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Explore the ways in which Priestley presents social responsibility in An…
Explore the ways in which Priestley presents social responsibility in An Inspector Calls.
Mr Birling
“ If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody... it would be very awkward wouldn’t it?”
“I can’t accept any responsibility.”
“There’ll be a public scandal... and who here will suffer for that more than I will?”
“A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and –
We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell. Birling stops to listen.”
“As it happened more than eighteen months ago – nearly two years ago – obviously it has nothing to do with the wretched girl’s suicide.”
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can.”
Mrs Birling
“I realise that you have to conduct some sort of inquiry, but I must say that so far you seem to be conducting it in a rather peculiar and offensive manner.”
“Naturally that was one of the things that prejudiced me against her case.”
“If you think you can bring any pressure to bear upon me, Inspector, you’re quite mistaken. Unlike the other three, I did nothing I’m ashamed of or that won’t bear investigation.”
”I’ll tell you what I told her. Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.”
“It wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it all.”
“You’re quite wrong to suppose I shall regret what I did.”
Eric Birling
“He could have kept her on instead of throwing her out.”
“The money’s not the important thing. It’s what happened to the girl and what we did to her that matters.”
“I did what I did. And mother did what she did. And the rest of you did what you did to her.”
“You’re beginning to pretend that nothings really happened at all. And I can’t see it like that.”
“I’m ashamed of you as well. Yes both of you.”
Said to Mrs Birling “Then - you killed her... and the child she’d have had too – my child – your own Grandchild – you killed them both – damn you, damn you.”
(almost threatening her) – “You don’t understand anything. You never did. You never even tried.”
Sheila Birling
“I’ll never, never do it again to anybody.”
”The point is you don’t seem to have learnt anything.”
“You’re pretending everything’s just as it was before!”
“But, Mother, do stop before it’s too late.”
“You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here.”
Gerald Croft
“It was all over and done with, last summer. I hadn’t set eyes on the girl for at least six months. I don’t come into this suicide business.”
“You’ve been through it, and now you want to see someone else put through it.”
“I’m rather more – upset – by this than I appear to be.”
“Sorry – I – well, I’ve suddenly realized – taken it in properly – that she’s dead –“
“The girl... gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help.”
The Inspector
“It would do us all a bit of good if sometimes we tried to put ourselves in the place of these young women counting their pennies in their dingy little back bedrooms.”
“That’s more or less what I was thinking earlier tonight, when I was in the Infirmary looking at what was left of Eva Smith. A nice little promising life there, I thought, and a nasty mess somebody’s made of it.”
“You’re partly to blame, just as your father is.”
“A girl died tonight. A pretty, lively sort of girl, who never did anybody any harm. But she died in misery and agony – hating life.”
“Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.”
“I think that you did something terribly wrong – and that you’re going to spend the rest of your life regretting it.”
“One Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths left with us.”
“If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.”