‘child’ shows how even though she is younger, she should still be treated like her age and doesn’t need to be out of the room when a sensitive conversation is going on.
Theme: Age
Birling tries to come up with an excuse as to why he should be apologised to. Later, Sheila breaks off the engagement, “have to start all over again”
Act 2
"
I rather respect you more than I've ever done before
" – this shows that Sheila respects Gerald much more now because he has owned up to what he did rather than lying and pretending it never happened. Shows she still has some love/feelings towards him.
Theme: Class
Sheila points out that her parents haven’t learnt anything from this night.
Act 3
"
The point is, you don't seem to have learnt anything
" – directly aiming at her parents, shows Sheila has learnt something from the visit and has took responsibility, shows she is more mature and responsible than her parents.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism
Arthur tries passing on the blame.
Act 3
"
He never seemed like an ordinary police Inspector
" – the word ‘never’ implies that from the beginning Sheila suspected that the Inspector wasn’t a proper Inspector and shows she actually paid attention to what he said and how he went about things.
Birling starts talking about knighthood and the next Honours list.
Act 3
"
Everything we said happened really had happened
" – the pronoun -everything’ shows how despite the Inspector not being real, Sheila realises that they still did what they did to this girl whether she committed suicide or not, they still treated her unjustly.
Theme: Socialism/Capitalism