Inspector Calls Key Quotes and Analysis
This colour is the character/act reference, this is for stage directions, this is a quote, this is extra analysis, this is
everything else, including just normal analysis, which comes right after a quote or stage direction.
The lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives, and then it should be brighter and harder.
This stage direction portrays the capitalistic and nonchalant atmosphere in a pink and soft light until later on,
suggesting that it is ‘rosy’, unlike reality, where this sort of lighting is hardly ever present. It suggests that the
events inside the household are somehow unrealistic, or sheltered, as most of the characters appear to be
(especially Sheila at the beginning), which is why the inspector, who inspects all of this, brings a brighter and
harder light, which shines lights on everything, dispelling this rosy atmosphere, replacing it with reality – how it
really is. The inspector is in this sense like a literal torch, shining a light on falsehood, so the inspector is the
moral correctness in this story.
“Arthur, you shouldn’t be saying such things-” –Mrs Birling (Act 1)
This is from the Mrs Birling, a woman of higher class who has married Mr Birling, for his wealth, as she was no
longer rich, despite being aristocracy, as not enough people were working on her lands. She is reprimanding
him because he complimented a person of a lower class (he was complementing their chef), and highlights how
she is ‘stuck-up’ and sees herself as the better of Mr Birling.
(half serious, half playful) “Yes – except for last summer, when you never came near me” –Sheila (Act 1)
Suggesting that she doesn’t fully trust him, despite the fact that they’re going to be married soon, but again
shows how she is childish, and relatively light-hearted, as she is still ‘half playful’ even in something which could
be seen as quite serious.
“men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their
business. You’ll have to get used to that, just as I had.” –Mrs Birling (Act 1)
Highlights the ever-present overarching patriarchal hegemony which was present at the time this Act was
set in (~1910), as it suggests that not only should wives become submissive (you’ll have to get used to
that), but also that men are superior and women have no need to work. Mrs Birling symbolises the women
of her generation who believed that, whereas Sheila seems like she will not, as she says “I don’t believe I
will”. Shows discord between the generations.
“You’re squiffy” –Sheila, to Eric (Act 1)
Colloquial language, she is saying that Eric is drunk, and highlights their casual brother/sister relationship, a
childish one at that, despite them both being over 18 years old. Also shows Eric drinks too much, so is quite
immature and doesn’t really know self-restraint.
“Oh – it’s wonderful! Look – Mummy – isn’t it a beauty?” –Sheila (Act 1)
Showing the childish nature of Sheila, despite being in her early twenties, highlighted by here use of the
word ‘Mummy’. It also suggests that she has a sheltered upbringing. Furthermore, her childish nature is
further exemplified by the uncontained excitement, presented by the frequent use of dashes, and how she
is very materialistic, as her excitement is entirely as a result of a ring.
“Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war.” –Mr Birling (Act 1)
Dramatic Irony, as a number of groups wage war a few years after that play is set, and it helps Priestly (the
playwright) go on to discredit the capitalistic Mr Birling right from the start.
, “the Titanic – forty six thousand eight hundred tons – forty six thousand eight hundred tons – and unsinkable,
absolutely unsinkable” –Mr Birling (Act 1)
This portrays the didactic nature of Mr Birling, and goes to highlight the Edwardian hubris (pride/confidence) of
the time, incredibly positive, and also shows that Mr Birling thinks that he knows it all (by the repetition). This
also serves as dramatic irony. Also highlights his arrogance. He goes on, and on, and highlights the fact that
whatever he says is subjective. (Also dramatic irony).
“there’s a fair chance that I might find my way into the next Honours List. Just a knighthood, of course.” – Mr
Birling (Act 1)
Social climbing, and may also imply that the reason that Mr Birling has married a relatively poor aristocrat (Mrs
Birling), was as a trade deal, he gets to climb the social ladder (be part of the aristocracy to some extent), and
she gets the money, and by that we can infer the very capitalistic nature which is evident among that family.
“don’t get into a police court or start a scandal, eh?” – Mr Birling (Act 1)
Foreshadowing of the entire accusation involving Eva Smith.
