Character Analysis - Mr Birling
- Created by: Oumie
- Created on: 23-03-19 18:53
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- Mr Birling
- Capitalist
- believes "a man should look after himself"
- in Marxist terms individuals like Mr Birling and the Crofts build their power and influence at the expense of others
- exploits workers by bringing lower costs for higher prices
- lack of social responsibility
- sees others as "cheap labour"
- only cares about making profit for himself
- doesn't believe in "community and all that nonsense"
- likes to be in control
- public figure who is obsessed with status
- when his name is threatened he would "give thousands" to avoid a scandal
- finishes his sentences with "of course" to make his claims seem obvious
- repeatedly shouts"rubbish!" to dismiss what others have said
- has the most continuous speech in the play
- likes to talk but doesn't like to be interrupted
- "just let me finish, Eric"
- likes to talk but doesn't like to be interrupted
- ambitious
- sees his daughter's marriage as a business deal
- very optimistic about the future
- wants to be at the same social status as his wife and the crofts
- "hard-headed practical man of business
- same attitude to all areas of his life
- anxious
- desperately tries to get the Crofts' approval
- tries to make himself know by playing golf with the Chief Inspector
- Inspector threatens Mr Birling's middle - class values
- this rattles Mr Birling as he has spent his whole life believing that the reputation of his company and his connections were all that matters
- Priestley's use of dramatic irony
- he makes Mr Birling look short-sighted
- undermines authority
- "silly little war scares"
- the titanic is "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable"
- Words to describe Mr Birling
- Capitalist
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