An Inspector Calls – Quotes by Mr. Birling
Arthur Birling is a wealthy businessman who is more concerned with his social status and profits than with the well-being of his family or employees.
“A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own – and -”
“The Titanic – she sails next week … unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
“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.”
“The Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war, except some half-civilized folks in the Balkans.”
“You’ll hear some people say that war’s inevitable. And to that, I say – fiddlesticks!”
“The way 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.”
“I can’t accept any responsibility. 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?”
“I’m talking as a hard-headed practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war.”
“I say there isn’t a chance of war. The world’s developing so fast that it’ll make war impossible.”
“Just because the Kaiser makes a speech or two, or a few German officers have too much to drink and start talking nonsense, you’ll hear some people say that war’s inevitable. And to that, I say – fiddlesticks!”
“Now look at the pair of them – the famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke-“
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can. And I’ll have to be careful not to get caught.”
“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?”
“Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
“If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth.”
“I was almost certain for a knighthood in the next Honours List.”
“I can’t accept any responsibility.”
“The whole story’s just a lot of moonshine. Nothing but an elaborate sell!”
“It’s a free country, I told them.”
“Look Inspector, I’d give thousands – yes, thousands -“
“Yes, my dear, I know – I’m talking too much.”
“I’m a public man -“
“The press might easily take it up -“
“It’s a funny time to be asking for a rise.”
“And I say, there isn’t a chance of war.”
“As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money!”
“But these girls aren’t cheap labor. They’re people.”
“I don’t like that tone.”
“The Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war, except some half-civilized folks in the Balkans.”
“I’m talking as a hard-headed practical man of business.”
“It’s exactly the same port your father gets from him.”
“Now you’ve stopped it, I’m telling you it’s not true. And neither your mother nor I did anything that we’re ashamed of or that won’t bear investigation.”
“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.”
“Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
“We were paying the usual rates and if they didn’t like those rates, they could go and work somewhere else.”
“If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth.”
“I can’t accept any responsibility. 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 Germans don’t want war. Nobody wants war, except some half-civilized folks in the Balkans.”
“I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war.”
“It’s about time you learnt to face a few responsibilities.”
“I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can.”
“If you don’t come down sharply on some of these people, they’d soon be asking for the earth.”