Mr Arthur Birling He is described at the start as a "heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties but rather provincial in his speech." • He has worked his way up in the world and is proud of his achievements. He boasts about having been Mayor and tries (and fails) to impress the Inspector with his local standing and his influential friends. • However, he is aware of people who are his social superiors, which is why he shows off about the port to Gerald, "it's exactly the
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Mrs Birling Mrs Birling is presented at the beginning of the play as ‘a rather cold woman’’ Priestley presents her as a snob and she is very aware of the social class differences as when Mr. Birling compliments the cook, Mrs Birlings say’s ‘’You’re not supposed to say such things’’ which reminds the audience that she is ‘’her husband’s social superior’’ which foreshadows further on in the play when she refuses to help Eva Smith because she’s lower class, when Sybil is on the chair of the committee
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What Is The Function Of The Inspector In 'An Inspector Calls'? Inspector Goole is the eponymous character in An Inspector Calls' by J.B Priestley who has many functions. Primarily, he is introduced to the play to interrogate the Birling Family and Gerald Croft, but Priestley also uses him to move the plot forward and as a device for the writer to voice his opinion, furthermore he controls movement on stage, encourage the characters and audience to learn from their mistakes and to create moments
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Birling is the head of the household and the director of a business. These two establishments unite to corruptly result in the death of Eva Smith – who symbolises the ‘thousands’ like her who live in poverty. Birling symbolises materialistic and self-serving Capitalism. Priestley uses Birling’s style of speech to undermine the audience’s respect for him, and to undercut subtly the outward confidence of his ‘easy manner’. He speaks often with interrupted diction, Priestley frequently gives him dashes
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J.B. Priestly presents Arthur Birling as a self-obsessed, work oriented “hard-headed business man” in Act 1. The stage directions describe him as a “heavy-looking, rather portentous man” giving an impression that he looks rather threatening. He is very traditional and speaks formally, even around his family. He has worked hard to raise himself up the social ladder and is proud to think that he’s going to be knighted. Even at his daughter’s engagement party, Birling’s head is still wrapped around
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character in the course of this act? Eric has been seen as a foolish, immature young man in his interactions with other characters early in the play, we have learnt that he has been a steady drinker for two years and that he is treated childlike, for example, Mrs Birling assumes that Eric and his sister are tired because he is apart of the younger generation although he is old enough to be responsible for his actions. In Act Three the Inspector questions Eric, and when the truth comes out about Eric’s
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Gerald Croft Edit 0 26… At the beginning of the play Gerald appears to be a polite, respectable young gentleman. Mr Birling is aware that the Crofts are socially superior to the Birling's. Gerald agrees and shares’ Mr Birling's capitalistic views on making love, he also has a patronizing attitude towards Eric similar to Mr Birling “Not if it was just after the holidays They’d all be broke – if I know them”. Gerald wants to make a good impression of himself because of his recent engagement to Sheila
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Capulet expresses his forceful, vicious side when Juliet commits an act of disobedience. She decides to not follow her father's ‘decree’ to marry Paris, stimulating her father to act violently. Similarly, in 'An Inspector Calls', Priestly presents Mr Birling as a pompous man initially. However, as the tension increases, the atmosphere begins to change, and he becomes agitated as Sheila begins to answer back, revealing all of their crimes. There is a sense of hostility towards his children, as he feels
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present Mr Birling in ‘An Inspector Calls’ J.B. Priestly presents Arthur Birling as a self obsessed, work oriented “hard-headed business man” in Act 1. The stage directions describe him as a “heavy-looking, rather portentous man” giving an impression that he looks rather threatening. He speaks formally, even around his family. He has worked hard to raise himself up the social ladder and is proud to think that he’s going to be knighted. Even at his daughter’s engagement party, Birling only has
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intentions for An Inspector Calls. Mr. Birling is a large pompous man in his mid fifties, a successful business man and the father of the Birling family. Throughout the play, Mr. Birling is shown by Priestley to be a narrow minded and unjust character. His uncaring view towards factory workers and cold-heartedness both contribute to Eva Smith’s death – who symbolises many other women who, like her, live in poverty and are treated unfairly by the upper-classes. Mr Birling on the other hand symbolises self-serving
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