Reasoning Behind Web Address

I generally didn't have a clue what to use as my web-address because last time i wrote a blog based on 'Of Mice And Men' i just used my name sallylouise2.blogspot.com which was kind of boring so this time i wanted to be more inventive and use something that was more related to what i was studying, therefore i came up with...

'marginreleased.blogspot.co.uk'

When i was reading through the play i couldn't come up with any key quotations or short sentences relating to the text that would be appropriate until i was reading the introduction about J.B.Priestley and it commented on how he had written his own autobiography about life during world war one and the highlights of his career. This book was simply called...

Margin Released: A Writer's Reminiscences and Reflections

First Impressions

At first when i saw this books the front cover didn't exactly inspire me to read it, although as people say... 

"Never judge a book by it's cover"

But once i had started to read this play in English i really started to enjoy it as mystery and crime books appeal to me. The characters within this book are kept to a minimum so i thought i would share a few thoughts and ideas i had about how the characters came across at the beginning off the book.

Arthur Birling is totally unaware of the consequences his selfish acts cause for other people as he doesn't care how low there wages are as "lower costs mean higher prices" pg Arrogant, Greedy Arthur Birling is totally unrealistic about the future and he calls the Titanic “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable” pg 7, which is ironic as we all know what happens to that. He is also extremely confident that “there’ll be peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere” pg 7 although, we know the war was soon to begin.

At first we don’t really get to see much of Mrs Birling’s personality because she is quite secretive and unspoken, however from Priestley’s description we learn she is “a rather cold woman” and not very approachable or motherly to her children especially when in a moment of dramatic irony she calls her son “a drunken young idler".

Gerald Croft may be described as “an attractive chap about thirty… very much the easy well-bred young-man-about-the-town”, however he constantly lies about where he has been and who is with to the rest of the family, including Shelia, when he had an affair. He also comes across as weak and willing as he is always looking for the easy option and sucking up to Mr Birling which is evident from pg 6,15 and 17 when he says “I believe you’re right Sir”

Eric comes across as being a rebellious man in his “early twenties” right from the start of the play when he is constantly challenging his father’s statement, “What about the war?” pg 6. He is very unsympathetic towards Eva Smith and her death saying it was “tough luck” she was sacked and lived a tragic life which is extremely rude coming from him and what he has done to her.

Shelia is most affected by the delivered news from the Inspector and admits to her responsibility to having been part of the reason the girl died although she is most troubled by Eva’s story. Its apparent to the audience she is intelligent when she works out that Gerald has had an affair behind her back “I expect you've done things you’re ashamed of too” pg 23

The inspector is an extremely blunt and direct person as he likes to be told the truth and only the truth in its simplistic form. He isolates each member of the family “one line of inquiry at a time” pg 11 and tricks them into telling the truth. Out of all the characters the Inspector is least intimidated by Mr Birling “Apologize for what – doing my duty?” and stands his ground with his inquiries until he has spoken to each and every member of the family. 

The Hierachy Of Class

It's apparent from the very start of the play the characters are ranked into a hierarchy and each one of them represents a particular class, with Gerald Croft at the top, however the Inspector may be the one exception.

Arthur Birling

Although this 'heavy looking man' is head of the house hold and may now be wealthy he comes from a middle-class background putting him somewhere in the middle of the hierarchy in terms of character class and profile. You can tell he comes from an unwealthy background when Priestley says he is "rather provincial in his speech" which may be why he is so proud of his present life and sees himself as above everyone else. Being the local magistrate and the former Lord-Mayor of Brumley, Mr Birling has set his targets high and someday hopes to become part of the upper-class society and be knighted "there's a fair chance that i might find my way into the next Honours List" pg 8 this shows he is extremely ambitious and greedy.

Sybil Birling

Sybil is married to Arthur and comes across as snobby and stuck up as she looks down on people with less money and judges the lower-class more harshly than her family. Like Mr Birling she influences a lot of decisions for other people because she is a "prominent member - of the Brumley Women's Charity Organization" pg 42, however just as with Mr Birling she doesn't understand the effect her decision may have on people until it is too late. 

Shelia Birling 

Being the brother of Eric Birling and also the daughter of Arthur and Sybil, Shelia, "a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited", also finds herself somewhere between the middle and the top of the hierarchy triangle and being engaged to Gerald Croft she is soon to move up even more. 

Eric Birling 

Being the son of Mr Birling, Eric finds him self somewhere between the middle and the top of the hierarchy triangle, however this doesn't mean he is happy with his life and we gather from the play he is miserable with his life meaning he drinks too much and becomes a drunk as he has been steadily drinking for almost 2 years.  

Gerald Croft 

Gerald Croft is engaged to marry Shelia Birling and finds himself at the top of the hierarchy as he is the son of Sir George and Lady Croft. Being a man of the upper-class Croft some could say Mr Birling is intimidated as Gerald works for Crofts Limited, his fathers company, which is bigger and better than the Birling and company.

Edna the maid

Edna finds herself right at the bottom of the hierarchy as she is a maid and works for the Birlings. Priestley describes her as "the parlourmaid" as she clears away tables and makes sure everything is respectable making her part of the lower-class.

The Inspector

The inspector is probably one of the only characters that doesn't fit into a category of class and that's mainly because we don't know much about him and his background. Because of this the audience may portray him as being mysterious and secretive.

An Inspector Calls Front Cover