An Inspector calls Flashcards
I ____. I was almost _____ for a _______ in the next _______ list
A3- I care. I was almost certain for a Knighthood in the next honours list
Arthur’s primary concerns are the Birling’s family name and his social ascent. He mentions “knighthood” at the start to show Gerald that he will get a formal title and that he would an equal to them. If the public found out though this would result to the knighthood being withheld. Priestley is calling back to the first act to show that Arthur had not changed
a ___ has to make his own way—has to look after ______—and his ______, too, of course
A1-a man has to make his own way—has to look after himself—and his family, too, of course
Arthur’s worldview is summarised as one of total individualism where people and their families try to maximise their own financial and social happiness at any cost. He believes hard work is sufficient enough to allow a person to ‘get ahead’ of others, yet disregards his own advantages believing that everything has a consequence of his own power + achievements
______ and _______ can be working together – for _____ _____ and _____ _____
Crofts and Birlings can be working together – for lower costs and higher prices
Act1- Highlights Mr Birling’s selfishness and cruelty of capitalism. Rather than helping others, they seek personal gain and happiness without a care for the suffering of others. So long as he can climb the social ladder Mr Birling doesn’t care for anyone else.
The titanic – _____, absolutely ____
The titanic – Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable
Act1- Dramatic Irony. The results of living in a capitalist world has led to Mr Birling ignorant to the real world as he lives a completely different life to those that suffers. He doesn’t realise that his ‘progressive’ society has flaws and consequence and if it continues his future will look similar to the titanic
I can’t accept any _____ for _____ that happens to _____
I can’t accept any responsibility for everything that happens to everyone
Act1- The assertive language emphasises Arthur’s dismissive and injudicious character. He refuses to accept the blame as it would ruin his reputation and prevent him from getting a knighthood. Priestley highlights his selfishness with the possessive pronoun “I” as he only cares for himself. His imprudence is displayed when he mentions everyone, a society. He doesn’t understand a chain reaction or that actions lead to harsh consequences, even if it was not direct.
If you don’t come down ___ on these _____ they’d soon be _____ for the ______
If you don’t come down hard on these people they’d soon be asking for the earth
Act1- It becomes explicit that Mr Birling feels obligated to put down and punish the working class into their place. The hyperbolic metaphor “They’d soon be asking for the earth” implies that the lower class are greedy and unreasonable, meaning someone needs to keep them in check. Priestley showed how the upper class viewed any attempt by the lower class to stand up for themselves to be outrageous, disrespectful act. He displays how they perpetuated the cycle of poverty and widened the class divide. This is the result of their own vanity as they are under the illusion of being righteous
The _____ _______ is an old friend of mine
The chief constable is an old friend of mine
Act1- Attempts to be threatening due to him being scared. Inspector is unfazed
Look, Inspector – I’d give ________ – yes, _____
Look, Inspector – I’d give thousands – yes, thousands
Act3- Attempts to bribe him yet the inspector isn’t even tempted as the truth cannot be corrupted
You’re the one I ______ for this
You’re the one I blame for this
Act3- Athur is scapegoating his own son contrasting his earlier statement of looking after his “family”
is it the ___ ____ wanted me to have?
is it the one you wanted me to have?
Act1- Sheila is excited by the ring showing her acquisitive character. However their is also the lack of freedom as Gerald chose the ring he wanted
But these ____ aren’t cheap ____ – they’re ___
But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people
Act1- Sheila already has to an extent a view in socialism. She acknowledges the well-being of the lower class and as equals unlike Mr Birling who distances himself by calling them “these people”
__ not really it was my ____ ___
No, not really it was my own fault
Act1- Sheila accepts her responsibility in Eva’s death immediately in contrast to Mr Birling. Priestly shifts the focus from Arthur to his daughter to display the difference in generation so that the audience have hope for society, they are less stubborn and more impressionable than the older generation. Change can happen through them
And if I could ___ her now, I would
And if I could help her now, I would
Act1- Sheila’s remorse.
Then I’m ____
Then I’m staying
Act2- Sheila refuses to leave after being told by Gerald. This rejects traditional views of woman and growth in her character as earlier she listened to her parents to leave and let the men talk
He’s giving us the ____- so that we’ll ____ ourselves
He’s giving us the rope- so that we’ll hang ourselves
Act2- On a surface level, Sheila is suggesting that the Inspector will elicit the Birlings to incriminate themselves to Eva’s demise. However, it can be interpreted as the upper class reaching their own downfall. The “rope” can also be used to save someone, the working class. This insinuates that if the working class has to sacrifice and punish the upper class to revolt they will do so
I rather _____ you ____ than I’ve ever done _____
I rather respect you more than I’ve ever done before
Act2- After Gerald confession Sheila respects him more as their is no longer distrusts between them and he accepts his part.
