An Inspector Calls Quotes

The inspector talking about the younger generation

(young ones) 'are the most impressionable'

The inspector talking about all of the birlings and responsibility

'but each of you helped kill her. Remember that. Never forget it.

The inspector talking to Mr Birling about responsibility

'public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges'

The inspector reciting Geralds opinion on women back to him

'and you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?'

The inspector replying to birling about the earth

'it's better to ask for the earth than to take it'

Gerald agreeing with Mr Birling sacking Eva

'you couldn't have done anything else'

Gerald recounting his story of how he met eva/daisy

'(daisy) gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help'

Gerald at the end of the play asking about the ring

'Everything's all right now Sheila. What about this ring?'

Gerald talking about criminals

'after all, y'know, we're respectable citizens and not criminals'

Gerald listing reasons why Sheila should leave the room

'why should you (stay)? It's bound to be unpleasant and disturbing'

Mrs Birling suggesting the father of the child should be punished

'he ought to be dealt with very severely - ... make sure that he's compelled to confess in public his responsibility'

Mrs Birling arguing she did not confess to the Inspector

'he certainly didn't make me confess - I had done no more than my duty'

Mrs Birling talking about not accepting blame

'I'm sorry she should have come to such a horrible end. But I accept no blame at all'

Mrs Birling's two separate quotes about girls

1. 'Girls of that class'

2. 'as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!'

Mrs Birling's stage directions

'(around fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior)'

Mr Birling commenting on his business style

'I'm talking as a hard-headed practical man of business'

Mr Birling 2 examples of dramatic irony fro his speech

'Fiddlesticks! The Germans don't want war' 'Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable'

Mr Birling talking to the inspector asking why he is there

'(rather impatiently) Horrid business. But I don't understand why you should come here'

Mr Birling talking about responsibility + a simile

'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'

Mr Birling telling Sheila to leave

'Nothing to do with you Sheila. Run along'

Sheila talking about her telling the manager what Eva had done

' I went to the manager and told him this girl had been very impertinent - and - and'

Sheila talking sarcastically about the Birling's being nice people

'(bitterly) I suppose we're all nice people now'

Sheila talking about the rope metaphor

'no he's giving us the rope - so that we'll hang ourselves'

Sheila talking about girls (two quotes)

1. 'but these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people'

2. 'she was a very pretty girl... that didn't make it any better'

Sheila talking to Mrs Birling in a more informal matter (two quotes)

1. 'yes go on mummy'

2. 'look mummy'

Eric speaking to Mr Birling about higher prices and wages

'why shouldn't they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices'

Eric talking about his opinion on Eva

'I wasn't in love with her or anything - but I liked her - she was pretty and a good sport'

Eric accusing Mrs Birling of killing Eva

'you killed them both - damn you, damn you -'

Eric talking about Mr Birling firing Eva and what he would do in the situation

'I'd have let her stay'

Eric talking about the father son relationship between him and Mr Birling

'you're not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble - that's why'