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Mrs Birling Quotes and Social Class in An Inspector Calls

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Katie Toppin

17/10/2023

English Literature

An Inspector Calls: Mrs Birling Key Quotes & Analysis

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English Literature

Mrs Birling Quotes and Social Class in An Inspector Calls

Mrs Birling: A Complex Character in An Inspector Calls

J.B. Priestley's "An Inspector Calls" presents Mrs Birling as a pivotal character embodying upper-class prejudices and social irresponsibility. Her quotes reveal deep-seated classism, lack of empathy, and resistance to change, making her a central figure in the play's critique of Edwardian society.

  • Mrs Birling's character is defined by her strong sense of social superiority and disdain for the working class.
  • Her interactions with Eva Smith/Daisy Renton highlight themes of social class, responsibility, and the generational divide.
  • Key quotes from Mrs Birling demonstrate her prejudiced views and reluctance to accept blame for her actions.
  • Her character arc serves as a stark contrast to the younger generation's more progressive attitudes.
...

17/10/2023

2140

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

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Mrs Birling's Social Superiority in Act 2

In Act 2, Mrs Birling's quotes continue to emphasize her sense of social superiority and her refusal to acknowledge the humanity of the working class.

Quote: "As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!"

This exclamatory sentence highlights Mrs Birling's certainty in her prejudiced views. The use of "ever" exaggerates her conviction, while "that sort" further distances her from Eva's humanity.

Vocabulary: Classism - prejudice against people belonging to a particular social class.

Mrs Birling's character embodies the themes of socialism vs capitalism and the generational divide between older and younger characters in the play.

Highlight: Her refusal to associate with the lower class stems from a fear of harming her name or status, reflecting broader upper-class views of the time.

Her self-assured and obnoxious character is emphasized through her belief that any opinion other than hers is absurd and incorrect.

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

View

Mrs Birling's Lack of Social Responsibility

Act 2 further reveals Mrs Birling's character through her unwillingness to accept responsibility for her actions towards Eva Smith.

Quote: "Go and look for the father of the child. It's his responsibility."

This statement showcases Mrs Birling's prejudice against people from lower classes, assuming they have lower moral standards. Her social standards blind her to the possibility of her son's involvement with a woman "of that sort."

Definition: Social responsibility - the idea that individuals have an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large.

Mrs Birling's inability to grasp the concept of collective social responsibility is a key aspect of her character. Her views starkly contrast with those of the younger generation in the play.

Highlight: The Birlings are portrayed as a flawed family, conveying Priestley's critique of upper-class imperfections in society.

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

View

Mrs Birling's Refusal to Accept Blame

In the final part of Act 2, Mrs Birling's quotes demonstrate her extreme self-centeredness and unwillingness to accept any blame for her actions.

Quote: "But I accept no blame at all"

This statement, following a superficial apology, reveals the depth of Mrs Birling's refusal to acknowledge her role in Eva's demise.

Highlight: The use of the abstract noun "blame" implies that Mrs Birling views responsibility as solely individual, failing to grasp the concept of collective social responsibility.

Her character remains resistant to change, unwilling to listen to anyone but herself. This stubbornness is a key feature of Mrs Birling's character analysis.

Example: The conjunction "but" in her statement completely negates her previous apology, revealing her true, cold-hearted nature.

Mrs Birling's character serves as a foil to the younger generation's more progressive attitudes, highlighting the play's themes of generational conflict and social change.

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English Literature

 

English Literature

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2,140

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17 Oct 2023

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4 pages

Mrs Birling Quotes and Social Class in An Inspector Calls

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Katie Toppin

@katietoppin

Mrs Birling: A Complex Character in An Inspector Calls

J.B. Priestley's "An Inspector Calls" presents Mrs Birlingas a pivotal character embodying upper-class prejudices and social irresponsibility. Her quotes reveal deep-seated classism, lack of empathy, and resistance to change, making... Show more

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

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Mrs Birling's Social Superiority in Act 2

In Act 2, Mrs Birling's quotes continue to emphasize her sense of social superiority and her refusal to acknowledge the humanity of the working class.

Quote: "As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!"

This exclamatory sentence highlights Mrs Birling's certainty in her prejudiced views. The use of "ever" exaggerates her conviction, while "that sort" further distances her from Eva's humanity.

Vocabulary: Classism - prejudice against people belonging to a particular social class.

Mrs Birling's character embodies the themes of socialism vs capitalism and the generational divide between older and younger characters in the play.

Highlight: Her refusal to associate with the lower class stems from a fear of harming her name or status, reflecting broader upper-class views of the time.

Her self-assured and obnoxious character is emphasized through her belief that any opinion other than hers is absurd and incorrect.

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Mrs Birling's Lack of Social Responsibility

Act 2 further reveals Mrs Birling's character through her unwillingness to accept responsibility for her actions towards Eva Smith.

Quote: "Go and look for the father of the child. It's his responsibility."

This statement showcases Mrs Birling's prejudice against people from lower classes, assuming they have lower moral standards. Her social standards blind her to the possibility of her son's involvement with a woman "of that sort."

Definition: Social responsibility - the idea that individuals have an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large.

Mrs Birling's inability to grasp the concept of collective social responsibility is a key aspect of her character. Her views starkly contrast with those of the younger generation in the play.

Highlight: The Birlings are portrayed as a flawed family, conveying Priestley's critique of upper-class imperfections in society.

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

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Improve your grades

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By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Mrs Birling's Refusal to Accept Blame

In the final part of Act 2, Mrs Birling's quotes demonstrate her extreme self-centeredness and unwillingness to accept any blame for her actions.

Quote: "But I accept no blame at all"

This statement, following a superficial apology, reveals the depth of Mrs Birling's refusal to acknowledge her role in Eva's demise.

Highlight: The use of the abstract noun "blame" implies that Mrs Birling views responsibility as solely individual, failing to grasp the concept of collective social responsibility.

Her character remains resistant to change, unwilling to listen to anyone but herself. This stubbornness is a key feature of Mrs Birling's character analysis.

Example: The conjunction "but" in her statement completely negates her previous apology, revealing her true, cold-hearted nature.

Mrs Birling's character serves as a foil to the younger generation's more progressive attitudes, highlighting the play's themes of generational conflict and social change.

Do Bisting (social responsibility). The use of the concrete nour 'girls when indirectly referring to Eva suggests a serve of disrespect towa

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Mrs Birling's Classism and Disrespect

Mrs Birling's character analysis in Act 1 reveals her deeply ingrained classism and disrespect towards the working class. Her language choices when referring to Eva Smith demonstrate a clear social divide and lack of empathy.

Quote: "Girls of that class"

This phrase encapsulates Mrs Birling's view of the working class. The use of "that" as a demonstrative pronoun emphasizes her disgust and unwillingness to associate with lower classes.

Highlight: The concrete noun "girls" and the plural noun "guts" further depersonalize Eva, stripping her of individuality and humanity.

Mrs Birling's short, dismissive sentences mirror the upper class's desire to keep the working class "quiet and out of mind." This linguistic choice effectively conveys to the audience the extent to which the upper class wishes to overlook and dismiss the lower classes.

Example: The phrase "Girls of that class" is used repeatedly, reinforcing Mrs Birling's ingrained classism throughout the play.

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Paul T

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Stefan S

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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

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