An Inspector Calls

Question 1

Sheila Act 1

Answer 1

• “So I’m really responsible?”
• “Why - you fool - he knows!”
• “Now I really feel engaged”
• “Look mummy, isn’t it a beauty”

Priestley, through Sheila, tells these upper-class people that they need to care less about social appearances and more about the consequences of their actions

Question 2

Sheila Act 2

Answer 2

• “You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here”
• “I’m afraid you’ll say something”
• “We really must stop these silly pretences”

Sheila knows that the Inspector is giving each character the rope to hang themselves with - he is letting them explore their own involvement and work out their own guilt

Question 3

Mr Birling Act 1

Answer 3

• “A man has to make his own way”
• “I can’t accept any responsibility”

Birling shows upper-class pre-war attitudes of denial and refusing to acknowledge the consequences that their actions had on lower-class people

Question 4

Mrs Birling Act 1

Answer 4

• “When you’re married you’ll realise men…”
• “Arthur, you’re not supposed to say such things”
  (Birling was not born into upper class, he married into it)

Women generally had much less power and place in society than men

Question 5

Mrs Birling Act 2

Answer 5

• “You know, of course, my Husband was Lord Mayor”
  Priestley uses their attitudes to show corruption in society that lets the social classes be treated differently and, in some cases, not even be included in criminal investigations purely because of their social class
• “You seem to have made a great impression on this child”
  Child = Is Sheila
  Child = Doesn’t respect Sheila as a young adult. Thinks of her as a child and talks as if she is not in the room
  Impression = Belittles the effect the Inspector has had. Suggests that this impression will be short lived
• “Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility”
  Dramatic irony, becoz the audience knows it’s Eric
• “It’s you - and not the inspector”
  This is shouted at Sheila. Shows cracks in their apparently-perfect family facade
• “She had only herself to blame”
  She is blaming Eva

Question 6

Inspector Goole Act 2

Answer 6

• “Public men, Mr Birling, have their responsibilities as well as their privileges”

In this quote, Goole want to make it clear that, although upper-class men are free to enjoy the benefits of their lifestyle, they must also be responsible members of society who care about the lower-class people who make the upper-class lifestyle possible

Question 7

Mrs Birling Act 3

Answer 7

• “But I didn’t know it was you”

Only regretful when she realises it’s her son, only cares about her family and how ppl view her family

Question 8

Mr Birling Act 3

Answer 8

• “I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can”
  his attitude doesn’t change, obsesses over his reputation
• “This makes a difference”
  relieved that this didn’t actually occur since this is now unlikely to end in a scandal for him

Question 9

Inspector Act 3

Answer 9

• “One Eva Smith has gone”
  expresses how ppl should look after one another // directly contrasts with Mr Birlings comment in act 1 that every1 should look after themselves
• “There’ll be plenty of time”
• “Each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it”
  he doesn’t soften the blow, he is blunt

Question 10

Sheila Act 3

Answer 10

• “You don’t seem to have learnt anything”
  annoyed at parents
• “Everything we said had happened really happened”
  maturity and intelligence develops, realises her wrong doings

Question 11

Eric Act 3

Answer 11

• “I wasn’t in love with her or anything”
  She told me she didn’t want to go in
• “You killed her!”
  At his mother, coz she turned her away
• “She told me she didn’t want to go in”
  Eric reveals that he forced himself on Eva Smith. He used his power as the son of an influential man to threaten to make things difficult for her

Eric describing Eva:

• Pretty
• A Good sport