Sheila

"pretty and in her 20's, rather pleased with life" - Immediate introduction to her ingenue and role as part of the younger generation, ignorant of the world around her and the lower classes. "Look mummy, isnt it a beauty!" - Infantalised, vocative of "mummy" shows her protected background. Materialistic, cares about the ring. "Oh I wish you hadn't told me" - Wishes to remain ignorant of the lower classes problems at first, reflective of the Birling's inability to change. "Pretty? - Cares about Eva's looks, reflective of her own materialistic self. Acting like this because of the patriarchal bubble. "These girls aren't cheap labour they're people" - Beginning to change, already acting as a socialist mouthpiece. "No, not really it was my own fault." - Accepting of guilt and social responsibility. "I'll never, never do it again" - Showing remorse and change, very different to the older generation. "Did you love her?" - Still partly an ingenue, cares about relationships, however this time its something more personal. "I dont dislike you the way I did half an hour ago" - Displaying maturity, huge change from the infantalised ingenue she used to be. "The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything." - Mouthpiece for the inspector now that he's gone. "Between us we drove that girl to suicide" - Acceptance of social responsibility and the inspector's message.

Gerald

"An attractive chap about thirty" - Highlights looks, as well as age, as he is inbetween the younger generation and the older. "It's what happened to her after she left Mr Birling's work that's important." - Offloading responsibility, ironically to himself. "I don't come into this suicide business" - Starts of dismissing and unaware of the consequences to his own actions. Foreshadowing from Priestley. "I've suddenly realized- taken it in properly- that she's dead" - Only just come accepted responsibility, and the value of life, now that he's realised it's somebody he knew and "loved". "Hard eyed dough faced" - Objectifying of women, highlights the patriarchal society. "I made her go to Morgan Terrace" - Saviour complex, believe he was doing the right thing" “I didn’t install her there so that I could make love to her.” - Talks about her like an object, highlighted by 'install'. "I didn't feel about her as she felt about me" - No romantic attraction, shows that his actions were purely out of sexual interest. "Everything's all right now Sheila" - Grouped with the ignorant older generation now, tries to hide his actions and hide from social responsibility. "So we can treat it as if it didn’t happen at all." - Wants to cover up his actions and remain as it was, ignorant to change.

Eric

"Half shy half assertive" - Socially awkward and conflicted. "Squiffy" - Foreshadowing of his drinking problem, however downplayed by the ignorant at first Sheila. "Well. Don’t do any. We’ll drink their health and have done with it." - Tries to skip on his father's speeches, already showing dislike to the older and wealthy upper class. "She’s got a nasty temper sometimes" - Referring to Sheila, dramatic irony as her 'nasty temper' builds up to the death of Eva. "What about war" - Already more socially present than his father, aware of the tensions building. Directly contrasted afterwards by the "Nobody wants war!", dramatic irony. "I left’em talking about clothes again" - Womaniser, foreshadowing his attitudes towards women and how to treat them. "My god!" - Initial reaction to Eva's death, even if he is unaware of the value she holds to him as of now. "Is that why she committed suicide? When was this, father?" - Blame on his father, already going against the upper class. "Well, I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty" - Uses euphemisms to downplay his flaws and drinking problem. "Because you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble" - Now directly disobeying his father, extreme dislike to the upper class and older generation.

Mr Birling

"Portentous, provincial in speech" - Egotistical, but not born from wealth. Exploited his fellow working class for money. "A man has to look after himself" - Selfish, capitalist views. "The germans dont want war!" - Dramatic irony, audience have been through 2 world wars at this point. "Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable" - More dramatic irony, portrays him as foolish. "Bees in a hive" - Sarcastic comments on socialism, makes him seem foolish to criticise it after his dramatic irony. "I can’t accept any responsibility.” - Immediate dismissal of any involvement with Eva, shows capitalist ignorance. "It’s my duty to keep labour costs down.” - Capitalist views, shows his role as being a microcosm of the capitalist bourgeoisie. "I don’t like your tone nor the way you’re handling this enquiry.” - More worried about his ego than the death of Eva. "I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can.” -Concerned about himself, not Eva or his family. "(jovially) But the whole thing’s different now” - Eager to return to life how it was before, tries to forget the inspector's lessons.

Mrs Birling

"Her husbands social superior" - Cares about status, highlights what she values immediately. "I don’t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide.” - Refuses to understand the lower class, unable to sympathise with them. “That - I consider - is a trifle impertinent Inspector.” - Cares more about her own ego than the death of Eva. "We are learning something tonight.” - Sarcastic acceptance of the inspector's message, shows her distaste towards him. "I didn’t like her manner” - Caused the death of someone because they hurt her ego. "I consider I did my duty." - Somebody has died, yet she believes she is in the right. Displays a superiority complex. "Go and look for the father of the child" - Attempt to offload responsibility, ironically to her son's demise. "Eric, I can’t believe it. There must be some mistake.” - Regretful towards her own actions now that it directly affects her family, shows a fake sort of compassion.

The Inspector

"An impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness" - Priestley directly telling the audience that this man is important, and will have an impact. "She'd swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant" - No euphemisms, accepts the truth for what it is. "It’s my duty to ask questions.” - Priestley's mouthpiece, wants the audience to consider the shady actions of the bourgeoisie. "I don’t play golf.” - Cold dismissal of the upper class' social and economic influence, wants the audience to disregard their threats too. "If you’re easy with me, I’m easy with you." - Priestley talking through the inspector, warning to the bourgeoisie. "You’re partly to blame, just as your father is." - Places blame on the entire bourgeoisie, as they all had a part in the mistreatment of the working class. “But you can’t. It’s too late. She’s dead.” - No euphemisms, accepts the situation for what it is, unlike the upper class, who try to hide behind lies. "Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges.” - Warning of consequence and responsibility to the upper class "I’m losing all patience with you people." - Fed up with the upper class, tired of their lies and mistreatment. "Fire, blood and anguish" - Biblical allusion to hell, warning to the upper class. "There are millions and millions of John Smiths and Eva Smiths" - Generalised the working class as one body, socialist views. Giving the bourgeoisie another chance to properly support the working class.