An Inspector Calls key Quotes

Quotes that can be used for Differences in class and wealth:

• "Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges" - Inspector p.41

• "Just used her for the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an animal, a thing" - Inspector (about eric) p.56

• " If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish" - Inspector p.56 <-- this is Preistly suggesting that if you dont learn from what happened in history then it will repeat its self. 

Quotes that can be used for Public and private behavior:

• "No police inquiry[...] No scandal" - Birling p.69

• "Why should you [stay]? its bound to be unpleasent and disturbing" - Gerald (to sheila) p.27

Quotes for morality:

• Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges" - Inspector p.41

• "No police inquiry[...] No scandal" - Birling p.69

• "just used her for the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an animal, a thing" - Inspector (about eric) p.56

• "You'd think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive- comunity and all that nonsense" -Birling (on Socialism) p.10

• "If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish" - Inspector p.56

Quotes for political veiws: 

• "We are memebrs of one body, we are responsible for each other" - Inspector p.56 (shows Preistley's socialist veiws)

• "you'd think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense" - Birling (on socialism) p.10

• " Birling: " you seem to have made a great impression on this child, Inspector" Inspector: " they're more impressionable" " - p.30  this shows Priestley's aim to try and change the political mindset of the younger generation.

Quotes for responsibility:

• "Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities and well as privileges" - Inspector p.41

• "No police inquiry[...] No scandal" - Birling p.69

• "just used her for the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an animal, a thing" - Inspector (about eric) p.56

• "We are members of one body, we are responsible for each other" - Inspector p.56

• "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" - Birling p.10

• "if men will not learn that lesson, then the will be taught it in fire and blood and angusih" - Inspector p.56

Quotes that can be used for romantic relationships:

• "just used her at the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an animal, a thing" - Inspector (about Eric) p.56

• "Why should you [stay]? its bound to be unpleasent and disturbing" - Gerald (to sheila) p.27

• "we'd have to start all over again" - Sheila (about relationship with Gerald) p.40

Quotes that can be used for Generational Conflict:

• "We are responsible for each other" - Inspector p.56

• "you'd think everybody should look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bee's in a hive - comunity and all that nonsense" - Birling p.10 <-- preistley is showing that people from the older generation are more set in their ways and that it is the younger generation that are more likely to accept his socialist veiws.

• Birling: "you seem to have made a great impression on this child, inspector" Inspector: "They're more impressionable" p.30

Quotes that can be used for time:

• "We'd have to start all over again" - Shelia p.40 

• "i haven't much time" - Inspector (near end of play) <-- this suggests a few things. 
• One could be that he is trying to maintain the pace of the investigation, this could be because he wants to maintain his authority over the investigation, it could also be to do with the fact that the play is supposidly occuring in "real-time" so it could be a way of drawing the play to a close. another reason could be that he knows that the real inspector is likely to turn up soon.

Quotes that can be used to show the roles of women:

• "Just used her for the end of a stupid drunken night, as if she was an animal, a thing" - Inspector (about Eric) p.56 <-- shows that women were treated as second class citizens in a Patriarchal society.

• "Why should you [stay]? it's bound to be unpleasant and disturbing" - Gerald p.27 <-- shows that women were seen as emotionally weaker and unable to cope with stressful situations.

• "is it the one you wanted me to have?" - Sheila (about receiving the ring from Gerald) p.5