There seems to also be no limit in Mr. Birling’s greed and pursuit of money; Priestly uses bathos to show how Mr. Birling demeans the importance of anything but money and personal gain. Mr. Birling says when speaking of Sheila and Geralds engagement that this was “one of the happiest nights of [his] life’. Love and marriage would naturally bring happiness. But within a few lines he goes on to say how it means that Crofts and Birling’s LTD will benefit from the marriage, as they will be able to work together ‘for lower costs and higher prices’. The explicit focus on the mundane matter of money is at the speech’s climax, making it clear that this is the underlying reason for Mr. Birling’s excitement and not the joy of his own daughter.
Priestly use of dramatic Irony does nothing to persuade the reader relating to Mr. Burlings ignorant and naïve views relating to the future prospects of war. Mr Birling says “there isn’t a chance of war” and when referring to the titanic “absolutely unsinkable” and considering the reader is reading or watching the play in 1945 he would be entirely aware that the Titanic did sink and that the were in fact 2 world conflicts between the time the play is set and when published. A clear contradiction in his character - a hugely successful powerful businessman, also combined with the characteristics of being a misguided and ignorant. This doesn’t reflect positively with the reader, as he is not only distinctly arrogant but also clearly in denial about the future.
Mr. Birling is a clear critic of socialism, this is reflected when he refers to “Community and all that nonsense” showing how the principles of Socialism of looking after one and other is being disregarded by Mr. Birling. When the Inspector questions the way the Burling family treated Eva Smith and suggests they should of shown some level of compassion and helped Eva Smith is disregarded as “Nonsense” shows how Priestley makes the point that a proper socialist family would of supported Eva Smith, which wouldn’t of led to her horrific suicide. This shows how Mr. Birling and the family aren’t solely representing one specific case of greed, but suggesting that it is symbolic of society at the time.
The readers perception of Mr. Birling as the play progresses doesn’t seem to change, he is considered a very ruthless man of business throughout. Mrs. Birling very rarely shows the slightest ounce of sympathy for Eva Smith. Once realizing about the death of Eva Smith and asked if he discharged her, he showed no sympathy stating, “Yes. The girl had been causing trouble in the works. I was quite justified” the way he avoids the notion he is anyway responsible doesn’t reflect well and only conveys Mr. Birling in a selfish negative light. This continues throughout the play, once he realizes the “man definitely wasn’t a police inspector at all,” he suggests “in fact, it makes all the difference” this reflects that how once the threat of Mr. Birling’s reputation and all the connotations that would of have on himself and his family briefly diminishes, he suggests that everything has “changed” and still reflects the idea that he is not responsible or even shows a sign of changing his approach towards his work force.
