An Inspector Calls: Key quotes and definitions by character

Inspector Goole

"After all it's better to ask for the earth than to take it" Act 1 - metaphor - warning Mr Birling about his selfish attitude.

Inspector Goole

"A young woman drank some disinfectant and died, after several hours of agony...She lies with a burnt out inside on a slab." Act 1 and 2. Graphic imagery repeated through the play to drive message home.

Inspector Goole

"And you think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?" Act 2. To Gerald. Ironic comment about Sheila needing to hear / Eva not being protected at all.

Inspector Goole

"We have to share something. If there's nothing else, we'll have to share our guilt" Act 2. Powerful rhetoric. Advice to Sheila.

Inspector Goole

"Your daughter isn't living on the moon. She's here in Brumley too." Act 2. Metaphor. Dismissive tone towards Mr Birling's protests.

Inspector Goole

"She needed not only money but advice, sympathy, friendliness...and you slammed the door in her face." Act 2. Listing. Condemning of Mrs Birling's callous manner towards Eva.

Inspector Goole

"And my trouble is I haven't much time. You'll be able to divide up the responsibility between you when I've gone." Act 3. Inspector losing patience with family bickering.

Inspector Goole

"There are millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us...We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for one another." Act 3. Rule of 3 - Reminding the whole family of the need for community.

Inspector Goole

"The time will come when if men will not learn that lesson, they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish." Act 3. Religious metaphor linking to hell as a punishment for those who do not care for their fellow man.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"I'm talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business." -Act 1. Alliteration. Thinks practically, coldly, without emotion.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"I say there isn't a chance of war...the Titanic -unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable." -Act 1. Repetition. Claims that show he is part of the old generation who don't understand the changes/dangers ahead.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"One of the happiest nights of my life" - Act 1. Looking forward not only to engagement of his daughter to Gerald, but new business links between Crofts and Birlings that may follow.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"There's a fair chance I might find my way into the next Honours List" -Act 1. Excited to increase his privilege and social standing further by being recognised for his work by royalty.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"A man has to make his own way - has to look after himself - and his family too." -Act 1. Self-centred outlook.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we'd had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn't it?" -Act 1. Abandonment of social responsibility.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"If you don't come down sharply on some of these people, they'd soon be asking for the earth" -Act 1. Metaphor. Need to be firm with workers or they'll take advantage of you. Sad fact Eva only wanted small pay rise.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"Look Inspector, I'd give thousands, thousands..." - Act 3. Repetition. Offering money to try and sort the problem when it's way too late.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"There'll be a public scandal -and who here will suffer from that more than I will?" -Act 3. Rhetorical question. Primary concern all the way through the play that his reputation will suffer.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"Probably a socialist or some sort of crank . He talked like one" -Act 3. Dismissive of visitor now he believes him not to be a proper Inspector.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"I'll admit he gave me a bit of a scare." - Act3. Relief that it all seems to be false.

Arthur (Mr) Birling

"A girl has just died - on her way to the infirmary." -Act 3. Revelation that the events seem to be replaying themselves for real this time?

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"Girls of that class-" -Act 1. Generalisation. Dismissing working class girls as all the same, destined for bad things.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"So far you seem to be conducting the inquiry in a rather peculiar and offensive manner." -Act 1. Adjectives. Her irritation that the Inspector is not treating them with the respect usually given to their social class.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"Sheila, don't talk nonsense -Act 2. Refusing to accept Sheila's acknowledgment of blame for events.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"I don't think we want any further details of this disgusting affair." Act 2. Adjective. Constantly refers to any misbehaviour as vile/disgusting, and not for a woman of her class to be associated with.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"She called herself Mrs Birling -a piece of gross impertinence" Act 2. Disbelief regarding Eva's referral to herself as Mrs Birling in a desperate attempt to get money.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"Unlike the other three, I did nothing I'm ashamed of." Act 2 - absolving herself of any blame for the events.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money" Act 2. Further condescension towards Eva, a girl from the working class.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"You're behaving like a hysterical child." -Act 2. Simile. Telling off Sheila for her defiant, challenging attitude.

Sybil (Mrs) Birling

"The rude way he spoke to Mr Birling and me. It was quite extraordinary."- Act 3. Doubting whether the Inspector was real or not, and in disbelief at his lack of respect for her and her husband.

Sheila Birling

"These girls aren't cheap labour -they're people." -Act 1. Metaphor. Reminding her father that his workers should be treated like human beings.

