How does Priestley present the character of Gerald in An Inspector Calls essay?
Priestley uses Gerald to attack the upper-classes of post-war Britain. He shows that despite outward appearances, Gerald is described as an ‘attractive chap’ and ‘well-bred’. This class of people were still capable of questionable behaviour. Gerald has an affair and initially tries to avoid telling the truth.
What type of word is Squiffy?
adjectivesquiffier, squiffiest. 1Slightly drunk. ‘You’d think I’d have learned long ago not to argue with those with a slightly squiffy glint in their eye. ‘
What does BIF mean in text?
butt in front
What does Eric and Eva’s baby Symbolise?
Eva and Eric’s baby could be symbolic of a bridge between the upper and lower classes. It has the power to bring them two classes together and yet Mrs Birling destroys the baby because she is only interested in self preservation.
What did Eric do to Eva Smith?
It turns out that Eric had an affair with Eva Smith and that she was pregnant with Eric’s baby when she committed suicide. Eric stole money from his father’s business to help Eva. In the final act Eric makes an emotional attack on his parents and their values and shows that he can be assertive.
How is Gerald presented in Inspector Calls?
Gerald is presented as somewhat of a sympathetic character when it is revealed he was discreet in the affair, did not impregnate her and started the relationship out of a genuine desire to help her. Indeed, the Inspector states that ‘he at least had some affection for her and made her happy for a time’.
What word does Sheila think is silly?
Mrs Birling: that – I consider – is a trifle impertinent, inspector. // sheila gives short hysterical laugh// now, what is it, sheila? Sheila: I don’t know. Perhaps it’s because impertinent is such a silly word.
What does tiddly mean?
If someone is tiddly, they are slightly drunk. [British, informal] 2. adjective. If you describe a thing as tiddly, you mean that it is very small.
What does Sheila do when she Recognises Eva in the photo?
Aiming high: Comment on the photograph as a device The Inspector controls who sees the photograph and when, and it has an instant effect on the character viewing it. Sheila, for example, recognises Eva Smith and gives ‘ a little cry, … a half-stifled sob’ (p. 21) that raises or confirms suspicions in the audience.
What names does Eva Smith use?
She is referred to as Eva Smith, Daisy Renton, and “Mrs. Birling.” She may be a combination of these young women, or a different person, or a fiction.
Why does Sheila call Squiffy?
3 ‘What an expression Sheila! ‘ – ‘squiffy’ is a slang word meaning ‘mildly intoxicated’ and deriving from ‘skew-whiff’. Mrs Birling has already shown herself determined to keep the dinner party ‘proper’, though it is interesting that she only comments on her daughter’s use of slang and not her son’s.
What is Mrs Birling’s attitude to Eva Smith?
How is the theme of gender shown in the play?
| How does Priestley show this? | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|
| How Mrs Birling treats Eva Smith | When Mrs Birling suggests that Eva is incapable of having feelings. | “She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position.” |
Who is the father of Eva Smith’s baby?
Eric
What does Squiffy mean?
squiffy in British English (ˈskwɪfɪ ) adjectiveWord forms: -fier or -fiest. British informal. slightly drunk. Also: squiffed.
Who is the most important character in An Inspector Calls?
Eva Smith
What does Biff mean?
An Incompetent Person
Which character is Inspector Goole is a foil for?
Birling
Who does Mrs Birling blame for Eva Daisy’s situation?
uses her influence to prevent the pregnant Eva Smith receiving help from the charity. thinks Eva Smith and the father of the unborn child are to blame for Eva Smith’s death, before she realises that Eric is the father. claims she was the only one who stood up to the Inspector’s questioning.
Who said she was pretty soft brown hair big dark eyes?
10 Cards in this Set
| Businessman, hard-headed | “I speak as a hard-headed businessman.” |
|---|---|
| Girls, class | “Girls of that class…” |
| Everything’s, right, Sheila | “Everything’s all right now Sheila.” |
| Pretty, soft brown hair, dark eyes | “She was very pretty- soft brown hair and big dark eyes.” |
Who does Sheila describe as Squiffy?
1. An Inspector Calls – Key Quotations“You’re squiffy” – Sheila to Eric (Act 1) • Shows Eric/ Sheila’s brother/ sister relationship. Colloquial language set period.
Do you think Eva Smith is an important character in An Inspector Calls?
We never meet Eva Smith during the course of the play, but she is a very important character. It is her death that is the cause of the Inspector’s investigation which in turn drives the drama. They also learn about her through the characters she came into contact with. …
Did the inspector killed Eva Smith?
After he left the Birling household Inspector Goole killed Eva Smith and framed it to seem like a suicide.
Who does Gerald Croft represent?
He represents the selfish attitudes of the upper class. He played a key part in the ‘chain of events’, contributing to the death of Eva Smith. He lets the audience down; we had hope that he would change his attitudes, but he doesn’t.
Why does Eva Smith kill herself?
Eva Smith is killed by the selfishness of others. She was dismissed from her first job at Birlings for protestsing for worker’s rights, then sacked from her job at Milwards at the whim of Sheila Birling. She loses her virtue to the predatory but weak Gerald Croft and becomes pregnant by the spineless Eric Birling.
Why does Sheila ask if Eva was pretty?
14 Sheila states that she thought that Eva Smith was very pretty and looked as if she could take care of herself. This indicated how Sheila is shallow at this point in the play. 15 Sheila reports that the staff give her a ‘sort of look’. This could be true or it could indicate her guilt.