The Birling Family as a Family with Bitter, Hard Personalities

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The Birling Family as a Family with Bitter, Hard Personalities

Throughout the play the Birling family are portrayed in two different

ways by the two different generations of the family. The family

consists of four members: Arthur Birling, " the hard headed business

man " of the family, Sybil Birling, the punctual wife and their two

children, Sheila who is in her late twenties and Eric who is in his

mid-twenties.

The play begins with the family having a celebratory dinner party due

to the engagement between Sheila and Gerald. The scene is set for the

play as Mrs Birling suggests to the audience that she understands he

place in society as in the first few pages of the play she says:

"When your married you'll realize that men with important work to do

sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their

business. You'll have to get used to that just as I have."

She understands and respects her place as a woman in the marriage,

whereas Sheila is not willing to accept this and dares to challenge

the system. This is where I feel that she acquires her bitter and hard

personality. Sheila displays this in her use of language and also the

way she treated. For instance, on page 3 she says:

"You're squiffy "

"What an expression Sheila! Really the things you girls pick up."

The way that Mrs Birling replies to this shows that she treats Sheila

as a child and has little respect for her. The way that the two women

are perceived in the play is very different as to how the two men are.

And the two sexes show their personalities in different ways as well.

Mrs Birling will openly talk of how she is very proud of her family

name, Mr Birling will talk highly of himself and this is I believe is

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