English Lit - An Inspector Calls

• the titanic...absolutely unsinkable.'

  mr birling: dramatic irony about development.

  
• germans don't want war.'

  mr birling: dramatic irony about conflict.

  
• nice, well-behaved family.'

  mr birling: dramatic irony about his family.

  
• community and all that nonsense.'

  mr birling: community / capitalism.

  
• a man has to... look after himself.'

  mr birling: responsibility / capitalism.

  
• girls of that class.'

  mrs birling: class difference / prejudice.

  
• i did nothing i'm ashamed of.'

  mrs birling: lack of responsibility.

  
• as if a girl of that sort would refuse money.'

  mrs. birling: preconception / prejudice.

  
• ...famous younger generation who know it all.'

  mrs. birling: youth vs. old.

  
• we helped to kill her.'

  eric: responsibility.

  
• beginning...to pretend that nothing much has happened.'

  eric: young vs. old.

  
• as if she were an animal...not a person.'

  eric: social..class.

  
• you might have done better for yourself socially.'

  gerald: social attitudes/ class.

  
• we're respectable citizens not criminals.'

  gerald: class.

  
• everything's alright now sheila. (holds up ring.) what about this ring?'


  gerald: change / ignorance.

  
• i'm rather more - upset - by this business than i probably appear to be.'

  gerald: responsibility / change.

  
• it frightens me the way you talk.'

  sheila: young vs old.

  
• don't be childish sheila.'

  mrs birling / sheila: generation gap

  
• i know i'm to blame.'

  sheila: responsibility.

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

  sheila: class / social attitudes.

  
• (she hands him the ring.)'

  sheila: change.

  
• all intertwined with our lives.'

  inspector: responsibility.

  
• and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. a chain of events.'

  inspector: cause and effect.

  
• public men have responsibilities as well as privileges.'


  inspector: class and responsibility.

  
• millions and millions of Eva Smiths.'

  inspector: social responsibility.

  
• we are members of one body.'

  inspector: responsibility / socialism

  
• if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. good night."

  inspector: class / responsibility / socialism

  
• ...we've been had...it makes all the difference.'

  mr. birling: lack of social and personal responsibility.

  
• I say there isn't a chance of war'

  Mr Birling
• Talking as a hard headed man of business'

  Mr Birling
• A man has to mind his own business'

  Mr Birling
• I can't accept any responsibility'

  Mr Birling
• I don't like the way you're handling this inquiry'

  Mr Birling
• I was almost certain for a knighthood'

  Mr Birling
• There'll be a public scandal'

  Mr Birling
• Wretched girl's suicide'

  Mr Birling
• I'd give thousands' (Bribing Goole to keep his secret.)

  Mr Birling
• Sheila, I simply don't understand your attitude'


  Mrs Birling
• Men with important work to do spend nearly all their time and energy on their business'

  Mrs Birling
• Girls of that class-'

  Mrs Birling