17766917
Description
Flashcards by Caitlin Neville, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Caitlin Neville
about 5 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| "The lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives, then it should be brighter and harder." - Stage directions | Techniques: Symbolism, stage directions, language. Themes: Class, wealth, authority. Interpretation: The Birlings enjoy a private, comfortable lifestyle. The Inspector's arrival opens this up to scrutiny. Analysis: The Inspector is mirrored by the lighting to convey his importance and how he puts the family under pressure and consequently worries them. |
| "I am talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business" - Mr. Birling | Techniques: Mild alliteration, language, euphemism, dramatic irony. Themes: Family, marriage, society. Interpretation: Birling is fulfilling society's expectations of a patriarch; to be rational, and unemotional, and to provide financially for his family. Analysis: Irony is used to suggest that Mr. B's smugness will be short-lived. Shows Mr. Birling is insensitive and selfish as he doesn't allow his emotions to get the better of him. |
| "Lady Croft - while she doesn't object to my girl - feels you might have done better for yourself socially" - Mr. Birling | Techniques: Sentence structure, language Themes: Family, marriage, society, class, love Interpretation: Marriage was more to do with social status than love, and both Mrs. Croft and Birling know that the Birlings are beneath the Crofts socially. Analysis: Marriage was a way of gaining wealth and clout. Mr. Birling doesn't have a societal status but Lady Croft does and so he envies her. |
| "And I've always been regarded as a sound, useful party man. So-well-I gather there's a very good chance of a knighthood." - Mr. Birling | Techniques: Pronouns, language, semantic field, dramatic irony Themes: Politics, power, society, class Interpretation: Birling is keen to make the Crofts aware of his standing in society and rise through the social ranks Analysis: Dramatic irony makes Mr. Birling seem foolish and shows how he's oblivious to his social surroundings. Birling makes the arrogant assumption that he has the chance of a knighthood. |
| "Everyone has to look after everyone else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense" - Mr. Birling | Techniques: Simile, tone, repetition Themes: Responsibility, power, society, class Interpretation: Birling totally dismisses community at a time when the audience would be aware of the need for community, after WW11 Analysis: Speaks in a condescending tone. The simile is ironic because bees were seen as role models. The repetition of 'everyone' is dismissive and shows how he nicely neglects society. Derives world where everyone is mixed up like bees. 'nonsense' is society summed up. |
| "She'd swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course" - Inspector | Techniques: Adverbs, imagery, adjectives, tone Themes: Power, society, responsibility Interpretation: The Inspector emphasises the suffering for the Birlings and the audience alike. Analysis: Demonstrates his social similarities with Priestley by expressing deep sympathy for Eva and shows how her death was not an accident. |
| "But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people." - Sheila | Techniques: Nouns, imagery Themes: Age, society, class Interpretation: This is the first instance of empathy for the working classes from anyone in the family. Analysis: Shows the audience how the Inspector influenced her views on society and shows how her attitudes towards the poor begin to change as she becomes more assertive. |
| "A nice little promising life there, I thought, and a nasty mess somebody's made of it" - Inspector | Techniques: Juxtaposition, adjectives, pronouns Themes: Power, society, class Interpretation: The Birlings' bad behaviour is brought into focus by this understatement Analysis: Shows his concerns towards Eva and has a 'fatherly feel'. Further proves his similar views to Priestley by stating how Eva would have been successful. |
| "How could I know what would happen afterwards? If she'd been some miserable plain little creature, I don't suppose I'd have done it." - Sheila | Techniques: Adjectives, questioning, language Themes: Prejudice, age, power Interpretation: Sheila's reaction is immature as she tries to stop feeling guilty by blaming Eva for being too pretty. Analysis: Shows how her parents influence her behaviour. Sense of jealousy towards Eva for being "too pretty" and so calls her a 'creature'. Uses a somewhat rude and harsh tone of voice to ridicule Eva. |
| "And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?" - Inspector | Techniques: Irony, adjectives, rhetorical question Themes: Gender, responsibility, authority. Interpretation: Gerald's hypocrisy is highlighted by the Inspector. Analysis: Defies the stereotype that women should be protected from unpleasant and disturbing things by ridiculing Gerald for being a hypocrite. |
| "A girl died tonight. A pretty, lively sort of girl, who never did anybody any harm. But she died in misery and agony-hating life" - Inspector | Techniques: Sentence structure, juxtaposition, adjectives Themes: Ages, gender, society Interpretation: Eva's death is unjust Analysis: Tells us that Eva was naïve and harmless yet she was tortured and suffered a lot of pain before she died. |
| "I'm to blame - and I'm desperately sorry - but I can't believe - I won't believe - it's simply my fault that in the end she - committed suicide" - Sheila | Techniques: Pronouns, repetition, sentence structure Themes: Age, responsibility, family Interpretation: Sheila accepts her responsibility Analysis: Repetition to show her desperation for forgiveness. However, she tries to cover up her guilt by convincing herself that she was not solely responsible for Eva's death. |
| "I don't suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-" - Mrs Birling | Techniques: Pronouns, tone, irony Themes: Responsibility, class, prejudice Interpretation: Refusal to accept any responsibility Analysis: Shows she's disengaged and removed from society as she has no idea on what's going on. "Girls of that class" is an insensitive, harsh comment which dehumanises Eva. |
| "I suppose it was inevitable. She was young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful." - Gerald | Techniques: Polysyndetonlist of three, sentence structure Themes: Marriage, love, gender Interpretation: Gerald is the only character who speaks with genuine affection for Eva Analysis: Shows how he exploited her as a woman, a young person, and a poor person. "intensely grateful" suggests that it made him feel superior and strokes his ego |
| "You killed her. She came to you to protect me - and you turned her away - yes, and you killed her - and the child she'd have had too - my child - your own grandchild - you killed them both - damn you, damn you." - Eric | Techniques: Sentence structure, repetition, language Themes: Family, age, responsibility Interpretation: Eric is overwhelmed by the vile image of killing a child Analysis: Short, powerful statement creates lots of impact. Repetition of the pronoun "you" shows how emotive and ashamed he is of his parents. "you killed her" is a very big accusation that shows that he's a strong rebellion. |
| "Just used her for the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an animal, not a person. No, you won't forget." - Inspector | Techniques: Adjectives, list of three Themes: Power, society, class Interpretation: A reminder of the degrading treatment of Eva Analysis: "used" shows how Eva was exploited. "animal" shows how she was dehumanised because she had no status. "No, you won't forget" is his word of caution |
| "There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes, and fears, their suffering, and chance of happiness." - Inspector | Techniques: Polysyndeton, listing, contrast Themes: Gender, prejudice, class, society Interpretation: This is Priestley's key message. This is not a one-off event, it could happen again. Analysis: The Inspector's mildly emotive, dead-pan tone disappears and Eva becomes a symbol of society. |
| "You're beginning to pretend now that nothing's really happened at all. And I can't see it like that. This girl's still dead, isn't she?" - Eric | Techniques: Pronouns, questions, language Themes: Responsibility, age, family, society Interpretation: Eric is questioning the idea his parents have that as long as you are not caught, then the behaviour is acceptable. Analysis: Shows how he is reformed and can't change his altered views. Uses a rhetorical question to remind his parents of the tragic death of Eva Smith. |
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