ipl-logo

How Does Priestley Present The Character Of The Birling Family

1120 Words5 Pages

HOW DOES PRIESTLEY PRESENT GERALD AND THE BIRLING FAMILY? Olivia Perham - Sims 9k

In this essay I am going to talk about the way Priestley uses each character of the Birling family to represent a theme or topic in order to criticize it and make the reader understand the danger and problems of capitalism , sexism and class division.

Priestley presents Mr Birling as a superior, selfish businessman in order to criticise difference in classes and capitalism. This is evident when Mr Birling says “Look at the progress we’re making. In a year or two we’ll have aeroplanes that will be able to go anywhere.”. The use of the personal pronouns “we’re, we’ll” suggests his Capitalist thinking towards people of his class. This shows that he excludes …show more content…

If you do , then the inspector , will just break it down .and it’ll be all the worse when does.” The use of the metaphor “build up a kind of wall” indicates that Sheila understands what the Inspector is trying to do and comprehends that the inspector knows what the family still don’t. The use of symbolism “just break it down . And it’ll be all the worse when he does” demonstrates that if the Birling family don’t admit to the role they played in Eva Smith’s death and try to deny the inspector he will make them comprehend the idea in a much horrible and cruel way. The use of the negation “You musn’t try ..” implies that Sheila knows that if her Mother doesn’t confess the inspector will make the whole family pay, so Sheila is trying to get that message to the family as soon as …show more content…

The use of the description “hard-eyed dough-faced women” demonstrates he’s sexist, closed-mindset in how girls should look and if they didn’t look like his standard of good looking they suddenly become ugly and hard-eyed.

Priestley presents Mrs Birling as vain and selfish in order to criticize philanthropy and class existence. This is evident when Mrs Birling says “And in any case I don't suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class..”
The use of the noun “Girls of that class.. “ indicates that Mrs Birling thinks that since Eva is from a different class they would never really know the reason for her suicide since they were in a completely different class from her. The use of the verb “understand” indicates that she is very aware of class division and states that people from the lower class have different morals that the higher class would never understand. The use of the the noun “And in any case” indicates that she is trying to find reasons and excuses that she is very dismissive of Eva and doesn’t think that she should be given any blame

Show More
Related

Summary Of Ain 'T No Makin' It By Jay Macleod

1422 Words | 6 Pages

Equality. Opportunity. Prosperity. The American Dream paints a vision in which each of these ideals are ever present and available to all individuals inside the vast border of the nation. The notion is that every individual can, through concentrated efforts and dedication, improve their own socioeconomic class and climb up the hierarchy.

Read More

How Does Priestley Present Injustice In An Inspector Calls

1425 Words | 6 Pages

In An Inspector calls, Priestley uses The Inspector to present injustice in society through his questioning of the Birling family and Gerald Croft. The Inspector gradually uncovers the selfish and unjust acts which the family enacts upon the lower classes through their abuse of their power and status over people, not showing the slightest bit of care for their wellbeing, barely treating their workers as individual beings with their own lives and emotions, just caring about the money they are making for them, and treating the lower class in general as lower beings in general, not being worth the time to understand or sympathise with. The Inspector exposes the acts of injustice by the upper class towards the lower classes through his questioning

Read More

Mr Birling Presented In An Inspector Calls

476 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the play Mr Birling is shown to be solely focused on the effects that anything might have on his business. This is shown early in the play when he makes a speech surrounding his daughter and competitor's son Gerald Croft marriage. He begins the speech by saying ‘ It is one of the happiest nights of my life’ suggesting that he is talking about the marriage but by the end he says ‘ we may look to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing’ by saying this he triggers a negative reaction from the audience as well as Sheila and Mrs Birling. These comments further proves that the marriage of his own daughter is more of a business move for his

Read More

Gender Stereotypes In An Inspector Calls Essay

1410 Words | 6 Pages

The repition of "I am a hard headed man of business" shows his arrogance and his capitalistic and emotionless mentality. "I say there isn't a chance of war" show his stubborn and arrogance. Priestly uses this dramatic irony to persuade the audience to side against Birling as they will think that he is foolish, unsympathetic and untrustworthy. As of portraying their stubborn and heard headed personality was not enough, Priestly makes it sure that the audience is able to clearly see mentality and coldness that capitalism brings to a human by making men emotionless and unsympathetic. "Well, we've several hundred young women there, y'know, and they keep changing.

Read More

The Myth Of Latin Women By Judith Ortiz Cofer

1663 Words | 7 Pages

Again, as the man in London serenaded Cofer, she claims, “though I was not quite as amused, I managed my version of an English smile… practicing reserve and cool. Oh, that British control, how I coveted it” (876). Her audience can feel her envy toward the British for being so calm and her anger at this moment. She continues to explain a time in high school for Career Day when she “agonized in front of [her] closet, trying to figure out what a ‘career girl’ would wear because… [she] had no models on which to base [her] decision” (877).

Read More

How Is Mr Birling Presented In An Inspector Calls

546 Words | 3 Pages

In “An Inspector Calls,” Priestley presents Mr Birling as a selfish, arrogant, proponent of capitalism who is consistently inconsiderate to other people’s feelings in favour of business or money. This is especially present when regarding the lower class. The play is set pre-World War One, in 1912, before the world went into a time full of social change and unrest. During this time, new politics emerged, including the rise of the Labour Party. This might show Mr Birling’s age and stubbornness as his beliefs can be seen as outdated and ignoring the changing times.

