Mr Birling Quotes Act 3

Mr Birling - Key Quote (Act 3)

'You! You don’t seem to care about anything. But I care. I was almost certain for a knighthood in the next Honours List.’ Here's an analysis of this key quote from Act 3:

Irony

Mr Birling exclaims this at Eric.
The irony here is clear – Mr Birling repeatedly says that Eric doesn’t care about anything; in reality, it is Mr Birling who does not care about anyone but himself.

Disconnects from family

Mr Birling uses the second person pronoun ‘you’ to verbally (with words) attack his son and show how he is separating Eric’s ideas from his own – they have become ‘you’ and ‘I’, two very different people who have completely opposite ideas about life.
Eric wants the family to take responsibility for their actions and think of other people, while Birling is obsessed with his reputation and is desperate to get his knighthood.
This shows a huge crack in the façade (fake image) of the Birling family.

Mr Birling - Key Quotes (Act 3)

‘I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can’

Mr Birling, as is consistent (stays the same) with his character throughout the play, only cares about covering up this story so it doesn’t affect their reputations, social status, or his chance at receiving a knighthood.
He consistently shows a selfish, self-centred attitude. He obsesses over his reputation. He is not very concerned with the consequences of his actions.

‘this makes a difference...'

‘This makes a difference, y’know. In fact, it makes all the difference’.
As far as Mr Birling is concerned, the most important factor in the story is that Inspector Goole is not a real police inspector.
This is vital for Birling because he knows that the story of Eva Smith is now unlikely to end in a scandal for him.
He doesn’t care about his actions on the girl’s life or the effect of these actions on the girl herself.
If the Inspector has no connection to the police, he has no power to cause problems for Birling, and so Mr Birling is prepared to forget the whole story and continue with life as before.

1Plot Summary

1.1Act 1

1.1.1Act 1 Summary

1.1.2Act 1 Key Quotes

1.2Act 2

1.2.1Act 2 Summary

1.2.2Act 2 Key Quotes

1.3Act 3

1.3.1Act 3 Summary

1.3.2Act 3 Key Quotes

1.3.3Act 3 More Key Quotes

1.3.4End of Topic Test - Acts 1, 2 & 3

2Context & Key Themes

2.1Context & Key Themes

2.1.1Social Class & Equality

2.1.2Class Tension

2.1.3Abuse of Power & Corruption

2.1.4Socialism vs Capitalism

2.1.5Blame & Responsibility

2.1.6Attitudes to Women

2.1.7Characterisation of Women

2.1.8Dramatic Function of Characters

2.1.9End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Context & Key Themes 2

2.1.11Grade 9 - Key Themes

2.1.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - Socialism vs Communism

2.1.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Edna

2.1.14Diagnostic Misconceptions - Women in the Play

2.1.15Diagnostic Misconceptions - Eva Smith

3Key Characters

4Authorial Method

4.1Arrangement & Structure of the Play

4.1.1Setting, Lighting & Dramatic Irony

4.1.2Structure & Chronology

4.1.3Structure & Chronology 2

4.1.4End of Topic Test - Authorial Method

4.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Flashbacks

5Recap: Main Quotes

5.1Mr Birling Quotes

5.1.1Mr Birling Quotes Act 1

5.1.2Mr Birling Quotes Act 2

5.1.3Mr Birling Quotes Act 3

5.2Mrs Birling Quotes

5.2.1Mrs Birling Quotes Act 1

5.2.2Mrs Birling Quotes Act 2

5.2.3Mrs Birling Quotes Act 3

5.3Sheila Quotes

5.3.1Sheila Quotes Act 1

5.3.2Sheila Quotes Act 2

5.3.3Sheila Quotes Act 3

5.4Eric Quotes

5.4.1Eric Quotes Act 1

5.4.2Eric Quotes Act 1 (2nd Quote)

5.4.3Eric Quotes Act 3

5.5Gerald Quotes

5.5.1Gerald Quotes Act 1

5.5.2Gerald Quotes Act 2

5.5.3Gerald Quotes Act 3

5.6Inspector Goole Quotes

5.6.1Inspector Goole Quotes Act 1

5.6.2Inspector Goole Quotes Act 2

5.6.3Inspector Goole Quotes Act 3

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