“a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too” – Mr Birling (Act 1)
The capitalistic view that Mr Birling presents, at a point when people are aware that he is not a credible figure,
so is a device of Priestly’s to negate non-socialistic views, such as his.
“But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else,
as if we were all mixed up, together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense.” – Mr Birling (Act 1)
He’s calling socialists cranks, and denounces the very ideas of socialism, by saying that the entire system is
weak and subhuman (insect like, like bees).
“But take my word for it, you youngsters – and I’ve learnt in the good hard school of experience – that a man
has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and –“ – Mr Birling (Act 1)
Again shows how he thinks he knows it all, as he thinks of himself as an elder teaching the younger generation
which will succeed his, evident by his use of the term ‘youngsters’, and portrays his arrogance and capitalistic
views, and he’s cut off right after by the sharp ring of the doorbell. This is Inspector Goole, who, like the
doorbell, cuts off the assertions of Birling like a sharp ring, implying that it may somehow cause pain – to the
Edwardian hubris, and is used by Priestly to show that Mr Birling is disreputable, as it abruptly cuts him off.
(defiantly) “Nothing” – Eric (Act 1)
In response to Mr Birling saying ‘what’s wrong with you’. Shows discord between the generations, in the case of
Eric this time.
He creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity, and purposefulness… …has a disconcerting habit of
looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking.
Despite the Inspector being a social inferior, he seems to create an impression of massiveness, which hasn’t
been created by any other character thus far, and gives him an air of authority. This, combined with his
‘disconcerting’ habit, makes him seems unnatural, almost, for that era, especially, and combined with his name
‘Goole’, which sounds like ‘ghoul’, makes him seem supernatural, like some sort of spectre, right from his
introduction.
Eva Smith is a name which represents two types of people. Firstly the common people of lower class, as many
of the people of the lower classes had the surname ‘Smith’, at the time, and also women, as Eva sounds like Eve
– supposedly the first female human there was, according to the Bible, so she encompasses the idea of lower
class women, and to a lesser extent, women and lower class people separately.
This colour is the character/act reference, this is for stage directions, this is a quote, this is extra analysis, this is
everything else, including just normal analysis, which comes right after a quote or stage direction.
The lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives, and then it should be brighter and harder.
This stage direction portrays the capitalistic and nonchalant atmosphere in a pink and soft light until later on,
suggesting that it is ‘rosy’, unlike reality, where this sort of lighting is hardly ever present. It suggests that the
events inside the household are somehow unrealistic, or sheltered, as most of the characters appear to be
(especially Sheila at the beginning), which is why the inspector, who inspects all of this, brings a brighter and
harder light, which shines lights on everything, dispelling this rosy atmosphere, replacing it with reality – how it
really is. The inspector is in this sense like a literal torch, shining a light on falsehood, so the inspector is the
moral correctness in this story.
“Arthur, you shouldn’t be saying such things-” –Mrs Birling (Act 1)
This is from the Mrs Birling, a woman of higher class who has married Mr Birling, for his wealth, as she was no
longer rich, despite being aristocracy, as not enough people were working on her lands. She is reprimanding
him because he complimented a person of a lower class (he was complementing their chef), and highlights how
she is ‘stuck-up’ and sees herself as the better of Mr Birling.
(half serious, half playful) “Yes – except for last summer, when you never came near me” –Sheila (Act 1)
Suggesting that she doesn’t fully trust him, despite the fact that they’re going to be married soon, but again
shows how she is childish, and relatively light-hearted, as she is still ‘half playful’ even in something which could
be seen as quite serious.
“men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their
business. You’ll have to get used to that, just as I had.” –Mrs Birling (Act 1)
Highlights the ever-present overarching patriarchal hegemony which was present at the time this Act was
set in (~1910), as it suggests that not only should wives become submissive (you’ll have to get used to
that), but also that men are superior and women have no need to work. Mrs Birling symbolises the women
of her generation who believed that, whereas Sheila seems like she will not, as she says “I don’t believe I
will”. Shows discord between the generations.