Sheila Birling

"Shut up Eric. It's the only time I've ever done anything like that, and I'll never, never do it again to anybody." -Act 1. Repetition. Her huge feelings of guilt.

Sheila Birling

"Were you seeing her last spring and summer when you hardly came near me and said you were so busy?" - Act 1 -Directly addressing Gerald about his affair.

Sheila Birling

"I can't believe -I won't believe it's simply my fault that in the end she committed suicide. That would be too horrible." Act 2. Accepting some blame, but finds it too distressing to accept total responsibility.

Sheila Birling

Mother -You mustn't try and build up a kind of wall between us and that girl." Act 2. Metaphor. Warning to mother about the need to think of Eva as a human being.

Sheila Birling

"No -he's giving us the rope so that we'll hang ourselves." Act 2. Metaphor. Perceptive understanding of how the Inspector is dealing with the family.

Sheila Birling

"I want to understand...I wouldn't miss it for worlds" -Act 2. Partially enjoying seeing Gerald humiliated and having to reveal details of the affair with Eva.

Sheila Birling

"I'm not a child, don't forget. I've a right to know." - Act 2 - Constant reminder to parents that she is mature enough to understand things, and her generation is also more open to new ideas.

Sheila Birling

"That's probably the best thing you've said tonight. At least it's honest." -Act 2. Sarcastic dig at Gerald. Appreciative of when he tells the truth.

Sheila Birling

"Gerald, I think you'd better take this with you. (She hands him the ring)" - Act 2. End of the short-lived engagement?

Sheila Birling

"You and I aren't the same people who sat down to dinner here." - Act 2. The relationship has changed, but there is a hint that they might be able to patch things up as a result of Gerald's honesty.

Sheila Birling

"The point is, you don't seem to have learnt anything...It's you two who are being childish -trying not to face the facts." - Act 3. Accusing parents of not learning a thing.

Sheila Birling

"Was he really a police inspector?" - Act 3 - Perceptive - starting to wonder whether the Inspector was genuine.

Sheila Birling

"If it didn't end tragically, then that's lucky for us. But it might have done." -Act 3. Understands the warning shot.

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

"She'd had a lot to say - far too much - so she had to go." - Act 1. Birling explaining reason she was fired -linked to pay rise request.

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

"With no work, no money, no relatives, lonely, half starved, she was feeling desperate" - Act 1. Inspector reminds Birling of her terrible position after losing her job at Birling and Co.

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

"She enjoyed being among pretty clothes...a fresh start" - Act 1. Inspector informing Sheila of Eva's excitement at getting the job at Milwards.

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

"She felt there'd never be anything as good again for her -so she had to make it last longer." - Act 2, with new name Daisy Renton, the end of her affair with Gerald she accepted but it hit her hard.

Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

"She'd come to you for assistance because she didn't want to take stolen money." - Act 2. The reason she went to Mrs Birling was Daisy had moral standards and was not happy at Eric stealing money to support her.

Eric Birling

"He's been steadily drinking too much for the last two years." Act 2. Sheila about Eric.

Eric Birling

"I wasn't in love with her or anything -but I liked her - she was pretty and a good sport," - Act 3. Eric's lack of real care/affection for Daisy.

Eric Birling

"Just used her for the end of a stupid drunken evening, as if she was an animal, a thing, not a person." - Act 3. Similes. The Inspector condemning his drunken, sexual behaviour.

Eric Birling

"She didn't want me to marry her. Said I didn't love her - and all that. In a way she treated me as if I were a kid." - Act 3. Simile. Daisy saw through Eric's intentions and lack of maturity. She had enough dignity to not insist on a false marriage, and also to protect Eric.

Eric Birling

"I insisted on giving her money to keep her going" -Act 3. Eric gave her money to help her, and due to the fact she was pregnant.

Eric Birling

"Because you're not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble - that's why." Act 3. The relationship between Eric and his father is not a helpful, understanding one.

Eric Birling

"Then - you killed her. She came to you to protect me - and you turned her away." - Act 3. His accusation towards his mother about her awful uncaring behaviour.

Eric Birling

"You don't understand anything. You never did." - Act 3. Again directed towards Mrs Birling -shows her lack of understanding of real life matters.

Eric Birling

"You're beginning to pretend now that nothing's really happened at all. I can't see it like that. The girl's still dead, isn't she?" -Act 3. Like Sheila, Eric has learnt his lesson. His parents haven't.

Eric Birling

"I don't give a damn now whether I stay her or not." - Act 3. He is not bothered by his father's threat to kick him out of the house.