Quotes Inspector calls Flashcards
Mr Birling about war
“I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business… there isn’t a chance of war”
Mr Birling about Titanic
“… unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
Mr Birling about responsibility (community)
“…a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself… community and all that nonsense” (as Inspector arrives) “I can’t accept any responsibility”
Mr Birling about responsibility (labour)
“It’s my duty to keep labour costs down”
Mr Birling about responsibility (cover up)
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can”
Mr Birling views on society
“Probably a Socialist or some sort of crank”
Mr Birling description
Heavy looking rather portentous man,
rather provincial in his speech
Mr Birling moonshine
The whole story is just a lot of moonshine
Mr Birling responsibility (laugh)
You’ll have a good laugh over it yet
Mrs Birling about the victim
“I’m very sorry. But I think she had only herself to blame”
Mrs Birling about guilt
“I did nothing I’m ashamed of”
“It wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it all”
Mrs Birling about responisibility (father)
“Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility”
“I accept no blame at all”; “I blame the young man who was the father of the child”
Mrs Birling about inspector
“I was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him”
Mrs Birling about class and equality
Girls of that class
Mrs Birling description
A rather cold woman
Her husband’s social superior
Mrs Birling about Sheila
You seem to have made a great impression on this child, Inspector
Sheila attitude towards the situation (start)
“I’ve been so happy tonight. Oh I wish you hadn’t told me”
Eric and Sheila judging father
ERIC: And I don’t see why she should have been sacked just because she’d a bit more spirit than the others. You said yourself she was a good worker. I’d have let her stay.
SHEILA: I think it was a mean thing to do. Perhaps that spoilt everything for her.
Sheila about labour
“These girls aren’t cheap labour. They’re people”
Sheila about inspector/arguing with Gerald.
“Why – you fool – he knows. Of course he knows”
Sheila takes responsibility
“You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here”
“Well, he inspected us all right. And let’s not start dodging and pretending now. Between us we drove that girl to suicide”
Sheila challenging parents
“You’re beginning to pretend all over again that nothing much has happened”
Eric challenging parent (early)
“He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out”
Eric excuses
“I’ve had a few drinks, including rather a lot of champagne”
“I was in that state when a chap easily gets nasty” 52 “I didn’t even remember – that’s the hellish thing”
Eric about stealing
“I got it – from the office… I intended to pay it back”
Eric judging father
“…you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble”
“…my child – your own grandchild – you killed them both – damn you, damn you”
Eric taking responsibility
“It’s what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters”
“You lot may be letting yourself out nicely, but I can’t… we did her in all right”
Gerald lack of remorse
“Sorry – I – well, I’ve suddenly realized – taken it in properly – that she’s dead”
Gerald excuses
“I didn’t install her there so that I could make love to her”
“I didn’t feel about her as she felt about me”
Gerald closing
“Everything’s all right now, Sheila. What about this ring?”
Gerald description
Too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy young bred a man about town
Sheila description
Pretty girl in her early 20ties, pleased with life and easily excited
Eric description
Half shy, half assertive,
Eric downstage (outcast)
Inspector Goole description
Creates impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness
speaks carefully, weightily and hast a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking
Gerald realisation
Do you mind if I give myself a drink, Sheila? (after name change to Daisy Renton)
Gerald trying to gain sympathy
I’m rather more upset about this business than I appear to be
Gerald foreshadowing
After all, y’know, we’re respectable citizens and not criminals
Gerald excuses (suicide business)
I’m sorry, Sheila. But it was all over and done with, last summer. I hadn’t set eyes on the girl for at least six months. I don’t come into this suicide business.
Inspector foreshadowing
“What happened to her… a chain of events”
Inspector justifying strikes
“It’s better to ask for the earth than to take it”
Inspector sharing
“We have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt”
Inspector responsibility/privilege
“Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges”
Inspector responsibility/ sharing
“You’ll be able to divide the responsibility between you when I’ve gone”
Inspector message for society
“…each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it”
Inspector final
But just remember this… fire and blood and anguish. Good night”
