an inspector calls

quotes for theme of gender in an inspector calls

“But these girls aren’t cheap labor – they’re people.”- Sheila

“She was a pretty girl, and that didnt make it any better”- Inspector

“Nothing to do with you, Sheila. Run along”- Mr Birling

“You mustn’t try and built up a kind of wall between us and that girl. If you do then the inspector will just break it down”- Sheila

“I hate those hard- eyes dough-faced women”- Gerald

“Mother, I think it was cruel and vile”- Sheila

“A pretty, lively sort of girl, who never did anybody any harm.”- Inspector

Ideas about gender

Double standards between men and women, gender roles and expectations

stereotypes- Men talk about business, have afairs, women fragile, only for men’s pleasure

contrast between genders in generations- Sheila and Mrs Birling

Quotes for the theme of social responsibility in an inspector calls

“we don’t live alone, we are all members of one body- we are responsible for eachother”- Inspector

“A man has to mind his own business, and look after himself and his own”- Mr Birling

“But these girls aren't cheap labor – they’re people.' - Sheila

“We all helped kill her”- Eric

“The fact remains that i did what i did. And mother did what she did. And the rest of you did what you did to her. It’s the same rotten story whether its been told to a police inspector or anybody else.”-Eric

“Each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it.”- Inspector

Ideas for social responsibility

Inspector used as mouthpiece for socialist values and moral responsibility

Older characters represent selfish, capitalist views

younger characters show potential for change and moral growth

society must care for it’s most vulnurable

Quotes for the theme of age in An inspector calls

“The famous younger generation who know it all”- Mr Birling

“You're beggining to pretend that nothings really happened at all”- Sheila

“We often do onthe young ones, they’re more impressionable”- Inspector

“They’re over tired, in the morning theyll be as amused as we are- Mrs Birling

“You lot may be letting yourselves out nicely but i cant”- Eric

“These girls arent cheap leabour, they’re people”- Sheila

“Mother i think it was cruel and vile”- Sheila

“We all helped to kill her”- Eric

ideas for the theme of age

Priestley uses generational divide to contrast attitudes towards responisibility, morality and change

Older generation stuck in capitalist ideals, selfish, stubborn

Younger generation take moral responsibility, open to change, capable of learning from their mistakes

younger generation shows potential for the future

quotes for the theme of class in an inspector calls

“If you don’t come down sharply on these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth”- Mr Birling

“It’s my duty to keep labour costs down”- Mr birling

“Girls of that class”- Mrs Birling

“We are members of one body. We are responsible for eachother”- inspector

"A girl of that class would never refuse money" - Mrs Birling

"You have no power to stop us, it's all about class" - Eric

“Why wouldn’t they try for higher wages? we try for the highest possible prices?”- Eric

“You’re beggining to pretend now that nothing’s really happened at all”- Sheila

ideas for the theme of class

Social hierarchy + class division

Exploitation of the working class

The illusion of respectibility

Eva smith as symbol for working class (invisible and powerless in society)

Generational divide and hope for class change

shared responsibility across class lines