responsibility - inspector goole

• "we have to share something. if there's nothing else, we'll have to share our guilt" - inspector goole


  - inclusive pronoun "we"; includes all of the play's characters and shows they are all responsible - chain of events

  - reinforced by pronoun "our" which shows the guilt belongs to them

  - "share our guilt"; the verb "share" has positive connotations (taught to share from young age) and this shows the importance of the fact they all played a part in the suicide

  - "we'll have to" - the modal verb "have" highlights the inevitability that they can't ignore or deny the guilt and so they must confront and acknowledge their part in the wrongdoing

  - the "guilt" is a symbol for the injustice they've contributed to in society
• "we don't live alone. we are members of one body. we are responsible for one another"


  - "we don't live alone" - priestley states the obvious and suggests that ignoring this fact is selfish and delusional; moral duty to look after others

  - reminding the family of the need for community

  - "body" metaphor where all the parts of a body must work together to keep the human alive; all humans must work together in community - link to mr birling's quote "as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive - community and all that nonsense"

  - society is the result of everyone's combined actions; sows everyone's connection
• "the time will come when if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"


  - "men" highlights the power that upper class male figures have over the lower classes

  - syndetic listing of the triplet "fire and blood and anguish" adds to semantic field of war and hell, emphasising the significant suffering to come if the character's don't change their ways

  - "fire and blood and anguish" also reflects the "anguish" experienced by eva as her insides were "burnt"

  - priestley had just lived through two world wars and he is suggesting that war is a consequence of the neglect of others - i.e lower classes
• "you'll be able to divide up the responsibility between you"


  - inspector is losing patience with the family's bickering
• priestley uses the inspector as a teacher to the birling family


  - teaches them to split responsibility between them; this makes the guilt easier to bear

  - "you're partly to blame. just as your father is." is what the inspector says to sheila - introduces idea of shared blame by holding mr birling and sheila accountable without dismissing the other's contribution to the suicide

  - "we'll have to share our guilt" - demonstrates how sharing responsibility brings communities together and can comfort people
• priestley uses the inspector to educate the birling family about taking responsibility for their actions


  - inspector's teachings critique the laissez-faire government in power in 1912

  - "that doesn't make it any the less yours. she came to you for help" is what the inspector says to mrs birling when she says she believes it wasn't her responsibility to help eva because she wasn't the father of the child

  - people should take responsibility regardless of their own involvement; failing to offer support is an act of cruelty

  - those capable of giving help have a responsibility to do so

  - eva's suicide is a symbol for the way the lower classes were blamed for their own suffering; "each of you helped to kill her"

  - just because they didn't personally make eva drink the disinfectant, doesn't mean they are automatically innocent in her death
• priestley uses the inspector to teach the birlings about having a sense of duty


  - inspector and parents' view of duty directly contrast

  - priestley implies mr & mrs birlings' sense of duty is empty of meaning; mrs birling is hypocritical and mr birling feels a duty to himself and his business

  - contrastingly, inspector takes his role in society seriously and he fulfils his duty to care for others
• priestley uses the inspector as a direct contrast to the birling parents


  - mr birling offers the inspector alcohol upon his arrival however the inspector says he is "on duty" which creates a distinction between them; birlings are unconcerned by rules and the inspector is strict and mindful
• priestley uses the inspector to show the audience the ideal of duty that he supports


  - when the birlings protest to his "manner", the inspector responds by saying "apologise for what - doing my duty?" and he overstays his welcome so that he can wait for eric's return and "do [his] duty"

  - this shows his dedication to his job despite it being controversial in the birling household

  - he shows that people should be loyal to others and do what is right even if it means going against authority