RESPONSIBILITY

• • Birling: ‘a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won’t come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense.’ 
  • Thinks community is nonsense, implies he thinks he is better than everyone else. Characterises him as arrogant
• • Birling: ‘it happened more than eighteen months ago – nearly two years ago – obviously it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girl’s suicide. Eh, Insepctor?’
  • lack of sympathy & will not take responsibility. blames it on Eva
• • Inspector: ‘No, sir. I can’t agree with you there.’
• inspector: ‘what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events.’ inspector implies they are indirectly responsible for her death
• • Birling: ‘…Still, I can’t accept any responsibility. 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?’ 
  • still refuses to take any responsibility, characterises him as arrogant again
• • Inspector: ‘… In fact, I’ve thought that it would do us all a bit of good if sometimes we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women counting their pennies in their dingy little back bedrooms.’ 
• • Sheila [miserably]: ‘So I’m really responsible?’ 
• • Sheila: ‘No, not really. It was my own fault. [Suddenly, to Gerald] All right, Gerald, you needn’t look at me like that. At least, I’m trying to tell the truth. I expect you’ve done things you’re ashamed of too.’ 
• • Inspector: ‘Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.’ 
• nspector: ‘I think you did something terribly wrong – and that you’re going to spend the rest of your life regretting it. I wish you’d been with me tonight in the Infirmary.’ 
• • (When asked who is to blame) Mrs Birling: ‘First, the girl herself…. Secondly, I blame the young man who was the father of the child she was going to have. If, as she said, he didn’t belong to her class, and was some drunken young idler, then that’s all the more reason why he shouldn’t escape. He should be made an example of. If the girl’s death is due to anybody, then it’s due to him.’ 
• Inspector: ‘This girl killed herself – and died a horrible death. But each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it. But then I don’t think you ever will. Remember what you did, Mrs Birling.’ 
• • Mrs Birling: ‘And I must say, Gerald, you’ve argued this very cleverly, and I’m most grateful.’