An Inspector Calls – 10 Quotes

''A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own.''
''has to...'' shows that Mr Birling wasn't giving them a choice, but telling them to mind
their ''own business'' (with business referring either to their work or whatever they get
up to in life). But this is ironic since all their business gets exposed (by Inspector
Goole) because they didn't mind their own business and were all involved in Eva's
death, by jumping into her life in one shape or form.

Capitalism is a big theme represented by Priestley which is the belief that the 2 most
important things for a man's life should be wealth, himself and then everyone else.
This creates a selfish and ignoring society (1912 England) that will only pay
attention/care if it rings them benefit for their time ('time is money').

This quote can be used to describe every character in the play; Mr Birling sacks Eva
Smith because the strikes affected his business, his wealth. Sheila uses her
authority to get Eva fired because she felt insulted in a way (''...look after himself'').
Mrs Birling ignores Eva's appeal for help because she couldn't stand the fact that
she used 'Mrs Birling' as her name because for her, it's too special for her in her life.
It was treading her toes the fact that someone could dare to have 'Birling' as their
name. Shakespeare shows that the upper class were raised in a way to believe that
they were special and if anyone theatened that belief, you'd use your authority to get
rid of them!

On the other hand, this quote can be used to justify those same characters actions
because Mr Birling did “mind his own business” by preventing his company from
reaching higher costs. Sheila did try to “look after” herself as well as Mrs Birling,
where both felt hurt in a way so only tried to maintain their self-respect.

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

"labour" isn't just referring to a worker but a human in general. Mr Birling treats Eva
like a factory worker, Gerald uses Eva the same way a boss would use an employee
(but for his own interests), Eric also uses Eva for his own cheap/temporary interests.
This quote represents the battle between capitalism and socialism.

J.B Priestley shows how capitalism changes the way a person thinks, since it makes
others like a potential benefit/worker for you and you wonder what value it brings to
you (instead of thinking about what benefit they can receive) and if it doesn't then
you ignore/leave them.

This quote's meaning can be seen through Mr Birling's relationship with this
daughter. When he discovers that Gerald had an affair with Eva, instead of scolding
him, he actually tells Sheila (who was one of the victims) to calm down. This is
because at this point Mr Birling doesn't even see Sheila as his daughter but a
commodity that he needs to sell on to the Crofts to create a business deal which will
higher his status and value of his business.

"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?"
The Birlings are wiping their hands clean off responsibilty, but this is what comes
back to haunt them at the end of Act 2, start of Act 3 where it all feels "awkward" to
carry all the blame as a result of their ignorance and treating of other people like
objects. Gerald has walked outside because the situation is overwhelming him, Mrs
Birling is going crazy and blaming everything on Eric, Eric confesses to stealing
money from his father during an affair and Mr Birling is just undescribable because
he's offering "thousands" to the Inspector (that he'd give to those struggling) which is
so out of personality. What happened to the cigar puffing, loquacious man? This
quote relates to the theme of social responsibility.

The capitalists' fate is summarised by this quote. They carried on with their actions
which led to the awkwardness that tried to be avoided.

J.B Priestley is trying to tell us that we have to be conscious of our actions and the
impact it has on others. More specifically businessmen need to understand that their
workers aren't merely useful profit-generating machines but human beings who
experience pain and suffering. Priestley is urging a more socialist outlook to society
where we all see each other as part of a greater whole ("We are members of one
body") and try to help each other.

"First, the girl herself...Secondly, I blame the young man who was the father of the
child...He should be made an example of."
This is dramatic irony because when Mrs Birling finds out that the father was Eric,
she says "if only I knew". She believes that good is dependent on who does it,
similarly with bad. She clearly views the acts that Eric had done to be bad for any
man to do but it's also alright if her son (Eric) did it. Morality is being able to judge
between good and bad so clearly this quote represents Mrs Birling's lack of morality.

J.B Priestley represents all of the individuals of the capitalist society as having no
morality but on the other hand this quote shows that capitalists aren't completely
heartless people. They may be selfish many times especially when it comes down to
business matters but relations with family aren't too distant with the Birlings (atleast
Mrs Birling) trying to stick up for their relatives.

