arthur birling part2

8/4/2019 Arthur Birling Part2

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Arthur Birling

Act IIThe trouble with Mr. Birling is that he alwaysthinks of himself before others, because to

him, It’s the only way to get through life.

But because of this, he finds it hard to

understand others’ opinions.



Birling’s life.

Arthur Birling is trapped in what he calls: ‘A

limited world.’

• Where ‘lower costs and higher prices’ are what's important to him.

• Where business is more important than people

• Where playing golf with the chief constable is something you can brag about

• Where men in business stick together and unite

• Where his wife and daughter are sent out the room when talking about prostitutes

• Where he’d bribe an inspector to get out of a mess

• Where any scandal is kept behind ‘closed doors’.



The Inspector ‘Rattles’!

When the Inspector is in Birling’s dining room, there's a battle going on

between himself and Birling. Birling wants the inspector to abide to

the rules of his own ‘narrow world’. He tries to win Goole over by:

1) Arthur offers him a glass of Port. The inspector refuses.2) Arthur says he plays golf with the Chief Inspector. The Inspector simply replies that

he does not play golf.

3) Arthur tries to impress the Inspector with his record in the public office. The Inspector

says nothing.



Birling’s Values

The Inspector does not share in Birling’s middle class values, which

rattles Birling.

1. He Introduces Gerald as: Gerald Croft of Crofts limited – The Inspector seems

unimpressed.

2. He tells Sheila that the Inspector is about to leave – The Inspector contradicts him.

3. He gets annoyed when the Inspectors says that Sybil is lying.

4. The Inspector lets Eric have a drink.

5. Arthur is told sharply to be quiet when he tries to shut Eric up. The Inspector tells

him to ‘settle it afterwards.’ Arthur has to take orders from the intruder.

Birling is not used to taking orders from ANYBODY – he controls money and a family. He

cares nothing for some dead girl.



Birling is a shallow man.

Arthur's obsessed with how things appear to people. His main concern

in all of this is how his public image is going to be affected. Thestory coming out would ruin him for good!

Birling also fails to understand how Sheila and Eric are upset.

1) He is prepared to pass off Goole’s visit as a ‘joke’. Nothing haschanged for him.

2) He is selfish and self centred, he can’t understand how his children

can’t go back to living as they did before the inspector called.3) Everything he does has to benefit him. It’s great that he wants toprotect them, but he’s screwing over the rest of the human race inthe process.



Money Makes the world go Round!

- Love can naff off!

What Birling wants is respect and power. The main thing for him is that nobody finds out what happens. He cares only

for himself and his family, everyone else is expendable.

Phoebe Hewitt 10T-A

arthur birling part2

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