Quotes Inspector calls Flashcards
(45 cards)
Mr Birling about war
“I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business… there isn’t a chance of war”
Mr Birling about Titanic
“… unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
Mr Birling about responsibility (community)
“…a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself… community and all that nonsense” (as Inspector arrives) “I can’t accept any responsibility”
Mr Birling about responsibility (labour)
“It’s my duty to keep labour costs down”
Mr Birling about responsibility (cover up)
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can”
Mr Birling views on society
“Probably a Socialist or some sort of crank”
Mr Birling description
Heavy looking rather portentous man,
rather provincial in his speech
Mr Birling moonshine
The whole story is just a lot of moonshine
Mr Birling responsibility (laugh)
You’ll have a good laugh over it yet
Mrs Birling about the victim
“I’m very sorry. But I think she had only herself to blame”
Mrs Birling about guilt
“I did nothing I’m ashamed of”
“It wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it all”
Mrs Birling about responisibility (father)
“Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility”
“I accept no blame at all”; “I blame the young man who was the father of the child”
Mrs Birling about inspector
“I was the only one of you who didn’t give in to him”
Mrs Birling about class and equality
Girls of that class
Mrs Birling description
A rather cold woman
Her husband’s social superior
Mrs Birling about Sheila
You seem to have made a great impression on this child, Inspector
Sheila attitude towards the situation (start)
“I’ve been so happy tonight. Oh I wish you hadn’t told me”
Eric and Sheila judging father
ERIC: And I don’t see why she should have been sacked just because she’d a bit more spirit than the others. You said yourself she was a good worker. I’d have let her stay.
SHEILA: I think it was a mean thing to do. Perhaps that spoilt everything for her.
Sheila about labour
“These girls aren’t cheap labour. They’re people”
Sheila about inspector/arguing with Gerald.
“Why – you fool – he knows. Of course he knows”
Sheila takes responsibility
“You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here”
“Well, he inspected us all right. And let’s not start dodging and pretending now. Between us we drove that girl to suicide”
Sheila challenging parents
“You’re beginning to pretend all over again that nothing much has happened”
Eric challenging parent (early)
“He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out”
Eric excuses
“I’ve had a few drinks, including rather a lot of champagne”
“I was in that state when a chap easily gets nasty” 52 “I didn’t even remember – that’s the hellish thing”
