‘An Inspector Calls’ Quotations

Quotation Theme Character

“We were paying the usual rates Role of women Mr Birling
and if they didn’t like those rates, Social responsibility Eva Smith
they could go and work Power
somewhere else”. Social class
“But these girls aren’t cheap Role of women Sheila
labour – they’re people” Social responsibility Mr Birling
Power Eva Smith
Social class
“young and fresh and charming”. Role of women Gerald
Eva Smith
“perhaps we may look forward to Role of women Gerald
the time when Crofts and Birlings Power Mr Birling
are no longer competing but are
working together”
“a girl of that sort would ever Role of women Mr Birling
refuse money” Social class Eva Smith

“I’d persuade mother to close our Role of women Sheila

account with them [if Eva isn’t Social class Mrs Birling
fired]” Eva Smith
‘It was the real steady job she had’ Social class Eva Smith
Power
Sheila - “a pretty girl in her early Role of women Sheila
twenties, very pleased with life Generation gap
and rather excited.”
Sheila - really responsible.” Guilt Sheila
Responsibility Eva Smith
Sheila - “I don't understand about Generation gap Sheila
you.” Inspector
Sheila - “pretend that nothing Generation gap Mr and Mrs Birling
much has happened.” Responsibility Sheila
Sheila - “It frightens me the way Generation gap Mr and Mrs Birling
you talk:” Responsibility Sheila
Sheila - “we are all to blame” Generation gap Mr and Mrs Birling
Responsibility Sheila
Gerald
Eric
Sheila - “except for all last Role of women Sheila
summer, when you never came Gerald
near me”
Sheila - “so I’m really responsible?” Guilt Sheila
Responsibility Eva Smith
Generation gap The Inspector
Sheila - “between us we killed Guilt Mr and Mrs Birling
her”. Responsibility Sheila
Generation gap Gerald
Eric
Sheila - You and I aren’t the same Guilt Sheila
people who sat down to dinner Responsibility Gerald
here.” Generation gap
Sheila - “Mother – stop – stop!” Guilt Mrs Birling
Responsibility Sheila
Generation gap
Sheila - “The point is, you don’t Guilt Mrs Birling
seem to have learnt anything” Responsibility Sheila
‘An Inspector Calls’ Quotations
Generation gap
Sheila - “Fire and blood and Guilt Sheila
anguish” Responsibility Inspector
Gerald - an attractive chap about Gender gap Gerald
thirty, rather too manly to be a
dandy but very much the easy
well-bred man-about-town.’
Mr Birling - ‘You’re just the kind of Power Mr Birling
son in law I always wanted’ Gerald
Sheila
Gerald - ‘We’re respectable Social class Gerald
citizens and not criminals’ Power
Gerald - ‘because I was sorry for Role of women Gerald
her;’ Guilt Eva Smith
Power
Gerald - ‘I’m rather more upset by Gender gap Gerald
this business that I probably Eva Smith
appear to be’
Eric – ‘ You’re squiffy’ 1912 and 1945 Eric
Gender gap Sheila
Social class
Mr Birling – “unsinkable, Judgements Mr Birling
absolutely unsinkable” 1912 and 1945

Mr Birling – “The Germans don’t Judgements Mr Birling

want war” 1912 and 1945
“Eric is in his early twenties, not Gender gap Eric
quite at ease, half shy, half
assertive."
"Eric enters, looking extremely Guilt Eric
pale and distressed. He meets Responsibility Eva Smith
their inquiring stares"
Eric - “(miserably ) Could I have a Guilt Eric
drink first?" Responsibility Eva Smith

Eric - “I intended to pay it back” Guilt Eric

Responsibility Eva Smith
Mr Birling
Eric – “You're not the kind of Gender gap Eric
father a chap could go to when Responsibility Mr Birling
he's in trouble"
Eric – “"you killed her - and the Guilt Mrs Birling
child she'd have had too - my child Responsibility Eric
- your own grandchild - you killed
them both - damn you"
Eric – “I'm ashamed of you as well Guilt Eric
- both of you” Responsibility Eva Smith
Generation gap Mr Birling
Eric – “the fact remains that I did Guilt Eric
what I did. And mother did what Responsibility Eva Smith
she did. And the rest of you did Generation gap Mr Birling
what you did to her." Mrs Birling
Sheila
Gerald
Eric – “We all did her in alright" Guilt Eric
Responsibility Eva Smith
‘An Inspector Calls’ Quotations
Generation gap Mr Birling
Mrs Birling
Sheila
Gerald
Inspector – “massiveness, solidity Power Inspector
and purposefulness”
Inspector – “One person and one Power Inspector
line of enquiry at a time”
Inspector – “'It's my duty to ask Power Inspector
questions.” Responsibility
Inspector - ‘It’s better to ask for Power Inspector
the earth than to take it.’ Responsibility

Inspector - “One Eva Smith has Power Inspector

gone… but there are millions… of Responsibility Eva Smith
Eva Smiths… all intertwined with Social responsibility
our lives… if men will not learn
that lesson, then they will be
taught it in fire and blood and
anguish.”