ipl-logo

Mr Birling In J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

481 Words2 Pages

J.B. Priestly, presents the character of Mr Birling to show how business was an important aspect of life, ' hard-headed business man'. The alliteration 'hard-headed' has dual meanings of both ruthlessness in terms of business and 'hard-headed' as in arrogant. This presents a capitalist society and how Priestly wants the audience to understand that business was practically the heart of a man's life. Also, Priestly wanted to infer how the capitalist view was wrong. There is an atmosphere of misplaced optimism during 1912. Priestly demonstrates this through Mr Birling, 'the Titanic.... absolutely unsinkable.' The use of the superlative 'absolutely' can be associated with the words: affirmative, certainly, definitely. This assists the audience in viewing Birling as a Pompous character as the audience already knew that the titanic sank that night. Through this dramatic irony, Priestly undermines the position the older generation and how they thought that they were right . Seeing as Birling was incorrect, the audience are made to loose trust in him as a character. …show more content…

The comparative adjective 'prettier' has connotations with the words: attractive, lovable, glamorous. This demonstrates how Birling thought all women were the same and that they had expectations to live up to, to please a man. The audience come to an understanding of a patriarchal society. Priestly wanted to show that everyone should be seen as an individual and that women shouldn't be looked down on by

Show More
Related
804 Words | 4 Pages

In his essay, Mike Rose focuses on three personal references to allow his reader to understand the purpose of his work “Blue Collar Brilliance”. To begin, Mike Rose introduces his mother, Rosie, who was a waitress at coffee shops and family restaurants. By allowing the reader to be familiar with

Read More
884 Words | 4 Pages

Andrew Carneige is a businessman during the Industrial age who treated workers very poorly by never ever giving them breaks on working besides for one holliday, July fourth. He also paid his workers as little as possible so he could keep most of the money for himself as did many other businessmen during this time. The workers and businessmen had very different points of views on what they were doing because the workers thought that they needed to work less since they barely see their families and also always going to be tired when they work the next day. The businessmen thought they were doing the right thing because they thought that every time people get something they always ask for more and the businessmen thought the workers were asking for too much money. The cartoonist Gilliam showed that the workers were lifting up the businessmen while they were holding their money and the workers were also blocking the rising tide of “hard times” by focusing on the stomachs of the businessmen being money bags and the workers being all hunched over looking tired holding up a long piece of wood and the tide saying hard times on it (Doc D).

Read More
792 Words | 4 Pages

An Inspector Calls is a morality play, filled with controversial political viewpoints attempting to persuade the audience that socialism is the way forward. Such views are voiced by The inspector, Priestley's mouthpiece. The play is set in 1912, A year followed by world war 1, the miners' strike and the sinking of the Titanic, therefore, supplying the writer with the opportunities to use dramatic irony, which Priestley does, to further influence his audience in act 2 to reconsider accepting a capitalist society. Sybil Birling is one of Priestley's characters that lack development in their attitudes towards society, particularly the lower class.

Read More
1016 Words | 5 Pages

The other boys on the Wharf pitied him, for he was no longer the envy of all the masters and silversmiths (43). The markets women counted their pats of butter as he walked by to ensure he hadnt nabbed a block (116). Mrs. Lapham scolded him and called him a “‘worthless limb of satan’”(44) and chastised him for his pride despite his lack of ability to back himself. However Rab perceived his pride as evidence to his gumption and talent, willing to give him a chance when noone else would, and when his Uncle asked if Johnny was fit for the job, said “‘Johnny Tremain is a bold fellow. I knew he could learn–if he didnt get killed first.

Read More
1010 Words | 5 Pages

Frick’s reply: “Tell him that I’ll meet him in hell.” That is all the book is about. In nineteenth century, which was the first quarter of iron and steel industry, the relation between management and labor was remarkably

Read More
1538 Words | 7 Pages

Priestley implies that higher social class makes people greedy, through creating Mr Birling as a symbol of pomposity of capitalists in Edwardian society. He is constantly insecure in his own position and comes from the nouveau riche, making him socially inferior to the Crofts. Priestly illustrates how even Mr Birling experiences class prejudice despite being middle-upper class which provokes him to work harder and explains why he cares so much about being a ‘practical man of business’ and expanding his business to earn more money to decrease his insecurity. This is displayed when he says ‘There’ll be a public scandal... and who here will suffer for that more than I will’ indicating how significant money and his business is to him that he cares for his reputation before anything else. The desire of being associated amongst a higher class is the crucial reason for Mr Birling’s perspective on life, he is constantly striving to make more and more money to be able to live happily.

