Inspector Goole

Question 1

“public men, Mr. Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges”

Answer 1

• saying members of society have collective social responsibility to take care of eachother
• Birlings have a greater duty of providing care to others
• Birlings hypocritical view is not suitable for his public position
• Arthur and Goole view responsibility in very different ways

Question 2

“we are members of one body. we are responsible for each other… if men will not learn that lesson they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish”

Answer 2

• final Goole quote
• most significant and heavy statement
• Priestley warns of dire consequences of avoiding social responsibility
• powerful metaphor suggests impending conflict
• Priestley warns audience of consequences of evading social responsibility

Question 3

“You’ve had children. You must have known what she was feeling. And you slammed the door in her face”

Answer 3

• accusing tone toward Mrs. Birling
• “children” - innocence, purity, juxtaposes “slammed”
• mother figure should be kind, Mrs. Birling is cold
• blaming Mrs. Birling

Question 4

“each of you helped to kill her. Remember that.”

Answer 4

• no one is innocent
• evoking guilt and blame
• inspector is blunt and accusatory
• scar of guilt

Question 5

“it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it”

Answer 5

• the rich take and the poor must ask and beg
• socialist views
• Priestley mouthpiece
• juxtaposing verbs “ask” and “take”