An Inspector Calls Flashcards
Quotes for the character Sheila Birling
para 1:
- ‘look mummy, isn’t it a beauty’
- ‘but these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people’
para 2:
- ‘she was very pretty too - with big dark eyes
- ‘I’ll never never do it again to anyone’
- ‘how could I have known what would happen afterwards’
para 3:
- ‘mother I think it was cruel and vile’
- ‘I remember what he said, how he looked, and what he made me feel. in fire and blood and anguish’
Quotes for the character Eric Birling
para 1:
- ‘squiffy’ (sheila)
- ‘just let me finish eric, you’ve a lot to learn’
- ‘why shouldn’t they try for higher wages’
para 2:
- ‘could I have a drink first’ (billing says ‘no’ inspector says ‘yes’)
- ‘I was in state where a chap easily turns nasty and threatened to make a row’
- ‘you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble’
para 3:
- ‘I’m ashamed of you as well - yes both of you’
- ‘whoever that chap was, the fact remains that I did what I did’
Quotes for the character Mr Birling
para 1:
- ‘you’re just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted’
- ‘working together - for lower costs and higher prices’
- ‘just let me finish Eric, you’ve a lot to learn’
- ‘silly little war scares’
para 2:
- ‘I was an alderman for years - and Lord Mayor two years ago’
- ‘had nothing to do with the wretched girl’s suicide’
- ‘I can’t accept any responsibility’
para 3:
- (unhappily) ‘look inspector - I’d give thousands - yes thousands’
- ‘there’ll be a public scandal’
Quotes for the character Mrs Birling
para 1:
- ‘What an expression! Really, the things you girls pick up these days!’
- ‘men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business.’
para 2:
- ‘my husband was lord Mayor only two years ago’
- ‘I didn’t like her manner’
- ‘As if a girl of that sort would refuse money.’
para 3:
- ‘I was the only one who didn’t give in to him’
- ‘why shouldn’t we?’ (go back to normal)
Quotes for the character Gerald Croft
para 1:
- ‘well-bred’
- ‘You couldn’t have done anything else.’
- ‘you hardly came near me and said you were so busy’
para 2:
- ‘wedged her into the corner with that obscene fat carcass of his’
- ‘I didn’t install her there to make love to her’
- ‘sorry - well i’ve just realised - taken it in - that she’s - dead’
para 3:
- ‘that man wasn’t s police officer’
- ‘everything’s alright now, sheila. what about this ring? ‘
Quotes for the theme social class
para 1:
- ‘as if we’re all mixed up together like bees in a hive’
- ‘lower costs and higher prices’
- ‘but these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people’
para 2:
- ‘I was an alderman for years - and Lord Mayor two years ago’
- ‘he’s a notorious womaniser’
- ‘as if a girl of that sort would refuse any money’
para 3:
- ‘there are millions and millions of Eva smiths and John smiths’
- ‘I remember what he said, how he looked, and what he made me feel. in fire and blood and anguish’
- ‘that man wasn’t a police officer’
The theme of Generational Difference
para 1: very little difference between older and younger (birling silenced children, created echo chamber, children indoctrinated with capitalistic ideals)
- ‘now just you listen eric, you’ve a lot to learn’
- ‘look mummy, isn’t it a beauty’ validation of parents
- ‘but these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people’
para 2:
- ‘mother i think it was cruel and vile’ own opinions
- ‘i’ll never never do it again to anybody’
- ‘had nothing to do with that wretched girl’s suicide’
para 3: anomaly that is gerald! too deeply entrenched in the class system which offers him power privledge and protection, betrayal of this allegiance is too unpalatable a step
- ‘you couldn’t have done anything else’
- ‘sorry - i - well, i’ve suddenly realised - taken it in properly - that she’s dead’
- ‘that man isn’t a police officer’
Inspector
- ‘burnt her insides out’
- ‘chain of events’
- ‘it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it’
‘we have to share our guilt’
‘public men have..’
‘each of you helped to kill her’
millions and millions left with us
will be taught in fire and blood and anguish
