Arthur

1. Birling is identified by the Inspector as the initiator of Eva Smith’s downfall: he refused her request for a raise in his factory and forced her to find work elsewhere.

2. He further seems to care more for success than for his own children, as people. When, at the end of the play, the Birlings discover that the Inspector was a fraud and no suicide has taken place, Mr. Birling is triumphant and relieved that the revelations will not precipitate a social scandal. He is resistant to any lesson that might be gleaned from the Inspector’s interrogation, and remains unchanged by it.

3. He is portrayed throughout as a fierce capitalist, who cares only for the success of his own company—even at the sacrifice of his laborers’ - eva smith.

4. Capitalist-we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together - for lower costs and higher prices."

5. Patronising views about women- 'clothes mean something quite different to a woman. Not just something to wear - and not only something to make 'em look prettier'

6. He shows that he is quite sexist by suggesting that clothes are somehow more important to women than to men. The fact that he thinks clothes 'make 'em look prettier' shows he objectifies women too.

7. It is clear here that Mr Birling is driven by money, he is a capitalist. The fact that he sees his daughter's engagement as a chance to push for 'lower costs and higher prices' shows just how greedy he is. He does not consider the impact 'higher prices' might have on anyone else, he just wants more money.

8. Possessive-"Is there any reason why my wife should answer questions from you, Inspector?"

9. He emphasises that Sybil is 'his' wife suggesting that he sees her as a possession. He does not allow Sybil to talk for herself here.

10. Introduced as a “fairly prosperous” manufacturer and a family man . He is large-bodied and middle aged, with easy manners and provincial speech.

11. He is extremely selfish: He wants to protect himself and his family. He believes that socialist ideas that stress the importance of the community are "nonsense" and that "a man has to make his own way." He wants to hide the fact that Eric stole money: "I've got to cover this up as soon as I can."

12. Arrogant-'And I'm talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war. The world's developing so fast that it'll make war impossible."

13. confident that there will not be a war, saying that 'there isn't a chance of war' and then repeating this idea when he considers it 'impossible'. His arrogance and complacency are made very clear. The audience, knowing that just two years after this speech, World War One will begin, see that Mr Birling is wrong on this point, and on many others, including his prediction that the Titanic is 'unsinkable'. The audience lose trust in him as a character