“You’re squiffy” –Sheila, to Eric (Act 1)
Colloquial language, she is saying that Eric is drunk, and highlights their casual brother/sister relationship, a
childish one at that, despite them both being over 18 years old. Also shows Eric drinks too much, so is quite
immature and doesn’t really know self-restraint.
“Oh – it’s wonderful! Look – Mummy – isn’t it a beauty?” –Sheila (Act 1)
Showing the childish nature of Sheila, despite being in her early twenties, highlighted by here use of the
word ‘Mummy’. It also suggests that she has a sheltered upbringing. Furthermore, her childish nature is
further exemplified by the uncontained excitement, presented by the frequent use of dashes, and how she
is very materialistic, as her excitement is entirely as a result of a ring.
“Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war.” –Mr Birling (Act 1)
Dramatic Irony, as a number of groups wage war a few years after that play is set, and it helps Priestly (the
playwright) go on to discredit the capitalistic Mr Birling right from the start.
, “the Titanic – forty six thousand eight hundred tons – forty six thousand eight hundred tons – and unsinkable,
absolutely unsinkable” –Mr Birling (Act 1)
This portrays the didactic nature of Mr Birling, and goes to highlight the Edwardian hubris (pride/confidence) of
the time, incredibly positive, and also shows that Mr Birling thinks that he knows it all (by the repetition). This
also serves as dramatic irony. Also highlights his arrogance. He goes on, and on, and highlights the fact that
whatever he says is subjective. (Also dramatic irony).
“there’s a fair chance that I might find my way into the next Honours List. Just a knighthood, of course.” – Mr
Birling (Act 1)
Social climbing, and may also imply that the reason that Mr Birling has married a relatively poor aristocrat (Mrs
Birling), was as a trade deal, he gets to climb the social ladder (be part of the aristocracy to some extent), and
she gets the money, and by that we can infer the very capitalistic nature which is evident among that family.
“don’t get into a police court or start a scandal, eh?” – Mr Birling (Act 1)
Foreshadowing of the entire accusation involving Eva Smith.
“a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too” – Mr Birling (Act 1)
The capitalistic view that Mr Birling presents, at a point when people are aware that he is not a credible figure,
so is a device of Priestly’s to negate non-socialistic views, such as his.
“But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else,
as if we were all mixed up, together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense.” – Mr Birling (Act 1)
He’s calling socialists cranks, and denounces the very ideas of socialism, by saying that the entire system is
weak and subhuman (insect like, like bees).
“But take my word for it, you youngsters – and I’ve learnt in the good hard school of experience – that a man
has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and –“ – Mr Birling (Act 1)
Again shows how he thinks he knows it all, as he thinks of himself as an elder teaching the younger generation
which will succeed his, evident by his use of the term ‘youngsters’, and portrays his arrogance and capitalistic
views, and he’s cut off right after by the sharp ring of the doorbell. This is Inspector Goole, who, like the
doorbell, cuts off the assertions of Birling like a sharp ring, implying that it may somehow cause pain – to the
Edwardian hubris, and is used by Priestly to show that Mr Birling is disreputable, as it abruptly cuts him off.
(defiantly) “Nothing” – Eric (Act 1)
In response to Mr Birling saying ‘what’s wrong with you’. Shows discord between the generations, in the case of
Eric this time.
He creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity, and purposefulness… …has a disconcerting habit of
looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking.
Despite the Inspector being a social inferior, he seems to create an impression of massiveness, which hasn’t
been created by any other character thus far, and gives him an air of authority. This, combined with his
‘disconcerting’ habit, makes him seems unnatural, almost, for that era, especially, and combined with his name
‘Goole’, which sounds like ‘ghoul’, makes him seem supernatural, like some sort of spectre, right from his
introduction.
Eva Smith is a name which represents two types of people. Firstly the common people of lower class, as many
of the people of the lower classes had the surname ‘Smith’, at the time, and also women, as Eva sounds like Eve
– supposedly the first female human there was, according to the Bible, so she encompasses the idea of lower
class women, and to a lesser extent, women and lower class people separately.