Read More

How Does Priestley Create Tension In An Inspector Calls

2909 Words | 12 Pages

Priestley examines Eric Birling's transition from an implacable and conceited child to a mature and rising socialist in his timeless, symbolic sermon about social conscience. The audience may find it easiest to relate to his metamorphosis because he initially blames society for his errors before progressively realizing his societal obligation. Through Eric's character, Priestley highlights the potential for the younger generation to break free from the negative aspects of their inherited social structures and take responsibility for establishing a society that is more fair and just. Priestley's portrayal of Eric Birling offers insight into the social issues prevalent in the early 20th century, such as gender limitations, class divides, and the struggle for individual identity. By presenting a character like Eric, who is both flawed and sympathetic, Priestley encourages the audience to think critically about their own values and beliefs.

Read More

Essay On Sheila's Change In An Inspector Calls

1041 Words | 5 Pages

Here, there is a visible separation between the old and young characters because the old, Mr and Mrs Birling are still sticking to their arrogant and capitalistic views, however, the young, Sheila and Eric understands they have been immoral. Priestly had purposefully done this to highlight how corrupt capitalistic views were. As Priestly was a socialist he wanted to spread a message portrayed by the Inspector and the younger

Read More

Arthur Birling In An Inspector Calls

500 Words | 2 Pages

Arthur's Birling himself as a 'hard-headed practical man of buisness'. How does Priestley present this and other views of Arthur Birling in An Inspector Calls? Arthur Birling is a successful buisness man and throughout the play Mr Birling represents his capitalist views and how he believes it's 'every man for himself'. Priestley presents Mr Birling as a symbol of capitalist.

Read More

Does J. B. Priestley Present Ideas About Society In An Inspector Calls

1631 Words | 7 Pages

J.B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls" is a morality play set un 1912 but written in 1945 just after The Second World War. Priestley wrote the play to attempt to change the views of the mostly middle-class audience to support the socialist movement. Priestley chose the perfect opportunity to write such a play as big changes where already beginning in Britain, such as the introduction of a Labour government and the overwhelming amount of involvement of women in the war effort showing the beginnings of equality and the breaking of gender norms. So, how does Priestley present ideas about society in An Inspector Calls?

Read More

Imagery In Katherine Mansfield's Miss Brill

1128 Words | 5 Pages

Miss Brill is lonely, has a completely messed up mind, and tries to hide her true self by trying to live other people’s lives. Miss Brill views each person at the garden differently. The people who are mostly like her are the ones she judges the most, “Miss Brill had often noticed-there was something funny about nearly all of them. They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they’d just come from dark little rooms or even-even cupboards!” (Mansfield 185).

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Serving In Florida By Barbara Ehrenreich

1012 Words | 5 Pages

One of the best-selling authors, Barbara Ehrenreich, in her narrative essay, “Serving in Florida,” describes her personal experience working in a local restaurant called Jerry’s. Ehrenreich’s purpose is to attach importance to the low-wage America workplace. Using rhetorical strategies such as negative diction, simile, images, and pathos, Ehrenreich attempts to raise public awareness of the low-wage workers’ life in her readers. Firstly, Barbara Ehrenreich exploits connotation of words and simile to emphasize the difficult life of the lower class.

Read More

Mr Bulstrode Character Analysis

1622 Words | 7 Pages

Mr. Bulstrode is an affluent banker. He has an unpresentable past. His money is ill-gotten gains. He marries a wealthy widow who is Will Ladislaw’s grandmother. The widow begs him to find her daughter because the widow wants to leave her wealth to her only surviving daughter.

Read More

Sheila And Eva Smith In John Priestley's An Inspector Calls

1182 Words | 5 Pages

In this essay I going to explore the two characters from “An Inspector Calls” by John Priestley, Mr. Birling and his daughter Sheila. In this play both of them have contrasting attitudes and as the play progresses, their disagreements increase gradually. What happened with Eva Smith opens their eyes: Sheila’s on the harsh reality of the world and BIrling’s on his daughter’s true thoughts and personality. They were both stunned to get to know their real selves; as Birling treated her like a child, assuming she cannot be as clever as she happened to be, whereas Sheila couldn’t realise how greedy her father is. Priestley presents both characters in a very different light, and as both of them come from the same family, it creates even more significant

Read More

Theme Of Responsibility In An Inspector Calls

1159 Words | 5 Pages

In ‘An Inspector Calls’ responsibility assumes an essential position throughout the play, creating the narrative itself, and continuing to progress it as the play develops. It acts as both a plot device as well as a compliment to Priestley 's beliefs. From the very beginning, Mr. Birling’s absence of responsibility kickstarted the forlorn situation of Eva Smith’s and her subsequent death. Arthur 's dismissal of his accountability towards her and his workers is demonstrated even before the Inspector even begins to talk in depth about the incident, with Arthur calling himself a " hard-headed businessman" that " looks after his own self".

Read More

More about How Does Priestley Present The Character Of The Birling Family

Related Topics

Open Document