The _____ is, you don’t seem to have ______ ______
The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything
Act3- Sheila understands the Inspector’s message and disapproves of how their parents are reacting
if all that’s come out ___ is ___, then it doesn’t _____ who it was who made us ______
Don’t you see, if all that’s come out tonight is true, then it doesn’t matter who it was who made us confess
Act3- Their actions may be kept hidden but that doesn’t mean they didn’t occur, the working class was still being treated unjustly and suffered from them. The truth is still there
Who says this “I must think”
“I must think”- Sheila
Huge change in character she is becoming more independent and less influenced by her parents rejecting the traditional gender roles.
the easy ____-____ ____-______-about-town
the easy well-bred young-man-about-town
Act1- Gerald is initially presented to be a good man with like able characteristics making it hard to believe he was in an affair.
I don’t come into this ____ _____
I don’t come into this suicide business
Act1- Gerald says he isn’t involved, yet it is later revealed he is, showing his looks are deceiving. His naivety and language of “business” makes him more similar to Mr Birling who the audience are now resented at are now having negative thoughts of Gerald
I’m rather more ______ by this _____ than I probably _____ to be
I’m rather more – upset – by this business than I probably appear to be
Act2- Audiences assume Gerald has learnt his lesson and are think he might be willing to change. He did help Daisy Renton out of kindness showing he isn’t a bad character however gave into lust and greed cheating on Sheila and leaving Daisy when it suited him.
Who says this “Everything’s all right now Sheila”
Everything’s all right now Sheila- Gerald
After realising that the Inspector was fake he reverts back to his old ways and offers Sheila the ring as if how he treated her and Daisy doesn’t matter. She says “she must think” as she needs him to change his way to be accepted
_____ you’re not ______ to say such things
Arthur you’re not supposed to say such things
Act1- Mrs Birling reminds Mr Birling that they can’t compliment the cook as he is of a lower class in which Gerald understands and compliments her. This shows how unfairly they treated the lower class, claiming their work as their own
When you’re _____ you’ll ______ that men with ______ work to do sometimes have to spend ____ all their ___ and ____ on their ____
When you’re married you’ll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business
Act1- Mrs Birling justifies Gerald’s neglect accepting gender stereotypes and roles. This represents how unethical these upper class values were and unjust. However she doesn’t realise she is supporting Gerald’s affair and had she let Sheila think what was happening then it would have been revealed sooner
I don’t suppose for a moment that we can ________ why the girl ____ ____. _____ of that _____
I don’t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class
Act2- Sybil displays her snobbish nature and believes she is socially and morally superior than her. She calls them “girls of that class” to disassociate herself from them saying their “girls” appears to be weaker
__ _____ ____ ______ about this girl
I don’t know anything about this girl
Act2- Mrs Birling lies to the Inspector to protect her reputation similarly to how Eva lied to protect her. However now she has less power and the Inspector is in control, getting desperate she lies as she would have everything to lose for. Both the Inspector and Mrs Birling are after the truth and are willing to use power and force if they don’t get it. However unlike the Inspector she would have everything to lose
We’ve done a ____ _____ of useful ____ in helping ______ cases
We’ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving cases
Act2- She speaks with “dignity” to put up a facade to look good after revealing her snobbish character to the Inspector. However she says “deserving” making the reader question her morality. How can we trust that she will judge the case as fairly after distancing herself from those “girls of that class”. Priestley is revealing how unfair life was for the lower class. Even when they sought for help they were discriminated by the upper class who wouldn’t understand their pain and suffering.
You have no _____ to make me ______ my _____
You have no power to make me change my mind
Act2- Mrs Birling refuses to see her crimes she did against Eva, staying snobbish and no signs of remorse.
Go and look for the ___ of the ____. It’s his _______
Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility
Act2- Sybil refuses to take the blame and places it on the father adamantly, unaware she is scapegoating her own son
it wasn’t I who had her ______ out of her _______
it wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment
Act2- Blames her husband now refusing to take any responsibility and creates a chaotic scene. This is the results of not taking and doing part in society it only leads to disaster.
As if a ____ of that ____ would _____ ____
As if a girl of that sort would refuse money
Act2- Believes she is morally superior and stereotypes the working class as greedy who are okay with committing crimes
I don’t _______ it. I won’t ______ it
I don’t believe it. I won’t believe it
Act2- Now that Mrs Birling knows Eric is the father she refuses to believe it, especially after scapegoating him. This shows her ignorance and naivety as she is unable to come to terms that her “boy” would do such a thing.
No – ____ – please – ___ ____ _____ – I didn’t _____
No – Eric – please – I didn’t know – I didn’t understand
Act3- Whilst she was cold-hearted and arrogant in the previous act she breaks down and loses all that confidence. This could make the audience feel some thought of pity as she was a mother who son is angry at her.
I was the _____ ____ who didn’t ____ ___ to him
I was the only one who didn’t give in to him
Act3- She’s proud that she didn’t feel any remorse towards Eva
not quite at ______, half ____, half ______
not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive
Act1- Eric is awkward around his family. He isn’t understood by them yet everyone ignores this. This shows how the upper class CHOSE to neglect there problems
It isn’t if you ____ ____ and ____ _______ else
It isn’t if you can’t go and work somewhere else
Act1- In response to Mr Birling saying they could work elsewhere Priestley uses Eric to alert the audience of the limited opportunities the working class had who had to rely on the benevolence of employers encouraging them to be kinder.
