Characters Flashcards
Inspector guilt quote
“You see, we have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt.”
Inspector responsibility quote
“Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities, as well as privileges.”
Inspector collective responsibility quote
“There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us.”
Birling captialism quote
“Working together for lower costs and higher prices”
Birling narcissistic quote
“I can’t accept any responsibility. It would be very awkward”
Birling self-centred quote
“But coming like that, bang on top of our little celebration”
Mrs birling tells sheila off quote
“Really, the things you girls pick up these days”
Mrs birling denial quote
“Simply a piece of gross impertinence … naturally that prejudiced me against her case”
Mrs birling responsibility quote
“Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility”
Gerald denial quote
“I don’t come into this suicide business”
Gerald blame quote
“She didn’t blame me at all. I wish to God she had now”
Gerald focusses on marriage quote
“Everything’s all right now Sheila. What about this ring?”
Sheila lack of responsibility quote
“But she was very pretty and looked as if she could take care of herself. I couldn’t be sorry father”
Sheila takes responsibility quote
“I’ll never, never do it again to anybody”
Sheila feels sorry quote
“Mother, she’s just died a horrible death, don’t forget”
Eric compassionate quote
“I don’t see why she should have been sacked .. I’d have let her stay”
Eric lashes out at Birling
“Because you’re not the sort of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble, that’s why”
Eric responsibility quote
“It’s what happened to the girl and what we did to her that matters”
Birling dramatic irony
“We’re in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity”
“When you marry, you’ll be marrying at a good time”
“I say there isn’t a chance of war”
Sheila describes Gerald
“Stupid” “guilty” “fool”
Mrs birling lacks sympathy
“I’m glad to hear it”
“Triumphantly (stage direction)” implies she thinks she has won
Inspector final speech responsibility
“We are members of one body”
“We are responsible for each other”
Birling is an insecure social climber
“You may have done better for yourself socially”
Birling lack of responsibility
Describes the idea of community as “nonsense”
Birling looks down on the younger generation
Sarcastic quote “famous younger generation” “can’t take a joke”
Eric justifies being drunk
“I was in that state where a chap easily turns nasty”
Eric realises that she is dead quote
“You killed her and the child she’d have had too”
Eric knows that his parents think nothing is wrong
“You’re beginning to pretend now that nothing’s really happened at all. And I can’t see it like that. The girl’s still dead, isn’t she?”
Gerald is a snob quote
“We’re respectable citizens and not dangerous animals”
Gerald describes another prominent member of society
“Old Joe Meggarty, half-drunk and goggle-eyed, had wedged her into a corner with that obscene fat carcass of his”
Gerald speaks like he was the hero
Says that Eva was “intensely grateful”
Inspector Goole describes Eva
“A nice little promising life there, I thought, and a nasty mess somebody’s made of it”
Inspector describes Eva’s situation
“She was here alone, friendless, almost penniless, desperate. She needed not only money, but advice, sympathy, friendliness.”
Inspector gives the Birlings advice
“We are members of one body.”
“If men will not learn their lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.”
Sheila stands up for the girls
“Those girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people.”
Sheila shirks responsibility
“How could I know what would happen afterwards?”
Sheila takes responsibility
“I’m to blame and I’m desperately sorry”
Mrs Birling opposes society’s view of women (in a bad way)
“A rather cold woman”
“Her husband’s social superior”
Mrs Birling looks down her nose at Eva
“Girls of that class”
Mrs Birling is loyal - she sticks up for Eric
“He’s only a boy … it isn’t time”
