Quotes

1. Quotes

2. An Inspector Calls Act 1 – 1st Half Mr. Birling (to family): ‘the titanic is unsinkable’ Foolish/ arrogant/blinded by his wealth/typical Victorian businessman Shelia: I’m sorry, Daddy. Actually I was listening. ’ (She looks attentive, as they all do. He holds them for a moment before continuing) ‘Daddy's girls’/ spoilt/immature/typical spoilt brat/manipulative Shelia: (to Eric): ‘Yes that’s what you say’ Lack of trust between Eric/ sarcastic/spoilt/disbelief/ no unity in family Mr. Birling: ‘Everything to loose, and nothing to gain by war’ Arrogant/strong minded/sensible/protective/closeminded/directed talk Birling (Surprised): ‘Did you say ‘why?’?’ Undermining/questioning his actions/thinking his a lot better/ Mr Birling: ‘When Crofts and Birling are no longer competing but working together’ Self centred/Selfish/More bothered about business then marriage – feelings / symbolic of the attituded of Victorian moneyed classess

3. INSPECTOR :‘Its my duty to ask questions’ – dominance about the case, shows profession/ leadership/authority (Inspector represents conscience – constantly fighting the force for justice – weak/moral-less/ insecure MR BIRLING: ‘She’d had a lot to say’ – trying to take control, typical Victorian dominant man, ill mannered, speaking when not wanted STAGE DIRECTIONS ABOUT SHIELA: ‘Rather distressed’ – Caring, Considerate, Guilty conscience unlike parents – Priestly could be suggesting that young people are naive, but this could be the key in unlocking a more equal society SHIELA: ‘ I’d persuade mother to close our account with them’ – Spoilt, Shows the authority rich people have , Brattish/ sense of entiltlement GERALD: ‘pulling himself together’ This shows that he knew daisy Renton; hearing her name made him react. GERALD: ‘Alright I knew her, lets leave it at that’ Hiding something, draw attention away , guilty, quick to answerer. GERALD: ‘We can keep it from him’ –Trying to keep respectable status. Sneaky and Doesn’t care about what he did; tying to forget - opportunistic An Inspector Calls Act 1 – 2nd Half

4. An Inspector Calls - Act 2 - 1st Half Mrs Birling“You seem to have made a great impression on this child, Inspector.” –– accusatory tone “ We often do on the young ones. They’re more impressionable” – Inspector- shows typical Victorian society's manipulation Inspector: “We have to share our guilt” –reference to the Bible (fire/blood/anguish)- Inspector is their voice of consciousness (Christian ideas countering oppressive Capitalism) Mrs Birling (staggered): It isn’t true. You know him, Gerald”- She’s in denial as though she has suffered a big shock. She turns a blind eye to the inconvenient truth. Mrs Birling :“We can understand why a girl of that class committed suicide” – This shows Mrs Birling’s attitude towards working class people and shows her arrogance.This also conveys how superior she feels over others including her own family. Inspector: “ He must wait his turn” – The Inspector works very cautiously with his words because he knows how manipulative the Birling’s can be. Mrs Birling: “All a lot of nonsense – I didn’t believe a word of it” –DENIAL Mr Birling: “ I’m not going to have this, Inspector. You’ll apologise at once.” – aggressive tone and shows his authority and conceited attitude toward the inspector. This also shows Mr Birling’s bossy nature.

5. An Inspector Calls - Act 2 – 2nd half Sheila (to Berling) : “Don’t interfere, please, Father” – At this point Sheila was more independent and spoke back to her father which is something she would have never done because during the Victorian times the father was always well respected and never spoken back to. Sheila (to Mrs Birling) : “I was angry and she was pretty” – Sheila was jealous of Eva because she was prettier than her and because Sheila had the power she could get her fired. Mrs Birling (to Inspector) : “A girl of that sort” – Mrs Birling is being arrogant because she thinks the girl is less worthy and of a lower class, sort of a peasant. Birling (to Mrs Birling) : “The press might easily take it up…” – This quote shows that all Birling cares about is his reputation and doesn’t want his reputation to be ruined. During the Victorian times people of higher class had a good status and people expected them to be respectful. Mrs Birling : “I blame the young man” – This is ironic because she doesn’t realise it is her own son who did this and when she does she quickly changes her tune. This makes Mrs Birling look foolish. Mrs Birling (to Sheila) : “You’re behaving like a hysterical child tonight” – She is being patronising towards Sheila. Sheila is a grown up woman but her parents make out as if she’s still a child.

6. Birling: ‘’Then look at the way he talked to me. Telling me to shut up and so on. He must of know I was an ex lord’’ Vein/Arrogant/Takes too much pride in being an ex lord-it makes him look ignorant and rude. INSPECTOR: ‘’We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will come when ,if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire blood and anguish.’’ Threat/Warning/Pointing out the fact the Birling's will be taught a lesson if they don’t accept their mistakes. – referring to war or religion An Inspector CallsAct 3 – 1st Half Eric: ‘’Because you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble-that’s why’’ Reaching out to his father/Taking a dig at his dad. Eric: ‘’Then-you killed her’’ Accusing his own mother /Harsh/Truthfull – She tipped the girl over the edge/selfishness killed Eva smith. Pages 202-213.-Aimee Luke Hassan. Eric: ‘’Well I didn’t notice you standing up to him.’’ Provocative/Oppertunistic -Drunk thoughts -Taking the chance to confront his father

7. An Inspector Calls - Act 3 -2nd half Mrs Birling(To family): Well, why shouldn’t we?” Stubborn/Uncaring. Eric (To Birling): And I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her - and that’s what matters –” Tormented/Affected – YOUNG AND WITH A SOUL/CONCIENCE Sheila (To Gerald): Well, I must admit you came out of it better then the rest of us. The inspector said that.” Optimistic/Denial/Proving a point Eric (To Family): You lot may be letting yourselves out nicely, but I can’t.” Tormented/Depressed/Regret Gerald (To Family): I gave myself away at once because I’d known a Daisy Renton. Confession/Regret/Excuses Birling (To family): But the whole things different now. Come, come, you can see that, can’t you? Denial/Self-Obsession/Optimistic Birling(To Eric): I’m convinced it is. No police enquiry. No one girl that all this happened to. No scandal. Excuses/Denial/Self Assurance