An Inspector Calls - key quotations

What stage direction quote introduces the character of Sheila Birling?

"Sheila is a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited"

How does Sheila show happiness about the ring from Gerald?

"Oh - it's wonderful! Look - Mummy - isn't it a beauty? Oh - darling - (she kisses Gerald hastily)"

What quote acts as Sheila's turning point?

"But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people" /

"(miserably) So I'm really responsible?"

Define dichotomy

A division or contrast between two opposed things

Define didactic

Intended to teach

Where does Sheila use prophetic lexis to overpower the dramatic irony of Birling's earlier speeches?

"(laughs rather hysterically) Why - you fool - he knows. ... You'll see. You'll see."

What stage direction introduces the character of Eric?

"ERIC is in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive."

What quote in act one shows that Eric has innately moral principles?

"(involuntarily) My God!"

What euphemistic phrase does Eric use in act three to suggest his lack of responsibility?

"I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty"

What does Eric say to his mother as he mocks her self-absorption and attacks her lack of social responsibility?

"(nearly at breaking point) Then - you killed her...you're own grandchild - you killed them both"

What is the initial stage direction that introduces the character of Mr Birling?

"BIRLING is a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his mid fifties with fairly easy manners but rather provincial in his speech."

What quote in act one displays Mr Birling's entrapment within his own beliefs?

"and I speak as a hard-headed business man who has to take risks"

How does Mr Birling describe Eva in act one upon hearing of her death?

"She was a lively, good-looking girl - country-bred, I fancy"

How is Mrs Birling introduced in the stage directions?

"His wife is about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior."

What quote from act one reveals Mrs Birling's deep rooted internal misogyny that she is passing onto her daughter?

"Now, Sheila, don't tease him. When you're married you'll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business."

What quote from act two show how Mrs Birling understands Eva's suicide in relation to her class?

"I don't suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class -"

How does Mrs Birling reveal the contradictions of Capitalism in act two as she excuses her actions towards Eva?

"I didn't like her manner. She'd impertinently made use of our name."

What quote does Mrs Birling say to Eric that shows her lack of change over the play?

"Besides, you're not the type - you don't get drunk."

What is Gerald Croft's stage direction that foreshadows his affair?

"Gerald Croft is an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town."

How does Gerald describe the women, inadvertently betraying his involvement with more than one of them?

"I hate those hard-eyed dough-faced women."

How could you describe Gerald Croft's on and off morals?

Pragmatically moral

What quote does Gerald use to blame his actions upon fate and circumstance?

"Yes. I suppose it was inevitable. She was young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful" - act two

What are Gerald's final words that show a cyclicality to his story?

"Everything's all right now, Sheila. (holds up the ring.) What about this ring?" - act three

What metaphor is used in the Inspector's first open criticism of the Birlings' entrapment within their Capitalism?

"A chain of events"- act one

What quote from The Inspector in his closing dramatic monologue harnesses prophetic imagery of the world wars?

"then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish"

What does the Inspector say in act one to expose the greed and superficiality of Capitalism?

"but after all it's better to ask for the Earth than to take it"

Define dogmatic

inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true

"I speak as a hard-headed

business man, who has to take risks and know what he's about" (Birling - Act 1)

Quote by Mr Birling in Act 1 that shows his perspective on war

"Everything to lose and nothing to gain by war"

"Yes. I suppose it was

inevitable. She was young and pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful" (Gerald - Act 2)

"I don't suppose for a moment

that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class-" (Mrs B - Act 2)

"You mustn't try to build up a kind of wall

between us and that girl. If you do, the Inspector will just break it down" (Sheila - Act 2)

"I'm not defending him.

But you must understand that a lot of young men-" (Mr B - Act 2)

"You don't seem to care about anything.

But I care. I was almost certain for a knighthood" (Mr B - Act 3)

(Sheila - Act 1) "You talk as if

we were all responsible"