I/GCSE English: An Inspector Calls - Key quotes (Part 1)

In IGCSE English, Act One

• "Lower costs and higher prices" his priority is business and profits, not people.
• "You're just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted" he is obsessed with status, happy that Shiela is 'marrying up'.
• "A man has to make his own way" he does not believe in community or interdependence, Priestly's ideals.
• "The way some of these cranks talk, you'd think everybody has to look after everybody else" again does not care for others.
• "I refused of course" it is natural to him that he should turn down Eva Smith's request for more money.

Act Two

• "I don't propose to give you much more rope" implies that inspector is in the wrong, and doing a bad thing.
• "You weren't asked to come here to talk to me about my responsibilities" deals with one of the key themes of the play.

Act Three

• "I've got to cover this up" his main concern is being 'found out'. He doesn't care what he may have done, so long as no-one knows about it.
• "There's every excuse for what both your mother and I did" he fiercly resists responsibility.
• "You allowed yourselves to be bluffed" because the Inspector was a fake, he no longer cares. He hasn't learnt anything.
• "Just remember your position young man" he has a very hierachical view of family.
• "Probably a Socialist or some sort of crank" Priestly was a socialist.
• "The famous younger generation who know it all" doesn't listen to Eric and Shiela because he thinks himself better and more knowledgable than them.

In IGCSE English, Act One

Mrs Birling has very few lines in Act One.

• "I think Shiela and I had better go to the drawing room and leave you men-" she has a traditional view of the place of women.

Act Two

• "You seem to have made a great impression on this child, Inspector" this is hierachical and patronising towards Shiela.
• "You know my husband was Lord Mayor only two years ago" implied threat based on social status.
• "No of course not, he's only a boy" when asked if Eric is used to drinking. This is foreshadowing, and she could either be unaware or lying.
• "Over excited" she thinks of her children as very young children.
• "I must say, we are learning something tonight" foreshadowing.
• "I did nothing I'm ashamed of" depsite admitting to being prejudiced against the girl, she feels no guilt.

• "I used my influence to have it refused" she has a lot of power and social status.
• "If he refused to marry her (...) then he must at least support her" irony! She is talking about Eric.
• "As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!" very derogatory comment.
• "If the girl's death is due to anybody, it's due to him" does not think that the culprit could possibly be someone of high status.

Act Three

• "No -Eric - please - I didn't know - I didn't understand-" for the first and only time in the play, Mrs Birling shows a little bit of guilt.
• "Eric, I'm completely ashamed of you" she blames Eric, not herself.
• "the way you children talk" patronising.
• "Just be quiet so your father can decide what we ought to do" hierachy.
• "I didn't give in to him" she refuses to accept responsibility. Does this make her the most guilty?
• "They're over-tired" disregards Eric and Shiela completely.

In IGCSE English, Act One

• "You couldn't have done anything else" he sides with Mr Birling about sacking the workers.
• "And we can't help you there because we don't know" dramatic irony, they do know.
• "There's nothing to settle as far as I'm concerned" does not see his link to the case.
• "We're respectable citizens and not criminals" he thinks they have no part in her death.
• "I don't come into this suicide business [...] neither of us does" he doesn't think Shiela can be blamed.

Act Two

• "She's had a long and exciting day" patronising Shiela.
• "It's bound to be unpleasant and disturbing" he does not think Shiela should hear his 'interview' because it is upsetting. Traditional view of 'sensitive' women.

• "You've been through it- and now you want to see someone else put through it" bitter an unkind toward Shiela.
• "I've suddenly realised [...] that she's dead" one of the only characters who seems to be upset by her death.
• "Got him out of the way" he rescued her for Alderman Meggarty, this shows kindness.
• "She also told me she'd had a job in one of the works [...] and had had to leave after a strike" this line suggests that she is indeed the same girls.
• "I don't think so" this line is in response to Mrs Birling suggesting that they are nearly finished. He seems to have taken the same view a Shiela here, that the Inspector is all-knowing.

Act Three

• "That man wasn't a police officer" key line, changes the perspective and view of the older Birlings.
• "We've been had" doesn't think there was any truth in what the Inspector said at all.

• "But how do you know it's the same girl?" another key line, Gerald is obviously keen to prove the Inspector wrong.
• "Everything's all right now Shiela" he seems to have forgotten the Inspector's 'lesson' on responsibility.