748687
Gerald Croft
- Motivated by affection/
sympathy
- Was the only one who acted out of genuine sympathy and affection for
Eva, didn't act out of greed, spite, lust or pride as the Birlings had
- Was shocked when he found out Eva died
Annotations:
- "I'm rather more - upset - by this business than I probably appear to be -"
- When Sheila sees the engagement ring
she speaks in a disjointed, emotional way,
because she is filled with love. This is the
same way Gerald speaks when he realises
Eva is dead, so we can understand he was
genuinely hurt to know she was gone
- Rescues Eva from Alderman Meggarty
and other drunken men like Eric who
would treat her as a prostitute or "an
animal, not a human being".
Annotations:
- "She looked young and fresh and charming and altogether out of place down there."
- Was the only one who acted out of genuine sympathy and affection for
Eva, didn't act out of greed, spite, lust or pride as the Birlings had
- Like Mr Birling
- Agrees that Birling
should have sacked
the girl for being a
'troublemaker'
- Capitalist views, agrees with Birling's capitalist
speech on "community and all that nonsense."
Annotations:
- "You're just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted." (Birling to Gerald)
- Like Birling, he wants to prove the girl was not the same for everyone and even takes
charge of ringing up the infirmary and police station. He wants to cover up this 'scandal'
and disassociate himself from Eva, which goes against any feelings he had for her
- When they discover the Inspector wasn't
real, he finds himself free of guilt like the
elder Birlings. He believes it is
acceptable to offer the ring back to Sheila
even though he admitted cheating on her,
but he believes he is in the clear.
- When the Inspector first talks to him, he tries to hide his relationship
with Eva, he is embarrassed about being associated with a
working-class girl. He wants to disassociate himself with her - he
protests, saying he hasn't seen her for months so has nothing to do
with her death and doesn't feel as if he is responsible, like Birling.
- Gerald would have been approved for
Sheila by the Birlings because he is from a
wealthy business rival of Birling's. Birling
would have had to approve of him, maybe
even choose him for Sheila, so of course
he would want someone so like himself,
who he would believe to be a nice man.
- Sexist, wants Sheila sent out so
she doesn't hear his shame
- Hypocritical like Birling, wants Sheila to be
shielded from unpleasant things when Eva
wasn't shielded from them.
Annotations:
- "And you think found women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?" (Inspector) "Well we know one [girl] who wasn't." (Inspector)
- Hypocritical like Birling, wants Sheila to be
shielded from unpleasant things when Eva
wasn't shielded from them.
- Agrees that Birling
should have sacked
the girl for being a
'troublemaker'
- Represents a typical member of
the play's audience
- While he might understand Goole's messages of social responsibility
and the irrelevancy of classes, he is unlikely to do anything about it,
whereas Sheila and, to a lesser extent, Eric, will probably campaign
for changes in their society
- Like the audience, he may understand the messages from the
Inspector and realise their society is wrong, but this society suits him,
so he is unlikely to actively change things because he likes living in the
luxury of the ignorant, upper class
- This reflects the audience; while
the play's messages are clear to
them and they would agree with
them, the majority of them won't do
anything about it, and will continue
to live in their corrupt society. It is
only few of the members who will
make a change
- While he might understand Goole's messages of social responsibility
and the irrelevancy of classes, he is unlikely to do anything about it,
whereas Sheila and, to a lesser extent, Eric, will probably campaign
for changes in their society
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