Inspector Calls

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


  warning of the dire consequences of ignoring the interconnectedness of society and the need for social responsibility - foreshadows the impending doom that the Birling's face if they do not change // powerful word choices with connotations of war and death // provokes the audience to think about how vital social responsibility is and the significance of his message throughout the play // the INSPECTOR as PRIESTLEY's mouthpiece
• “I’m talking as a hard-headed practical man of business”


  ‘I’ = personal pronoun - self-centred, able to make a situation about himself / ‘hard-headed’ = alliteration - drawing attention to characteristics and demonstrating his egotistical nature, = adjective - positive, strength and solidity / ‘man of business’ = social climber / reflects the little knowledge Mr Birling has of what he is saying and the effect of this attitude, Mr Birling represents all businessmen within society.
• ‘unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’


  dramatic irony - readers know that he is wrong because it was released after the Titanic had sunk - reveals that he is untrustworthy, Priestley wants us to think that we cannot trust capitalists - repetition shows his confidence, arrogance