AN INSPECTOR CALLS
Act One: Important Quotations
Quotation
‘The titanic- she sails next
week… unsinkable
absolutely unsinkable’
‘ But she was very pretty
and looked as if she could
take care of herself. I
couldn’t be sorry for her’
Once you have re-read the whole of Act One, select three other important quotations:
Who says it? Who do they What is Priestley trying to show about this character Which themes does this link to?
say it to? at this point in time?
Mr Birling Eric Dramatic irony
Mrs Birling He’s using dramatic irony to demonstrate how We
Sheila should undermine our faith his opinions about society
Gerald because the audience then and now know that this
prediction- just like the the war one- was incorrect.
Sheila He’s demonstrating the naivety of Sheila because of Jealousy and the theme of the children being
Inspector how she associates the fact that because Eva was too sheltered from real life issues
Goole pretty that she would be able to ‘take care of herself’
al though he doesn’t go to much into what it means
there could be to two connotations.
1) She was pretty enough to find a man to take
care of her
2) She could- do what she inevitably did- go to to
the streets.
 ‘’Why shouldn't they try Eric
for higher wages? We try
for the highest possible
prices"
‘[Mrs Birling] is about Stage
fifty, a rather cold woman directions
and her husband’s social
superior.’
Mr birling Social responsibility
Youth and age
Priestley does this to show the differing in reactions of
the younger and older generation- how the younger
react with a sense of regret and sympathy.
Stage Social class
directions Priestley does this to demonstrate how Mrs Birling fits
the stereotype of the money and power hungry
housewife that doesn’t show any emotion because
she constantly looks down upon others.