Analysed quotes

• A man has to mind his own business and look after his own

  Mr Birling patriarchy selfish capitalism, monsyllables - reflect how litle he has thought about what he is saying and the effects of this attitude.
• It's my duty to keep labour costs down

  Mr Birling capitalism - money over dead woman
• But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people

  Sheila social responsibility younger generation challenge father
• It's better to ask for the earth than to take it

  Inspector, take implies Mr B stealing from his workers
• We are members of one body.'


  Inspector inclusive pronouns religious?
• Fire and blood and anguish

  Inspector destruction of society will be taught lesson through war
• Germans don't want war.' titanic won't sink

  Mr Birling dramatic irony upper class are out of touch
• the doorbell rings

  Mr Birlings ideology interuptted by the inspector with hsi ideas on social responsibility, equality, class etc, Inspector is OMNISCIENT - goole = supernatural.
• I didn't install her there so that I could make love to her

  Gerald excuses himself no responsibility uses his patriarchy class
• You couldn't have done anything else

  Gerald agrees with Mr B about sacking Eva for asking for a pay rise
• "All right. I knew her. Let's leave it at that."

  Gerald admits he lied about knowing Daisy/Eva There are many more lies, he's a younger Mr B
• a pretty girl in her early 20s, very pleased with life and rather excited'

  Sheila, stage directions, start of play she is childish, naïve, spoilt
• Fire and blood and anguish

  inspector and SHEILA - teaching her family about social responsibility. Omnicscient inspecptor - he knows all in contrast to Mr B 'unsinkable
• It frightens me the way you talk.'

  Sheila, end of play, stands up to and teaches her family about socialism
• all mixed up together like bees in a hive'

  Mr Birling means it as an insult, but bees in a hive work together for common good - like socialism
• Fairy Prince. You must have adored it, Gerald

  Sheila to upper class Gerald, metaphor he pretends he wanted to help but.he had all the power/money and used it to get what he wanted from Eva. Sheila sees through his actions.
• everything is alright now Sheila, what about this ring?'

  Gerald made a call to make sure the Inspector wasn't real.
• Firstly I blame the women- secondly I blame the father'

  Mrs B, dramatic Irony, contradictory, judgmental,
• social superior'

  Mrs B, to her husband, stage directions, privileged, powerful background, power over her husband and lower class people, highly valued in society.
• (reproachfully) 'Arthur, you're not supposed to say such things'

  Mrs B tells her husband off because she understands social constraints and manners. She tels him off 'reproachfully' because she has to respect the patriachy.
• Girls of that class -'

  Mrs B: class difference/ prejudice. judgemental. dehumanises. Cut off by Inspector - her views are incorrect
• You turned her away when she most needed help. you refused her even the pitiable little bit of organised charity you had in your power to grant her.'


  Insp. to Mrs B, critical of hypocrisy of do gooders charity efforts. Priestley advocates government support for vulnerable people. repetition of you - attacking her?
• They'd all be _________, if I know them

  broke. G, has no idea about their lives or what it is to be poor. doesn't care, dehuanising, degrading, demonstrate his classist and capitalist viewpoint.
• Beginning- Initially. Middle - As the play progresses. End - At the end of the play.

  Use quotes from beginning Middle and End. Say what message Priestley is getting across. Capitalist, socialist, class, generation, equality, poverty - the poor, assumptions, accountability/social responsibility.
• I hate those ________ eyed, ________ faced women'

  hard, dough. G: metaphor dehumanises women, only interested in 'pretty' Eva, not in helping women or the poor in general. objectifies women. Patriachy.
• She had ____ _____ ______ to say for herself so she ____ ___ ___'

  far too much, had to go. Unfairness of capitalism, exploitation of working people, treat them as disposable commodities de humanising them.
• One Eva Smith has _________ - but there are ________ and _____________ and _____________ of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still _____ _____ __.'

  gone, millions, millions, millions, left with us. Inspector. Repetition - emphasises how many people the issues affect, just how many people stand to suffer because of unfair treatment. Shows the inspector CARES is MORAL
• She'd ________________ a lot of ______________ ________________________. Burnt her __________ out of course.'

  swallowed, strong disinfectant, inside. Inspector. refers to capitalism poisoning the working class.
• We often do on the ________ ones. They're more ____________

  young, impressionable. Highlights Priestley's message that that younger generation are hpe for change. 'We' inclusive pronoun - highlights socialism and all helping each other.
• One ______ Smith is gone-but _________ are millions and millions and __________ of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still _______ with us

  Eva, there, millions, still. There are lots of working class people still struggling without any sort of help
• It's my _________ to keep _________ ______ down

  Mr B - capitalist
• It's my duty to ___ ________.

  The Inspector - ask questions - exposing the consquesences of capitalism.
• An inspector is on his way - conversation is interuppted by a bell

  Inspector is omniscient - and knows all, plus his name 'Goole' - he is supernatural.
• Stage directions - pink and intimate to brighter and hards

  Change form Birling's ideas to Inspectors
• "If you don't come down sharply on some of these people, they'd soon be asking for the earth."

  Mr B - hypocrtical as Mr B rose up and has a working class 'provincial' background, wants to keep others down as he beleives that will maintain his advantages in life. Inspector replies 'Better to ask for the earth than to take it' showing how self centred and thoughtless Mr B is - his attitude will impact the world and damage it.
• ask for the earth
• very pretty... big brown eyes

  GErald about Daisy - dehumanised and objectifies Daisy, before using her and discarding her when he would need to find her somewhere to live that he has to pay for.
• You're squiffy'

  To Eric, hints at his alcoholic nature, teasing - brother/sister relationship. SHEILA but Eric does accept responsibity for what he's done to Sheila and he tries to hep her once she's pregnant, by stealing.
• Half shy, half assertive

  Act One: stage directions - This describes Eric's personality
• Priestley's didactic intentions - Business

  Business owners should care about the welfare of their employees not just making the most profit they can by paying workers as little as they can get away with.