Duty Flashcards
Birling’s and the Inspector’s very different ideas of ‘duty’ lay
bare the chasm between ideals of Capitalism and Socialism.
The Inspector’s duty is not, as Birling fears, to expose
their wrong-doings in public; rather to expose them to themselves.
Mrs Birling’s ‘useful’ charity work is, in reality, the antithesis
of duty: it’s a means of control over the ‘deserving classes’.
We don’t live alone: we are
members of one body.
lower costs and
higher prices.
It’s my duty to as questions.
Well it’s my duty to keep labour costs down.
you’ll be living in a world that’ll have forgotten all these
capital versus labour agitations and all these silly little war scares
I did nothing I’m ashamed of or
that won’t bear investigation.
Well he was our
police inspector.
No Police enquiry. No one girl this
all happened to. No scandal.
Well, he inspected
us alright
you admit being prejudiced against her case?
Yes.
She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that
were simply absurd in a girl in her position.
You refused her even the pitiable little bit of
organised charity you had in your power to grant her.
As if a girl of that sort
would ever refuse money!
