An Inspector Calls

Question 1

Mr Birling [5]

Answer 1

‘It’s my duty to keep labour cost down’
‘a man has to make his own way.”
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can.”
‘a bit of a scare’ (glad to avoid a) ‘public scandal’
‘if you don’t come down hard on these people they’ll soon be asking for the earth!’

Question 2

Mrs Birling [5]

Answer 2

‘gross impertinence’
‘she was claiming elaborate fine feelings that were simply absurd for a girl in her position’
‘unlike the others I have nothing to be ashamed of’
‘some drunken young idler… dealt with harshly’ [double standards]
‘I don’t believe it.. I won’t believe it.’

Question 3

Eric [6]

Answer 3

“Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?”
“Oh - my God! - how stupid it all is!”
“I’m ashamed of you.”
“We did her in all right.”
‘you haven’t made it any easier for me, have you mother’
‘not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble’

Question 4

Gerald [4]

Answer 4

‘very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town’
‘I know we’d have done the same thing’
“She was young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful.”
‘everything’s alright now Shelia’

Question 5

Inspector [6]

Answer 5

“one person and one line of inquiry at a time.
“he’s giving us the rope - so that we’ll hang ourselves”
“fire and blood and anguish”
‘We are all members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’
‘burnt her inside out…in great agony’

Question 6

Shelia [7]

Answer 6

very pleased with life and rather excited.”
“But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people.”
“he’s giving us the rope - so that we’ll hang ourselves”
“pretend that nothing much has happened.”
“It frightens me the way you talk:
‘I felt rotten about it at the time and now I feel a lot worse’
‘we really must stop these silly pretences’