An Inspector Calls - Key Quotations

“You’re squiffy” – Sheila to Eric (Act 1) Shows Eric/ Sheila’s brother/ sister relationship. Colloquial language set period. Shows Eric drinks too much.

“I speak as a hard-headed business man.” (Act 1) Word choice emphasises lack of feeling. Shows Mr Birling is hard-hearted. Shows pride in his hard-won success.

“If you don’t come down hard on these people they’ll soon be asking for the earth!”

Birling uses exaggeration/ hyperbole to suggest the workers are asking for too much.

Wants to make the workers’ demands seem unreasonable.

“Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.” Mr Birling (Act 1) Dramatic irony – audience knows something the characters

don’t. Arrogance of the wealthy – they think their wealth will last

forever. Titanic is a metaphor for the family and its privileged position.

“We really must stop these silly pretences.” Sheila to Mrs Birling (Act 2)

Sheila understands the Inspector’s message. Characterises Sheila as the only character capable of seeing

the truth. Shows a division growing between Sheila and her mother. Shows that Sheila understands the need to stop lying. (Key

theme)

“Girls of that class.” Mrs Birling to the Inspector (Act 2) Shows Mrs Birling thinks she is socially and morally superior. A

snob. Almost as though the poor are by definition squalid and

worthless. Emphasis on “that” shows her disgust in the working class.

“She was very pretty – soft brown hair and big dark eyes.” Gerald (Act 2)

Gerald’s language stresses the contrast between Eva and “women of the town” who he calls “hard-eyed” and “dough-faced”.

By stressing the positive aspects of Eva, it makes her mistreatment seem even more cruel.

“You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.” Eric (Act 2)

Reveals the lack of love in the family. The Birlings are not only hard-hearted towards the working

class, but they are also inadequate parents. Birling says his son has been spoilt, and he is more concerned

with covering up Eric’s wrongdoings so to avoid a social scandal.

“We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.” The Inspector (Act 3)

Priestley’s address to the audience. The core message of the Inspector and the play. Directly contrasts with Birling’s message of ‘every man for

himself’. The message applies to all the characters and the audience.

“Everything’s all right now, Sheila.” Gerald to Sheila (Act 3) Shows Gerald as a static character. This shows Gerald has not understood the message. He cannot see that Sheila has been changed by the

revelations. He offers Sheila the ring, showing how complacent he is.

“Each of you helped to kill her.” The Inspector (Act 3) Priestly uses a climax to emphasise that our actions have

consequences. The Inspector sums up, showing that the morally neglectful

actions of the upper class family have condemned a working class girl to her death.

Nobody in the family is without blame.

“Look Inspector, I’d give thousands…” Birling to the Inspector (Act 3)

Birling wouldn’t pay Eva Smith an extra two shillings and sixpence but now offers thousands.

The offer is meaningless because it is not possible to save Eva now.

It shows Birling thinks he can solve everything with money.

“We are responsible for each other.” The Inspector (Act 3) Goole stresses that it is not enough just to keep to a set of

accepted manners. We must all behave morally. This would have extra resonance before the Second World

War – we cannot stand by and let fascism murder millions.

“Look at the way he talked to me…” Birling (Act 3) Tone – shocked/ indignant. Shows that Birling feels his social status entitles him to

different treatment.

“By Jingo! A fake!”“How do you know it’s the same girl?”

Colloquial language – particular to the upper class. The Birlings are so desperate to believe their own innocence

that they are willing to believe a highly unlikely set of coincidences.

“That doesn’t matter to me.” Eric (Act 3) The theories of innocence that Geralnd and Birling are

concocting do not take away the fact that Eric feels guilty for his actions.

He is not willing to bury his head in the sand and pretend he has done nothing wrong.

“I suppose we’re all nice people now.” Sheila (Act 3) Sarcastic tone. Sheila is bitter about her family’s reaction. She is appalled that they think they have done nothing wrong

simply because they think the girl is not dead. She wants them to acknowledge that they have behaved

appallingly.

“That was the police. A girl has just died – on her way to the infirmary.”

The twist in the tale. Mr and Mrs Birling, and Gerald, must face the reality of their

actions. Their denial is destroyed.