Arthur Birling is a heavy-looking man in his fifties, rather portentous and provincial in his speech.
- the adjective ‘heavy-looking’ indicates how he is able to afford high quality meals but also in abundance as he is part of the high class society
- adj ‘portentous’ solemn in order to impress others as he only cares about outlook in society and status
- adj ‘provincial’ status does not match the way he speaks as he is new money and gives impression of significance, signifies how he was slower but worked his way up social echelon
Giving us that port, Edna? That’s right (He pushes it to Eric). You ought to try this port Gerald
- becomes domineering in approach through the use of the imperative verbs ‘ought’ to assert authority and give himself importance of higher social class
- uses an abundance of rich foods as a tool for social mobility
It’s a pity that Sir George and - er- Lady Croft couldn’t be with us…they sent me a very nice cable. Couldn’t be nicer.
- keen to make known his new upper class relations as it increases his standing on the social ladder with referencing the aristocratic individuals
- also uses messages of telegrams to signify their budding relationship and intimacy with the higher class
It’s the happiest night of my life…for lower costs and higher prices
- through the use of the pronouns and determiners, an event that is suppose to be centred on G+B is now to do with Mr B
- as engagement only anchors opportunity of social mobility
- fails to see importance and ends with money.
- portrays his capitalist, mercantile attitude
- prioritises money and business over family
I speak as a hard headed business man who knows what he’s talking about
- feels the need to proclaim it
- signifies sense of insecurity
- constantly repeated also makes reader think otherwise and create distrust between Mr B
And unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable
- as the play was written in 1945 we are aware of the titanic fate - disregarding Mr B views through dramatic irony
- he speaks with such conviction for it to be untrue that we do not trust Mr B = as he presents subjective views as objective
A man has to make his own way - had to look after himself - and his family too of course
- through the lines we see self preservation is a priority - anchoring capitalist and materialistic ideologies
- through the sequencing we see his social status is more important and family comes as an afterthought
I see. Sensible really. (Moves restlessly, then turns). You’ve had enough of that port Eric.
- as IG arrives Mr B loses control of the situation and unable to assert authority
- as a result he opts to dominate Eric to prove he still has control
-as he is uncomfortable when being ordered instructions
We were paying them the usual rates and if they didn’t like those rates they could go and work somewhere else. It’s a free country I told them
- as we know, the lower class society did not have free choice and therefore disregard Mr B again
- he is oblivious to the poverty stricken conditions as he prefers to suppress their voice
- subjective as objective with ignorance from capitalist society
“I’ve told you before I don’t like your tone”
This is an ironic statement from Mr Birling as he’s telling the Inspector that he has a rude tone though he has the rudest tone out of the family.
• The fact he must repeat himself shows that he is not being listened to and abided as he wants as he is entitled to asserting authority over his family.
• The need to assert himself and get what he wants is still very much there indicating a power struggle the inspector’s impact is next to nothing for Mr Birling
“Protest against the way in which my daughter, a young unmarried girl is being dragged into this”
this quote me birling is trying to defend Sheila and make her look innocent, he could be doing this due to his affection for her or just to protect his status and social image.
• In this moment, Mr Birling cares more about salvaging his daughter’s engagement rather than her. She matters very little in the face of all the benefits her marriage provides him and so he tries to hide what Gerald croft has done to Sheila.
• The way in which he describes his daughter is explicitly detached and portrays the facade of a well knit family
“The press might easily take it up—“
• The only aspect he cares about is his reputation which is in line with all of his behaviour so far
• However, he does admit to the action being immoral, even if only for it being something that looks bad
• This potentially shows a little morality and understanding, if only as contrast to Mrs Birling
• Overall he as not explicitly been redeemed
“we were all feeling so pleased with ourselves, naturally it took me by surprise.”
Priestly deliberately quotes the stage directions in Act 1 to show how ignorant Mr Birling and how he still hasn’t changed or reformed despite Sheila’s explicit references.
• He also said this on p69 – “feeling rather pleased with ourselves. Now he has to work a trick on us.” – showing a contrast between the upper and lower class where the upper class is celebrating whereas the lower class is dying.
• The noun “trick” trivialises suicide and he accuses the Inspector of lying to project blame, and it makes suicide sound harmless or like a game of interactions, minimising the impact of Eva’s death and showing how he fails to see the gravity of the situation.
– “(triumphantly) There you are! Proof positive. The whole story’s just a lot of moonshine. Nothing but an elaborate sell! (He produces a higher sigh of relief.) Nobody likes to be sold as badly as that.”
“Proof positive” shows that he is happy there is not blame against him, which proves ironic as there is a whole ton of proof, but he’s will fully ignorant and dismisses it all. This also contrasts with a quote on page 68 where he says, “don’t be in such a hurry to put yourself into court.” – there’s proof against Eric but he still dismisses it, as he knows that in dismissing this, he’s dismissing the concept of social responsibility.
• The word “moonshine” is another way to say nonsense, again showing how Mr Birling disregards the severeness of the situation and shows how he doesn’t understand that the Birling family still worked together to do something horrible. Moonshine is a word for (generally bad quality) cottage brewed alcohol, popularised in the great depression particularly in America after WW2 and the ban on sin industries with its rise.
• Then the words “sell” and “sold” are examples of financial and mercantile diction, where speaks on behalf of capitalist ideas and reverts back to his previous self – nothing has changed.
• He only produces a sigh of relief when he hears that he can maintain his reputation, and the stage direction “triumphantly” both suggest that status is his only worry and reinforce his alignment to capitalism
– “That was the police. A girl has just died – on her way to the Infirmary – after swallowing some disinfectant.”
He echoes the words of the inspector, but he appears much more panicked rather than the Inspector’s calm and collected approach. This is amplified by the uses of dashes here, suggesting his hesitance and fragility here.
• This quote itself linking back to Act 1 shows how the plot of this story is cyclical, and that Priestley deliberately does this to show how they are all destined to make the same mistakes, until everyone changes.
• This also links to the inspector saying that “we are members of one body”, signifying signifying that everyone has to accept collective social responsibility for a change to actually occur.
• Eva Smith is seen as collateral damage here, due to the misdemeanours of the upper class, as they are treated as disposable and seen as nondescript entities.
