quotes Flashcards
Inspector Goole - “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body.”
Inspector Goole - Inspector - Emphasizes social responsibility and collective conscience.
Inspector Goole - “Each of you helped to kill her.”
Inspector Goole - Inspector - Holding each character accountable for Eva Smith’s death.
Inspector Goole - “It’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.”
Inspector Goole - Inspector - Criticizing capitalist greed.
Inspector Goole - “There are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us.”
Inspector Goole - Inspector - Pointing out systemic societal issues.
Inspector Goole - “Public men, Mr. Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.”
Inspector Goole - Inspector - Criticizing Mr. Birling’s lack of responsibility.
Mr. Birling - “The way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else.”
Mr. Birling - Mr. Birling - Dismissing socialist ideas.
Mr. Birling - “A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own.”
Mr. Birling - Mr. Birling - Expressing individualistic capitalist values.
Mr. Birling - “The Titanic… unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
Mr. Birling - Mr. Birling - Dramatic irony; shows his ignorance.
Mr. Birling - “I can’t accept any responsibility.”
Mr. Birling - Mr. Birling - Refuses to acknowledge his role in Eva’s death.
Mr. Birling - “If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody… it would be very awkward.”
Mr. Birling - Mr. Birling - Rejects collective responsibility.
Mrs. Birling - “I don’t believe it. I won’t believe it…”
Mrs. Birling - Mrs. Birling - Denial about Eric’s involvement.
Mrs. Birling - “Girls of that class—”
Mrs. Birling - Mrs. Birling - Shows prejudice and classism.
Mrs. Birling - “Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.”
Mrs. Birling - Mrs. Birling - Ironically condemns her own son.
Mrs. Birling - “I did nothing I’m ashamed of.”
Mrs. Birling - Mrs. Birling - Refuses to accept guilt.
Mrs. Birling - “As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!”
Mrs. Birling - Mrs. Birling - Reinforces her prejudice and lack of empathy.
Sheila - “But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people.”
Sheila - Sheila - Expresses empathy and social awareness.
Sheila - “I’ll never, never do it again to anybody.”
Sheila - Sheila - Shows remorse and willingness to change.
Sheila - “It’s the only time I’ve ever done anything like that, and I’ll never do it again.”
Sheila - Sheila - Acknowledges her wrongdoing.
Sheila - “You’re beginning to pretend now that nothing’s really happened at all.”
Sheila - Sheila - Criticizes others for avoiding responsibility.
Sheila - “Between us we drove that girl to commit suicide.”
Sheila - Sheila - Accepts shared responsibility.
Eric - “You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.”
Eric - Eric - Highlights the dysfunctional family dynamic.
Eric - “We all helped to kill her.”
Eric - Eric - Accepts collective responsibility.
Eric - “She wouldn’t take any more money from me.”
Eric - Eric - Shows Eva’s integrity.
Eric - “I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty.”
Eric - Eric - Admits to wrongdoing.
