An Inspector Calls

• Mr Birling describes the Titanic as ‘unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’. The repetition here highlights his overconfidence.
• Mr Birling describes himself as a ‘hard-headed, practical man of business’, suggesting that as a capitalist, he cares about money more than people.
• Mr Birling is dismissive of ‘community and all that nonsense’
• His main concern is that there might be a ‘public scandal’ and he says he has to ‘cover this up’ which shows how only cares about himself.
• Sheila vows “I’ll never, never do it again to anybody." This repetition demonstrates her strong emotion and implies that she is determined to change.
• "You mustn't try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl." This metaphor indicates that Sheila understands that class does not really matter and that the Birlings and Eva are not that different.
• Right at the start, Sheila believes "these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people." indicating her more socialist ideas.
• The stage direction ‘gives a half-stifled sob and then runs out' demonstrates that Sheila is emotional, upset and remorseful.
• Gerald is presented as arrogant and entitled when he says 'I don't come into this suicide business.'
• Gerald: 'I want you to understand that I didn't install her there so that I could make love to her.'​
• Gerald works out ‘That man wasn’t a police officer.’
• Near the end Gerald says 'Everything's all right now Sheila’ which suggests that he is insensitive and doesn’t understand how Sheila has changed.
• The stage direction 'a rather cold woman' suggests that Mrs Birling is unfeeling.
• Priestly demonstrates Mrs Birlings predudice when she says ‘Girls of that class.'
• Mrs Birling refuses to take responsibility for her action when she says ‘I think she only had herself to blame.’
• Priestley presents Mrs Birling as bossy and arrogant when she exclaims ’Be quiet Sheila!' This also suggests that she has a poor relationship with her children.
• Mrs Birling is thankful when they think what has happened is a hoax and she says ‘Gerald, you’ve argued this very cleverly’ demonstrating that she has not learnet anything.
• Near the start Eric asks his father ‘Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?’ This question suggests that he is willing to criticise his father’s capitalist views.
• The Inspector says to Eric ‘You treated her like she was an animal.’ This simile emphasises the lack of respect he had for her because of her class and gender.
• Eric shouts at his mother ‘You killed them both - damn you, damn you!’ Both the exclamation mark and repetition indicate his distress and anger.
• Towards the end of the play Eric believes ‘the fact remains I did what I did’ which makes it clear that (unlike his parents) he has been deeply effected by his experience and will change for the better.
• ‘But just remember this. One Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us’ The Inspector starts with an imperative to demonstrate his authority. Priestley uses repetition to emphasise the huge number of working class people we should care for. He uses the pronoun ‘we’ to suggest that everyone (including the audience) needs to take responsibility for them.
• Both the inspector and Priestley believe that the fate of others is ‘intertwined with our lives’; we all depend on each other.
• As a socialist, Priestley uses the Inspector’s final speech to explain how ‘We are responsible for each other.’
• The Inspector uses emotive imagery to refer to the two world wars when he warns ‘I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.’ His correct predictions, in contrast to Mr Birling’s incorrect ones, make socialism seem wise, encouraging the audience to agree with it. The conditional clause makes it clear that people’s behaviour effects their future.