Read More
900 Words | 4 Pages

An example of this is when Spinelli states, “He did dishes without anyone asking” (45). Throughout the book, he also helps people who are having trouble, proving to the reader that even though he never had the proper education from his parents, he is still a kind and noble boy. On the other hand, the main antagonist of the book, Mars Bars, starts off as being one of the baddest and meanest kids to ever walk on Earth. The author proves this when he states. “As usual, when Mars Bar got confused, he got mad” Spinelli (35).

Read More
757 Words | 4 Pages

How is Mrs birling presented in An inspector calls In an inspector call, Mrs Birling is presented in a way that makes her unlikeable. She is shown to be rude and condescending as well as arrogant. She can be seen as condescending as she often corrects her family members, especially at the begging of the first act, she is very concerned with keeping up appearances and making sure that her family behaves properly.

Read More
772 Words | 4 Pages

In the fourth paragraph, there are a series of rhetorical questions that represent the absurdity of the business culture. “What, I would ask my father, is better to argue with? How the success was achieved, what went into it, who suffered because of it?” These rhetorical questions leave the reader to ponder the true meaning of this paragraph. He strives to unmask the true nature of business, which is making money, not political statements.

Read More
626 Words | 3 Pages

AMDG Inspector Calls 8/6/24. “Choose a play in which the writer creates an interesting character”. “An Inspector Calls” written by JB Priestley is a play which takes place within the Birling household. These main themes include: forgiveness, honesty, taking accountability for your actions, as well as having compassion for others. The storyline follows the unfortunate life of Eva Smith, and the events which prompted her suicide.

Read More
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
504 Words | 3 Pages

In the play An Inspector Calls written by J.B Priestley, the use of morality and double standards gives us an insight into the society of the early 1900s; which remains relevant in social stratification, cultural and deviance aspects. Through the story of Arthur Birling, Mrs. Sybil Birling and their children Eric and Sheila. The upper-class family, with untouchable reputation, enjoy of an intimate party soiree in honour of Sheila's engagement to Gerald Croft. Son of a well-known business man, Sir George Croft from Crofts Limited. When Inspector Goole pays a mood-changing visit, resulting in the systematic manipulation of the presumably respectable characters.

Read More
609 Words | 3 Pages

‘Inspector calls’ was made in 1944 but set in 1912. As during that, time men were seen to be deemed superior to women, as they would work and represent the family since their last name came from the man. This is shown in the play when Mrs. Birling says to Sheila, her daughter, “when you’re married you’ll realise that men with important jobs to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time on the business”. Priestly writes Mrs. Birling to represent the ‘traditional wife’ although Sheila can be seen as a modern woman as she is the next generation after Mrs. Birling. This suggest that they have different values and ideologies, and how some are better than others, due to the new generation being able to learn from the older generations mistakes.

Read More
893 Words | 4 Pages

She represented the theme of beauty is a double edged sword by being “fabulous”, beaten, and abused. To start off, Sally is “fabulous” through her pulchritude. This is how Esperanza describes her, “The boys at school think she’s beautiful…when she laughs, she flicks her hair back like a satin shawl”(Cisneros 81)Sally’s beauty makes her happy and content. She’s pretty, elegant, and graceful, which causes everybody to rave her looks. This is a major plus point for beauty.

Read More
906 Words | 4 Pages

Men became ruthless while fighting for the limited jobs and resources. It talks about how a cruel world and work makes men cruel. This novella talks for the American Dream. The American ideal during those days holds that anyone can be successful there if we work hard for it.

Read More

More about Mr Birling In J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

Related Topics

Open Document