"I wasn't in love with her or anything- but I liked her- she was pretty and a good
sport."
"good sport"- in a sport you play a game where there is a winner and a loser. In this
game Gerald and Eric use her, for their pleasure and no matter how they might've
cared by giving her money (stolen by Eric), they used her and moved on, forgetting
about her which again emphasises how capitalists used people from other classes
as commodities. This quote relates to the themes of gender, patriarchy, injustice and
for how men viewed women.

J.B Priestley uses this quote to represent the privelege that men (especially rich
men) had over women in 1912 England. Eric publicly addresses this and there was
no backlash because it was the norm.

"We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other."
"members of one body" it's similar to aches you get, like when you have a tooth ache
then your head starts to hurt because they're all part of one organism. Similarly in
society we aren't isolated, we all live in one community and we're all collectively
responsible for each other as our actions affect the people around us. "We" talks
about humanity as a whole. This quote goes against the capitalists' beliefs.

J.B Priestley provides a very socialist look into life through this quote and goes
against everything that the Birlings believed.

This teaching from the Inspector really makes him unique from other Inspectors (who
would just investigate the crime and report back to the authorities but he is more of a
teacher). This makes it seem like he is the chosen one to be able to go back to the
past to change the ways of those like the capitalists. This supports the Upward Spiral
Theory which sees time as a spiral in hope for forgiveness and change.

"The point is, you don't seem to have learnt anything."

J.B Priestley uses this quote to show the power of socialism and how it can
transform even a weak, shy and innocent person into a person with beliefs, morality
and a voice. Sheila was very careful with the way she addressed a countering point
against her parents (in a polite manner since she was brought up to give that
respect) but this is the point where she crosses those boundaries as she is
supported by the backbone of socialism.

Sheila is talking as if she's Eva Smith resurrected. She is speaking for the people
who have no voice; she speaks for poor women, poor men, for the working class and
for the injustice faced.

The quote's point is exactly what is says. Because Mr and Mrs Birling haven't learnt
anything, she's just going to end up like Eva Smith; she can only talk and will
eventually be forced to stop (she's going to end up marrying Gerald and continue in
the footsteps of Mrs Birling). This is because the power of the capitalists is too high.
"One Eva Smith has gone...but there are millions...of Eva Smiths...all intertwined with
our lives...if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood
and anguish."
The Inspector explains to what seems like a story to the Birlings, that are numerous
men and women (specifically women) whose life is equivalent to Eva Smith and that
they're used for the interests of the capitalists (mainly men).

Nearly all of the characters investigated don't commit legitimate crimes but actually
moral crimes which unfortunatley for the Inspector on behalf of socialism, isn't a
punishable crime. He says because of the capitalist- run system in the country, they
will suffer its effects "in fire and blood and anguish" which could be referring to WW1
or Hell awaiting them.

"When you're married, you'll realise that men with important work to do sometimes
have to spend all their time and energy on their business."
Mrs Birling knows her role as a women, wife of a businessman, in 1912 England so
well. She believes that women like her (in the capitalist society) are expected to
follow the wishes and interests of the husband and that Sheila should get used to to
being treated the 2nd best as the husband's business is a higher priority.

"When" used as a replacement for emphasising if Sheila's marriage is imminent,

meaning Sheila has no control over her future. "you'll realise" is said in a patronising
manner which shows Mrs Birling is undermining Sheia's intelligence, reinforcing the
idea of Mrs Birling's cold and rather snobbish tone to even her children.

This is ironic because Priestley shows that men of high status can use their privelege
not just to get ahead in their business but also use women for their interests.

"Clothes mean something different to a woman."

Men in 1912 were powerful and were judged mainly on their wealth as that was the
closest, measurable step towards masculinity. But for a woman it was based on their
looks how they were treated so nicer clothes, better treatment and cheaper clothes
led to worser impressions and ignored status. The problem at the time was that this
'treatment' was temporary.

This quote represents that there was lots of competition between women in that
society (regardless of their class) as it as based on what men saw that would lead to
better treatment and Priestley shows an example of this where Sheila's jealousy of
Eva's looks with the dress caused her to use her power to what she thought would
eliminate the competition.
The fact that clothes was the only element to a comfortable life meant that people
desperate like Eva gave up their dignity by showing more skin to get attention. This
put a condition on love and relationship.