Nan Chiau High School Secondary Two English Literature
Name: __________________________________________
Worksheet on Mrs Birling (Answers)
In your opinion, choose one image that has the closest resemblance to Mrs Birling. Give your reasons.
REASON: PIG – Upset/ Angry:
Complains about others / Throws her weight around/
thinks she is smarter than others – thinks Eva Smith is
lying and that she is clever enough to see through her
lie
SUPPORT WITH TEXTUAL EVIDENCE:
‘She’d (Eva) impertinently made use of our name…’
‘It didn’t take me long to get the truth – or some of the
truth – out of her.’ (pg 44)
REASON: Rooster – proud (struts around) – looks down
on the working classes/ puts herself on higher moral
ground/ thinks the upper class are better morally.
Thinks that everyone should be very respectful to her
because of her high social status.
SUPPORT WITH TEXTUAL EVIDENCE:
‘You have no power to make me change my mind.’ – To
Inspector Goole (pg 44)
‘She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples
that were simply absurd in a girl in her position.’
‘The rude way he spoke to Mr Birling and me – it was
quite extraordinarily!’ (pg 61)
‘I think it was simply a piece of gross impertinence –
quite deliberate – and naturally that was one of the
things that prejudiced me against her case.’ (pg 43)
Class: ______________ Date: ____________
REASON: BEAR – Protective/ Indulgent
Defend her children yet ignorant of what they are doing
in their personal lives, esp. Eric’s drinking
SUPPORT WITH TEXTUAL EVIDENCE:
AT the start of the play, when Mr Birling tried to talk
about the engagement bringing the two families
together, Mrs B. reminded him not to talk business on
such an occasion. (pg 4)
REASON: tiger - strong and powerful – feel that being
rich and powerful, she can call the shots, including who
deserves her help.
SUPPORT WITH TEXTUAL EVIDENCE:
‘We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping
deserving cases.’(pg 42)
‘I wasn’t satisfied with the girl’s claim – she seemed to
me to be not a good case – and so I used my influence
to have it refused.’ (pg 44)
 Nan Chiau High School Secondary Two English Literature
Name: __________________________________________
To the following people, what do you think of their views or/and feelings towards Mrs
Birling?
Character Views/ Feelings towards Mrs
Birling
Mr Birling Protective towards wife.
Listens to his wife; may give in to
her demands as she has a higher
social status compared to his.
Has the same view as Mrs Birling
to protect their social status and
reputation
Sheila Birling ● Pampered by Mrs B. – Sheila is
sure if she wants something,
she can get her mother to do
it.
● Embarrassed by her mother
who said ‘I don’t believe it. I
won’t believe it…’ when
Inspector Goole pointed out
that Eric was the young man
who got Eva pregnant.
● See Mrs B as a hypocrite
● Upset with her parents for
not facing up to their
responsibility
Eric Birling ● Disappointed with Mrs B
Class: ______________ Date: ____________
Evidence from Text
(In response to Mrs Birling’s confessing that
she was ‘prejudiced […] against [Eva’s]
case), Mr Birling said ‘And I should think so!
Damned impudence’ (43)
Mr B: Is there any reason why my wife
should answer questions from you,
Inspector?’ (43)
After Mrs B says the family need to ‘discuss
this business [of being involved in Eva’s life]
quietly and sensibly’, he says ‘[with hearty
approval] You’re absolutely right, my
dear.’(63-64)
Mr B: ‘They just won’t try to understand our
position or to see the difference between a
lot of stuff like this coming out in private and
a downright public scandal’ (65)
S: Mother, I think it was cruel and vile (pg
45).
S:Mother, I begged you and begged you to
stop-‘ (pg 49)
S: Because mother’s been busy blaming
everything on the young man who got this
girl into trouble, and saying he shouldn’t
escape and should be made an example of
(pg 50)
S: You’re just beginning to pretend all over
again.’ (pg 65)
S: it’s you two who are being childish – trying
not to face the facts.(pg 59)
E: You don’t understand anything. You never
did. You never even tried…(pg 55)
 Nan Chiau High School Secondary Two English Literature

Name: __________________________________________ Class: ______________ Date: ____________

o May think they are E: you killed them both—damn you, damn
too driven by their you (55)
own interests
● Frustrated that she does
not know what he had
been doing in his personal
life

Gerald Croft ● Confident that Mrs B. G: I insist upon being one of the family now.
approves of him as a I’ve been trying long enough, haven’t I? You
husband for Sheila. know I have. (pg 3)

● Annoyed After Mrs B snubs him with ‘I don’t think we

want any further details of this disgusting
affair’, he says ‘You know, it wasn’t
disgusting. (38)
Eva Smith Seemed to be a bit fearful of the Mrs B: Yes, I didn’t like her manner…She’d
upper class – so dare not mention impertinently made use of our name, though
that her child is illegitimate, hence she pretended afterwards it just happened
lied initially that she was married. to be the first she thought of. She had to
Appeared to be questioned admit, after I began questioning her, that
aggressively by Mrs B. she had no claim to the name, that she
wasn’t married, and that the story she told
at first – about a husband who’d deserted
her –was quite false. (pg 44)

Inspector Goole ● Knew that Mrs Birling
plays a part in contributing
to Eva’s suicide by refusing
to grant her financial help
and also influencing others
not to help her.
● Saw her as cruel and
responsible for Eva’s death
partly
Insp: I think you did something terribly
wrong – and that you’re going to spend the
rest of your life regretting it (pg 44-45)
Insp: She came to you for help, at a time
when no woman could have needed it more.
And you not only refused it yourself but saw
to it that the others refused it too…
You must have known what she was feeling.
And you slammed the door in her face (pg
45)