Responsibility

• "Yes but you can't. It's too late. She's dead." - Inspector 


  Here, priestly uses short sentences and a terse triplet of expressions to convey an impactful message and express the need for radical change.
• "We are members of one body" - Inspector 


  Priestley alludes to the book of genesis as "we are members of one body" is used in holy communion. therefore, through echoing the words of God, priestly implies that the inspector is speaking on God's behalf.
• "Each of you helped to kill her, remember that. Never forget it." - Inspector 


  Despite none of the characters directly ending Eva's life, they have all a part to play in her death and are therefore responsible for driving her to her suicide.
• "Their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness all intertwined with our lives." - Inspector

  Priestley continues to spread the message of socialism and the need for greater social responsibility as everybody's lives are "intertwined"
• "oh - how horrible" - Sheila

  Sheila is the only character who expressed genuine emotion towards the suicide of Eva smith. Priestley demonstrates this through the use of a dash, indicating Shelias authentic displeasure.
• "I was in a furious temper" and "it was my own fault" and "I behaved badly too. I know I did." - Sheila 


  Sheila is instantly open toward accepting responsibility and is self-critical of her selfish actions.
• "I felt rotten about it at the time" - Sheila

  Priestley's use of the informal adjective "rotten" demonstrates Sheila's lack of maturity in her vocabulary. However she also shows remorse for her actions, which she instantly knew was wrong. Arguably, this is priestley conveying the message that maturity is proportional to the level of responsibility you feel, rather than using formal vocabulary.
• "She had only herself to blame" - Mrs B


  Mrs Birling takes the view that "suicide" is a conscious choice and therefore Eva can only blame herself for taking her own life.
• "I did nothing I'm ashamed of" - Mrs B


  Priestley demonstrators the true extent of Mrs birling's "cold" nature as despite Evas death, Mrs Birling does not regret her denial of aid to Eva.
• "first I blame the girl herself. secondly, I blame the young man" - Mrs B


  Priestley portrays Mrs Birling as unable to accept any responsibility as she deflects blame onto Eric inadvertently. Yet, her hypocrisy is further revealed when she realises, and states "I didn't know", implying that she would not have placed the blame on her son for the same action.
• "Sorry - I - well, I've suddenly realised - taken it in properly - that she's dead" - Gerald


  Gerald's delayed reactions to her death is diluted with hyphens as this stammered and staggered speech reveals the overwhelming sadness he feels. Priestley reveals the internal conflict with Gerald, between his natural emotion reaction and his attempt to suppress ant emotion that he shows, as he has to remain masculine in a patriarchal society.
• "I can't accept any responsibility" - Mr B


  The use of the adverb "any" reveals Mr Birling's complete lack of morality, as he believes sacking Eva smith had no impact on her life, which drove her to suicide.
• "I've got to cover this up as soon as I can" - Mr B


  Priestley uses this sense of urgency as Mr Birling's reaction to his involvement in Eva smith's suicide shows how he is focused solely on the well-being of his own social status, rather than the death of Eva smith and how his actions contributed to it.