Inspector calls

• "A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own." - Mr Birling - This quote highlights the theme of individualism and self-interest. Mr Birling believes that each person should take care of themselves and not worry about the well-being of others.
• "But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people." - Sheila - This quote highlights the theme of social responsibility and the importance of treating all people with dignity and respect. The Inspector is emphasizing that the working-class girls should not be seen as mere commodities, but as human beings deserving of fair treatment.
• "First, the girl herself.... Secondly, I blame the young man who was the father of the child...

  He should be made an example of." - Mrs Birling - This quote highlights the theme of personal responsibility and the idea that individuals should take responsibility for their actions and their impact on others. Mrs Birling is trying to deflect blame from herself and her family, by placing the responsibility on the girl and the father of the child.
• "We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other." (metaphor) - Inspector - This quote highlights the theme of social responsibility and the idea that society is interconnected and that each person has a responsibility to care for the well-being of others. The Inspector is using the metaphor of a body to emphasise that when one member of society is suffering, it affects the entire Community. Christian reference as society was majority christian at the time
• "The point is, you don't seem to have learnt anything." - Sheila - This quote highlights the theme of personal responsibility and the idea that individuals should take responsibility for their actions and their impact on others.

  Sheila is frustrated that the other characters have not taken the Inspector's lesson to heart and are still trying to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.
• "One Eva Smith has gone... but there are millions... of Eva Smiths... all intertwined with our lives... if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish." - Inspector - This quote highlights the theme of social responsibility and the idea that society is interconnected and that each person has a responsibility to care for the well-being of others. The Inspector is emphasizing that if society does not learn the lesson of caring for one another, It will be punished severely
• "When you're married, you'll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend all their time and energy on their business." - Mrs Birling - This quote highlights the theme of gender roles and the idea that men have more important responsibilities than women. Mrs Birling is suggesting that once Sheila is married, she will understand that her husband's business is more important than her own needs.
• "Clothes mean something quite different to a woman." - Mr Birling - This quote highlights the theme of gender roles and the idea that society has different expectations and perceptions of men and women. Mr Birling is suggesting that clothing is more significant to women than it is to men, possibly implying that women are judged more harshly based on Their appearance
• "I wasn't in love with her or anything - but I liked her - she was pretty and a good sport." - Eric - This quote highlights the theme of the objectification of women. Eric is describing the girl he had an affair with in a way that reduces her to her physical appearance and her ability to be entertaining.
• "If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn't it?" - Mr Birling - This quote highlights the theme of personal responsibility and the idea that individuals should take responsibility for their actions and their impact on others. Mr Birling is trying to avoid taking responsibility for his actions, by suggesting that it would be too difficult for everyone to be held accountable for everyone they have ever interacted with.
• "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable" - Mr Birling- themes responsibility and class. the titanic is a symbol for power wealth and capitalism. thus we see how Mr birling believes capitalism will never sink/die. emphasised by repetition of verb "unsinkable" shows ignorant nature. foreshadowing the inspectors purpose is to sink capitalism to the ground. shows the arrogant nature of Mr birling also shows power of the inspector. context- capitalistic Edwardian society
• "the sharp ring at the front door bell" "cutting in"- stage directions-themes power of inspector. adjective "sharp" used to cut things the doorbell cuts of Mr Birlings speech off shows the power imbalance already beginning. almost like a tree being constantly chopped and cut until its no more. the inspector is cutting down Mr Birlings capitalistic tree replace with socialism. context- Priestley advocate for socialism
• "young and fresh" - Gerald- themes gender masculinity divide in class. zoomorphism/dehumanising treats Eva like an animal a disposable commodity. "fresh" connotations of innocence giving the idea of fresh food and meat. almost predatory while Eva is his prey something for his desires. context Freud and the id Gerald is a slave to his desires. doesn't care about the women's feelings or emotions rather only cares about his own desires.
• "I don't play golf"- inspector- themes responsibility class. Not afraid of Mr birlings power. "Golf" upperclass sport connotes wealth power reflects male abuse of power. However inspector refuses to conform to this power he is dismissive shows he is the one that really has the power almost links to his omniscience. "Dryly" lack of respect or care for Mr birling. This is effective by Priestley as it means the Inspector can make a rational judgement of each character a regardless of their social status.the Inspector’s response showing his integrity – that he won’t play by Birling’s rules.
• "its better to ask for the world than to take it" -inspector Goole themes class wealth responsibility. hyperbolic metaphor used to demonstrate how the wealthy and powerful take all of the resources and money with no care for others avaricious nature of capitalism. inspector Goole is implying the upper-class rob the working class of money and opportunities they taking the earth from them. also shows how bad Mr birling is obsesses over money his life revolves around it is his earth and livelihood. inspector implying its socially wrong to take things without permission. context capitalism
• "you mustn't try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl"- Shelia themes responsibility age. "Us", shared pronoun, acknowledges the harsh reality that she has been blinded to; her parents have indoctrinated her to shut out the lower class from her life. She now sees there is an apparent wall between her class and the lower class
• "you musnt build a wall" part 2- The use of 'you mustn't' shows her language has changed from being one of accepting her father's reprimands to telling her parents what to do.The effect on the reader is this profound concept that the Inspector is more that just a usual police inspector, he has the ability to break down the barriers between social classes and Sheila is the one that is attempting to prevent her family from building 'a kind of wall' as she begins to realise that inevitably the lower class are abundant and so the lower class can break the wall down again and again.
• "you musnt try build a wall" part 3- The metaphor is very sophisticated and demonstrates how Sheila has matured as a character. Sheila begins to echo the Inspector's dialogue and attempts to translate it into a language that her family will understand, however she is dismissed as hysterical. She begins to adopt the Inspector's structure of speech. Initially, when questioning her he laid out what she did and then the consequences, now here, Sheila is demonstrating what the family and doing and then the possible amplified consequences of their actions.
• In 'An Inspector Calls,' a political diatribe J.B. Priestley employs the microcosm of Inspector Goole to denounce the capitalist ideologies and moral complacency of the Birling family, elucidating his anti-war and pro-socialist ethos that underscores the imperative of social responsibility and the necessity of collective action to cultivate a more equitable society."