Characters

Question 1

Mr Birling

Answer 1

• “A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own.” → Represents capitalist individualism, directly opposed by the Inspector.
• “Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.” → Dramatic irony about the Titanic, showing his ignorance and misplaced confidence.

-“There isn’t a chance of war.” → Dramatic irony; shows his poor judgment and highlights Priestley’s critique of capitalism.

-“I was an alderman for years—and Lord Mayor two years ago.” → Obsessed with status, believes titles grant him authority.

• “I can’t accept any responsibility.” → Refuses accountability, highlighting his moral failure.

Question 2

Mrs Birling

Answer 2

• “I accept no blame for it at all.” → Shows her cold, unrepentant nature and lack of responsibility.
• “She had only herself to blame.” → Demonstrates her lack of empathy for Eva Smith.
• “Girls of that class—” → Reveals her snobbery and class prejudice.
• “He should be made an example of.” → Dramatic irony—she unknowingly condemns her own son, Eric.

-“I was the only one who didn’t give in to him.” → Views morality as a power struggle rather than a real concern.

Question 3

Sheila

Answer 3

• “But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people.” → Early sign of her growing empathy and socialist leanings.
• “I’ll never, never do it again to anybody.” → Genuinely learns from her mistakes, unlike her parents.
• “You mustn’t try to build up a kind of wall between us and that girl.” → Challenges her mother’s attempts to dismiss Eva’s suffering.
• “You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here.” → Acknowledges personal growth and moral change.
• “It frightens me the way you talk.” → Disturbed by her parents’ refusal to change.

Question 4

Eric

Answer 4

• “You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.” → Highlights his strained relationship with Birling.
• “I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty.” → Implies he assaulted Eva, showing the consequences of unchecked privilege.
• “You killed her – and the child she’d have had too – my child!” → Shows his realization of responsibility and emotional distress.
• “We did her in all right.” → Unlike his parents, he accepts blame for Eva’s death.
• “And I say the girl’s dead and we all helped to kill her – and that’s what matters.” → Emphasizes the moral message over whether the Inspector was real.

Question 5

Eva Smith

Answer 5

• “A lively good-looking girl – country bred.” (Birling) → Suggests innocence and hard-working nature.
• “She’d had a lot to say – far too much – so she had to go.” (Birling) → Fired for standing up for fair wages, showing worker exploitation.
• “She looked as if she could take care of herself.” (Sheila) → A tragic misunderstanding; Eva was vulnerable but had dignity.
• “She refused to take any more money.” (Inspector) → Shows her moral strength despite desperate circumstances.
• “There are millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us.” (Inspector) → Represents all working-class people, making her suffering universal.

Question 6

Gerald

Answer 6

• “I don’t come into this suicide business.” → Initially denies responsibility, mirroring Birling’s attitude.
• “She was young and pretty and warm-hearted—and intensely grateful.” → Shows some genuine affection but also reveals a power imbalance in the relationship.
• “I didn’t install her there so that I could make love to her.” → Tries to justify his actions, though still exploiting Eva’s vulnerability.
• “Everything’s all right now, Sheila. What about this ring?” → Fails to learn from the experience, expecting Sheila to ignore his actions.
• “We’ve been had, that’s all.” → More concerned with avoiding scandal than moral responsibility.

Question 7

Inspector Goole

Answer 7

• “We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.” → Priestley’s socialist message of collective responsibility.
• “If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.” → Foreshadows World War I & II, reinforcing the consequences of selfishness.
• “It’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.” → Criticises capitalist greed, linking to Eva’s fair request for a wage increase.
• “Each of you helped to kill her.” → Directly holds the Birlings accountable for their actions.
• “Public men, Mr. Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.” → Challenges Birling’s capitalist view that wealth excuses responsibility.