P2 - An Inspector Calls

Question 1

What is Mr and Mrs Birling’s roles?

Answer 1

Upper class
Older generation
Not accepting responsibility
Capitalist views

Question 2

What are Sheila and Eric’s roles?

Answer 2

Upper class
Younger generation
Accepting responsibility
Socialist views

Question 3

What is Gerald Croft’s role?

Answer 3

Upper class
Younger generation
Not accepting responsibility
Capitalist views

Question 4

What is the Inspector’s role?

Answer 4

Socialist views

Priestley’s surrogate

Question 5

What is Eva Smith’s role?

Answer 5

Working class
Abused by upper class

Question 6

What is Edna’s role?

Answer 6

Working class

Question 7

Main quotes for Mr Birling - upper class & social status

Answer 7

‘Hard-headed practical man of business’ - long monologues [only cares about his profits]
‘I gather there’s a very good chance of knighthood’ - exclamatory sentence [boasting]

Question 8

Main quotes for Mr Birling - older generation & capitalist

Answer 8

‘Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’ - dramatic irony [foolish]
‘You’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense’ - inclusive pronoun [egotistical]

Question 9

Main quotes for Mr Birling - gender

Answer 9

‘A man has to make his own way - has to look after himself - and his family too, of course’ - [men are in charge of the household]

Question 10

Main quotes for Mrs Birling - upper class & social status

Answer 10

‘Girls of that class’ - euphemism [looking down on her]
‘She was giving herself ridiculous airs…claiming elaborate fine feelings…that were simply absurd in a girl in her position’ - [social snobbery]

Question 11

Main quotes for Mrs Birling - responsibility

Answer 11

‘I’ve done nothing wrong - and you know it’ - [no remorse]

Question 12

Main quotes for Sheila - younger generation

Answer 12

‘Yes, go on, mummy’ - seen as young child

Question 13

Main quotes for Sheila - responsibility & socialist

Answer 13

‘And if I could help her now, I would’ - [passionate]

‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people’ - personal pronouns [empathetic]

Question 14

Main quotes for Eric - socialist

Answer 14

‘Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices’ - contradicting Mr Birling

Question 15

Main quotes for Eric - responsibility

Answer 15

‘And I don’t remember - that’s the hellish thing’ - guilt
‘And I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her - and that’s what matters’ - commanding [active social conscience]

Question 16

Main quotes for Gerald - upper class & exploitation

Answer 16

‘After all y‘ know, we’re respectable citizens and not criminals’ - echoes Mr Birling
‘Nearly any man would have done’ - rescue mission, normalises the situation

Question 17

Main quotes for Gerald - gender

Answer 17

‘Why should you stay? It’s bound to be unpleasant and disturbing’ - patronising and sexist, women ought to be protected from these things, can’t handle them

Question 18

Main quotes for Inspector Goole

Answer 18

‘It’s better to ask for the earth than to take it’ - shouldn’t exploit the lower classes
‘Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges’ - upper class aren’t automatically better than everyone else just because they have high social status
‘We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’ - short sentences
‘Millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths’ - extended metaphor, lots of exploited working class people who need help
‘They will be taught in fire, blood and anguish’ - means WW1 + WW2