Why shouldn’t they try for ______ ____? We try for the _____ _____ _____
Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices
Act1- Eric points out the hypocrisy of Mr Birling. Why is it when the when wealthy business men raise prices it’s a virtue thing to do whereas the when the poor strike for fairer wages it is seen as a vice.
I was in that _____ when a ____ _____ turns _____
I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty
Act3- Eric admits to forcing himself onto Eva, a poor, jobless woman who could not even push a man away from her home. Priestley clearly shows the gross imbalance of power and suffering of women at the time
she _____ me – as if I were a ____. Though I was _____ as ___ as she was
she treated me – as if I were a kid. Though I was nearly as old as she was
Act3- Eric shows how immature he is by comparing himself to someone of similar age. Eva knows what a real relationship should be like and due to her hard and gritty life has matured much more than the spoilt Eric. Even Mr Birling agrees when he says the schools aren’t sufficient yet still blames them rather than his own parenting
you’re not the kind of _____ a _____ could go to when he’s in _______
you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble
Act3- Mr Birling greed has lead to him losing his emotions and sympathy for his own child, who very clearly needed help from the beginning of the play. As a result of capitalism Mr Birling has failed to look after his “family” and so failed his duty.
She ______ ____ any more, and she didn’t want to see me ___
She wouldn’t take any more, and she didn’t want to see me again
Act3- In contrast to Mrs Birling’s regid classism and view of the working class we see that she is someone of honesty and moral integrity, which is why she refused to take the money. Perhaps if she was greedy like Mr Birling, she would’ve been alive yet she chose not to as she would stoop to his level. Furthermore, it reminds the reader that she HAD to go on strike to survive at and it was not out of greed. However this ultimately leads to her tragic death as the corruption of the upper class lead to her downfall
you _____ them both – ____ ___, ____ ____
you killed them both – damn you, damn you
Act3- Eric burst of rage against his mother unleashes some powerful words. This brings home the full impact of Mrs Birling’s action and the dangers of her prejudice snobbery and cruelty. Such attitudes can kill people and must be abandoned for a better Britain
You don’t _________ _______. You ______ did
You don’t understand anything. You never did
Act3- We’re not sure what Eric means by “never did”. What is it she never understood? Most likely it’s because, like her father, failed to be a good parent and could not show understanding of Eric. However “never” implies Eric has long-term deep rooted issues and grievances with his mother
What does it _____ now _______ they give you a ______ or not
What does it matter now weather they give you a knighthood or not
Act3- Eric laughs at Mr Birling’s concern of his knighthood as it is trivial compared to someone’s life. There is a roller-coaster of emotions as earlier Eric was threatening his mother showing how tense the situation is
we all _____ to ____ her
we all helped to kill her
Act3- Eric accepts his responsibility on the event that occurred to Eva, but also blames his family equally. Priestley does this to show his maturity and remind the audience that Eric’s actions were not better than any of the others, we only like him better as has changed and learnt his lesson
what happened to her _______, and what happened to her ______ may have driven her to _______. __ _____ _____ _____.
what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events.
Act1- The inspector highlights the idea of social responsibility through his repetition echoing the chains and contrasting to Mr Birling speech
It’s _____ to ask for the _____ than to ____ it
It’s better to ask for the Earth than to take it
Act1- The Inspector proves he is morally superior than Mr Birling who is far less concerned of the well-fare of his worker and more about his profit, “lower cost, higher prices”. In this sense, the Inspector is overtly highlighting Mr Birling’s hypocrisy trying to show he is “taking” the “earth” yet punishes those who “asks” for it
If we tried to put _______ in the place of these _____ _____
If we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women
Act1- Priestley is directing this message to the audience asking them to try put themselves in the working class shoes. He wants them to realise the hardships the working class go through every day and need our support.
A girl died tonight. A ____, ____ sort of girl, who ____ did anybody any ____. But she ____ in _____ and ____- hating life
A girl died tonight. A pretty, lively sort of girl, who never did anybody any harm. But she died in misery and agony- hating life
Act2- The inspector makes the audience feel sympathy towards Eva by contrasting her “pretty lively” character to her death ending in “misery and agony” displaying the injustice she received. He closes with “hating life” to draw attention the suffering of the working class.
we have to ______ our ____
we have to share our guilt
Act2- Goole is commanding them that they must all share responsibility in her death.
millions of ___ ____ and ____ _____
millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths
Act3- Reminding the Birling as well as the wealthy that there are many people who are suffering just like Eva as a result of the injustice they’re receiving from them.
We are _______ of one ___
We are members of one body
Act3- Biblical reference suggesting the Inspector is a saint compared to the Birlings and adding more mystery to his nature.
if men will not _____ that _____, then they will be ______ it in ____ and _____ and ______
if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish
Act3- Referencing to war that if they don’t change their ways a revolution will occur and lots of death will happen. The audience know this to be true as war did break out, so they’ll believe in the Inspector more than Mr Birling and take in his words.
