Responsibility

• Responsibility is repeatedly mentioned

  "it's my duty" or "you really would be doing your duty" or "I can't accept any responsibility" or "so I'm really responsible" or "we are responsibility for each other" etc.
• The Birlings each have different views of reponsibility

  Arthur- complete denial

  Sybil- complete denial

  Gerald- partial acceptance

  Eric- unspoken acknowledgment

  Sheila- complete acceptance
• Arthur and Sybil's view of responibility

  "it's my duty to keep labor costs down" or "make sure that he's compelled to confess his public responsibility" or "I think she only had herself to blame"
• Gerald's view of responsibility


  "I don't come into this suicide business" to "I wish to God she had [blamed me] now"
• Sheila's view of responsibility


  "so I'm really responsible" or "it was my own fault"
• Eric's view of responsibility


  "I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty" and "you killed her" (but his manner suggests an acknowledged responsibility)
• The personal responsibility that we have


  "public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges"
• The collective responsibility for each other

  "we are members of body... we are responsible for each other"
• The contextual responsibility


  "they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"
• The purpose of the Inspector is to enforce responsibility


  "it's my duty to ask questions"
• The play is trying to teach the audience of their responsibilities

  "their lives... all intertwined with our lives and what we think and say and do" or "you'd think everybody had to look after everybody else...nonsense"
• Priestley is communicating his strong moral views of social responsibility


  "we do not live alone... we are responsible for each other"