Themes - responsibility

Question 1

‘a man has to make his own way - has to look after himself - and his family too’

Answer 1

Mr Birling Act 1

This portrays Mr Birling as a hypocrite as he doesn’t seem to care that much about his family.

Question 2

‘community and all that nonsense’

Answer 2

Mr Birling Act 1

He outlines his capitalist views. Priestley does this to highlight the selfishness and greed of capitalism.

Question 3

‘a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own - and -‘ ‘We hear the sharp ring of the front door bell’

Answer 3

Mr Birling / Stage direction Act 1
Mr Birling is interrupted while making a capitalist speech. This signifies that the person who will disrupt and expose those views for how evil and greedy they are has arrived. This undermines capitalism.

Question 4

‘I did nothing I’m ashamed of’

Answer 4

Mrs Birling Act 2

She is unwilling to accept responsibility

Question 5

‘I accept no blame for it at all’

Answer 5

Mrs Birling Act 2

This shows her lack of empathy towards the lower class.

Question 6

‘I can’t accept any responsibility’

Answer 6

Mr Birling Act 1

He is more concerned about his reputation than even discovering why the girl commit suicide.

Question 7

‘If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d have to do with, it would be very awkward’

Answer 7

Mr Birling Act 1
Mr Birling is showing that he does not care about the girl, and is alluding to the fact he may have had encounters with other people like this

Question 8

‘these girls aren’t cheap labour, they’re people’

Answer 8

Sheila Act 1
Sheila shows that she believes her father should accept some responsibility. It shows that young people are more willing to change there attitudes towards responsibility and class as she shows empathy towards the working class.

Question 9

‘A nice little promising life there, and what a nasty mess someone has made of it’

Answer 9

The Inspector Act 1

The inspector is implying that someone is responsible for Eva Smith’s death. The word ‘someone’ emphasises this.

Question 10

‘It was my own fault’

Answer 10

Sheila Act 1

Sheila of the younger generation is willing to own up to her blame unlike Birling of the older generation.

Question 11

‘I know I’m to blame and I’m desperately sorry’

Answer 11

Sheila Act 2

Sheila has clearly learnt something from her actions

Question 12

‘Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges’

Answer 12

The Inspector Act 2
The inspector is attacking the upper class through Birling, and is saying that they don't do enough work to help people in need.

Question 13

‘she only had herself to blame’

Answer 13

Mrs Birling Act 2
Mrs Birling refuses to accept responsibility. Priestley is showing the difference in willingness to change between the generations, as Sheila immediately accepts responsibility, whereas Mr and Mrs Birling both do not.

Question 14

‘Go and look for the father of the child, it’s his responsibility’
‘he would be entirely responsible’
‘agitated’

Answer 14

Mrs Birling Act 2 + stage direction Mrs B
This shows her eagerness to push the blame off herself and onto others without considering the other person. This hypocrisy comes back to haunt her as she becomes ‘agitated’ when she discovers Eric is the person she is blaming.

Question 15

‘Each of you helped to kill her’

Answer 15

The Inspector Act 3

The Inspector believes they all need to take responsibility.

Question 16

‘I’m not likely to forget’

Answer 16

Eric Act 3
Eric, one of the younger generation, is shown as accepting responsibility. Priestley is giving the audience a message of hope as he is suggesting that the upper class can change in the future.

Question 17

‘We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are all responsible for each other’

Answer 17

The Inspector Act 3
The Inspector is attacking capitalism and the class system and is suggesting it is responsible for Eva Smiths death. He is suggesting that society needs to change as we all need to look after each other.

Question 18

‘If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire, and blood and anguish’

Answer 18

The Inspector Act 3
The Inspector is saying that change is coming and uses violent imagery to warn society that they need to look after the poor.

Question 19

‘There’ll be a public scandal’

Answer 19

Mr Birling Act 3
This shows the audience that Birling's primary concern is the public scandal, rather than the poor girl whose death he is partially responsible for. This represents the upper class as greedy.

Question 20

‘There’s every excuse for what your mother and I did’

‘I behaved badly, I know I did’

Answer 20

Sheila and Mr Birling Act 3

Sheila and Eric are show as having learnt their lesson, whereas the older Birlings are still stubborn.

Question 21

‘It frightens me the way you talk’

Answer 21

Sheila Act 3

Sheila and Eric have clearly learnt their lesson and are willing to change.

Question 22

‘You’ll have a good laugh over it yet’

Answer 22

Birling Act 3

Mr Birling is acting as though everything has gone back to normal.