Priestley shows the attitudes of the different characters towards responsibility:
Mr Birling does not have a sense of responsibility to his workers, just to making a profit and towards his family
Mrs Birling has a sense of responsibility to do good deeds by being on the Brumley Women’s Charity Organisation but feels no sense of responsibility for what happened to Eva Smith after she turned her away
Gerald seems to show a responsible attitude when he rescued the girl from the attentions of Alderman Meggarty but then used her for his own purposes, discarding her once she was of no further use to him
Eric shows little responsibility for his own actions, forcing himself upon Eva when he was in a drunken state and even when he tried to help her, he did it by stealing from his own father
Sheila does show a sense of responsibility somewhat belatedly, realising that her actions in Milwards had a devastating consequence for one young woman’s life
The Inspectors final speech is like a sermon or a politician's. He leaves the family with the message "We are responsible for each other" and warns them of the "fire and blood and anguish" that will result if they do not pay attention to what he has taught them.