An Inspector Calls- quote bank

quote bank for inspector calls characters and responsibility.

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Mr Birling

  • capitalist: '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'
  • Dismissive: 'yes, yes. horrid business but i don't understand why you should come here
  • Self assured: 'there's a fair chance i might find my way into the next honours list. just a knighthood.'
  • 'Birling is a heavy-looking, rather potentious man'
  • 'rather mpatiently'
  • Patronising: 'why the devil do you want to go upsetting the child like that'
  • Business like and pragmatic: 'hard-headed practical man of business'
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Sheila

  • Sympathetic: 'oh how horrible! was it an accident?'
  • 'rather distressed'
  • Aware: 'but these girls aren't cheap labour- they're people'
  • Self pitty: '(miserably) So i'm really responsible?'
  • 'i know i'm to blame- and i'm desperately sorry...
  • Impressionable: Inspector about Sheila: 'we often do on the younger ones. they're more impressionable.'
  • Childish: 'I'm sorry daddy'- changes through the play as she sees her parents for who they are.
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Mrs Birling

  • Patronising: 'you're looking tired, dear. i think you ought to go to bed and forget about this absurb business'
  • no, of course not, he's only a boy'
  • upper class: 'i dont suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. girls of that class-'
  • 'that- i consider- a triffle impertinent'
  • (to inspector, rather grandly)
  • Self assured: (with dignity) yes. We have done a great deal of useful work in helping the deserving classes'
  • if you think you can bring any pressure to bear upon me, inspector, you're quite mistaken
  • In denial: 'i've done nothing wrong and you know it'
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Eric

  • knowledgable: 'what about war?'.....'yes, i know- but stil'
  • guilty: when inspector arives. Eric (who is uneasy)
  • sensible + forward thinking: 'why shouldn't they try for higher wages?'
  • heavy drinker: 'i've had a few drinks, including rather a lot of champagne'
  • generous: 'i insisted on giving her enough money to keep her going'
  • distant from parents: 'you're not the kind of father a chap could go to'
  • accepts situation: 'it's what happened to the girl and what we all did to her that matters'
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Gerald

  • upper class: (politely) 'absolutely first-class'
  • unloyal: 'all last summer, when you never came near me'- Sheila
  • 'she became your misress?' 'yes. i suppose it was inevitable'
  • capitalist: 'i believe you're right, sir' in response to mr birling saying there will be no war. Agrees with mr B about sacking Eva Smith
  • denial: 'we're respectable citizens not criminals',
  •  'who says so?... there's no more real evidence we did than there was that that chap was a real police inspector.'
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Inspector

  • Socialist: 'we are all members of one body'
  • composed and in controll:  (impressively)
  • (slowly)
  • intimidating: (cutting through, massively),
  •  'i know somehow he makes you'
  • influencial: 'you seem to have made a big impression on my daughter'
  • powerful and wise: (sternly) i warn you, you're making it worse for yourself',
  •  'one eva smith has gone but - but there are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths'
  • 'if men will not learn that lesson they will be taught in blood and anguish
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RESPONSIBILITY

  • Mr B: 'i can't accept any responsibility'
  • Mr B interpittation of resposibility- 'it's my duty to keep labour costs down'
  • 'a man has tomind his own business and look after himself and his own...'
  • Birling to Eric- 'it's about time you learnt to face a few responsibilities'
  • Eric to Birling 'you're the one i blame for this'
  • inspector: 'we're all members of one body. we are all responsible for each other'
  • 'public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as priviledges'
  • Mrs B: 'i accept no blame for that'
  • 'i blame the younge man who was the father of the chid'
  • i've done nothing wrong and you know it'
  • Sheila: 'I'm not really to blame, am i?
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Comments

Aamir

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Very helpful, many thanks

Adam

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Good, but could use some more theme related quotes i.e: the difference in generation among others

Lawyer.com :)

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Thank you very much for sharing these resources :)

Rebecca

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Fab but capital letters and spelling mistakes were a bit annoying to correct

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