An Inspector Calls Quotes+ Analysis

Mr Birling | Capitalism / Responsibility | “A man has to make his own way.” | Act 1

The declarative presents individualism as if it were universal truth. Priestley constructs Birling as a mouthpiece for capitalist ideology, then undermines his authority through dramatic irony. The 1945 audience is encouraged to reject selfish individualism in favour of collective responsibility.

Mr Birling | Responsibility | “I can’t accept any responsibility.” | Act 1

The absolute phrase reveals Birling’s stubborn refusal to change. Priestley directly contrasts this with the Inspector’s socialist message, exposing the moral limitations of individualism and encouraging the audience to recognise shared responsibility.

Mr Birling | Class / Capitalism | “These people” | Act 1

The deictic pronoun “these” creates an artificial boundary between Birling’s class and the workers. Priestley exposes how capitalist power depends upon dehumanising the working class, encouraging a 1945 audience to challenge class prejudice.

Mr Birling | Arrogance / Dramatic Irony | “The Titanic… is unsinkable.” | Act 1

The absolute adjective “unsinkable” exposes Birling’s arrogance. Priestley uses dramatic irony because the 1945 audience knows the Titanic sank, immediately discrediting Birling and making his social predictions unreliable.

Mrs Birling | Class / Prejudice | “Girls of that class—” | Act 2

The noun “class” reduces Eva to her social category. The unfinished phrase suggests prejudice is so instinctive that Mrs Birling barely needs to explain it. Priestley exposes upper-class dehumanisation of the poor.

Mrs Birling | Responsibility / Hypocrisy | “I accept no blame for it at all.” | Act 2

The absolute “no” demonstrates total moral refusal. Dramatic irony makes her certainty self-incriminating because the audience later discovers her victim is Eva. Priestley exposes the hypocrisy of those who claim moral superiority.

Sheila | Responsibility / Change | “These girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people.” | Act 1

The noun “people” directly humanises workers, while the dash creates a forceful correction of Birling’s capitalist language. Priestley uses Sheila to represent the possibility of generational change and greater social equality.

Sheila | Responsibility / Change | “I’ll never, never do it again to anybody.” | Act 2

The repetition of “never” intensifies Sheila’s remorse and demonstrates genuine moral development. Unlike her parents, she accepts responsibility without excuses, making her a symbol of Priestley’s hope for the younger generation.

Sheila | Class / Responsibility | “A kind of wall between us and that girl.” | Act 1

The metaphorical “wall” symbolises class division. Sheila recognises that the Birlings have separated themselves from Eva through wealth and status. Priestley presents the younger generation as capable of dismantling these artificial social barriers.

Gerald | Class / Power | “I didn’t feel about her as she felt about me.” | Act 2

The imbalance between “I” and “she” exposes Gerald’s emotional detachment and Eva’s vulnerability. Priestley highlights the unequal power between wealthy men and working-class women, revealing how privilege enables exploitation.

Gerald | Responsibility / Appearance | “What about this ring?” | Act 2

The interrogative focuses on the symbolic “ring”, suggesting Gerald wants to restore social normality after the Inspector’s departure. Priestley exposes the superficiality of bourgeois respectability when it is separated from genuine moral change.

Eric | Responsibility / Change | “The fact remains that I did what I did.” | Act 3

The phrase “fact remains” shows Eric confronting uncomfortable truth. Unlike his parents, he accepts responsibility rather than protecting the family’s reputation. Priestley uses Eric to represent the younger generation’s capacity for moral progress.

Eric | Collective Responsibility | “We did her in.” | Act 3

The collective pronoun “we” shows Eric accepts shared responsibility. Priestley contrasts this honesty with Birling’s denial, reinforcing the Inspector’s message that Eva’s suffering resulted from a chain of interconnected actions.

Inspector | Socialism / Responsibility | “We are members of one body.” | Act 3

The metaphor “one body” presents society as interconnected. The inclusive pronoun “we” directly challenges Birling’s individualism. Priestley uses the Inspector as a moral mouthpiece to promote collective responsibility.

Inspector | Responsibility / Consequences | “We are responsible for each other.” | Act 3

The declarative statement expresses Priestley’s central message. “Each other” makes responsibility reciprocal rather than optional, rejecting individualism and promoting the socialist ideal of mutual obligation.

Inspector | Social Inequality / Warning | “Fire and blood and anguish.” | Act 3

The violent tricolon creates a prophetic warning of suffering. Priestley’s 1945 audience had experienced two world wars, making the Inspector’s language especially resonant: society must learn from inequality or face further collective suffering.

Eva Smith | Social Inequality / Vulnerability | “A pretty girl in a provincial town.” | Act 1

The adjective “pretty” initially reduces Eva to appearance, while “provincial” suggests limited opportunity. Priestley makes Eva an everywoman whose experiences represent the vulnerability of working-class women.

Eva Smith | Responsibility / Socialism | “A young unmarried girl.” | Act 3

The adjective “young” emphasises Eva’s vulnerability, while “unmarried” reflects the social judgement placed upon women. Priestley uses her absence from the stage to make her a symbol of the many marginalised people denied a voice.