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Inspector callsThemes : social responsibility , guilt , class , family , gender
Story : Act 1 The Birling family (Arthur, Sybil, Sheila and Eric) and Gerald Croft, are having a meal to celebrate the
engagement of Sheila and Gerald. Arthur Birling makes a toast. In it, he informs the younger members of the family
that their future looks bright and that it is important to look after themselves. Priestley makes use of dramatic irony
to undermine Arthur Birling – Birling says there won’t be a war and talks about the success of the Titanic. Just as Mr.
Birling says, “a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own”, the doorbell rings. Shortly
after, the maid shows Inspector Goole into the room. The Inspector explains that a young woman has died after
drinking bleach. He questions Mr. Birling, who admits to having her sacked after she was involved in a strike at the
factory. The Inspector then questions Sheila, who admits to having the girl sacked from Milwards because she was
jealous that the girl looked better in the dress she liked than she did.
Act 2 The Inspector’s attention falls on Gerald. When questioned, he admits that he knew the girl. After meeting her
at the Palace Music Hall in Brumley, Gerald set her up in the flat of a friend and they became lovers. After a happy
period, it came to an end and Eva / Daisy left Brumley and went to the seaside. After the questioning, Gerald goes
for a walk. The Inspector questions Mrs. Birling next. She admits that the girl came to her charitable organisation and
asked for help, as she was pregnant and could not ask the father for money. Mrs. Birling believes the girl is putting
on graces and is offended that she uses the name “Mrs. Birling”. She therefore persuades the other members of the
charity to refuse her request. Mrs. Birling is defiant and refuses to accept she did anything wrong. She tells the
Inspector that the father of the child is to blame and it is the Inspector’s “duty” to arrest him. Instead of leaving as
Mrs. Birling hoped, the Inspector waits to “do his duty.”
Act 3 Eric returns to the house and into the firing line. He knows that his secret is already out but does explain what
happened – he had an affair with the girl and she fell pregnant. He offered to marry her but she declined, knowing
that he didn’t love her. Eric gave her money to begin with, which he stole from his father’s business. When she
realised the money was stolen, she refused to take any more. The Birling family appear to have learnt their lesson
and seem sorry for what they have done. The Inspector tells them that we all have to look after each other and that
there are plenty of other people in the world like Eva Smith. He then leaves. Shortly after, Gerald Croft returns from
his walk. He brings into doubt the identity of the Inspector (having spoken to a policeman who has never heard of
him) and even explains that it is possible that Eva Smith never existed. Quickly convinced by Gerald’s arguments, Mr.
and Mrs. Birling decide that it was a joke and laugh the whole thing off. They have not really learnt anything. Eric and
Sheila are not so easily swayed. They argue with their parents that this doesn’t change anything – they are still
responsible for the terrible things they did. The telephone rings – it is for Mr. Birling. A young woman has just died at
the infirmary and a police inspector is on his way to the house. The play ends on this chilling note, leaving both the
audience and the Birlings in suspense. Greed
Redemption The theme of greed is shown through a few characters in
All events in this novella are following the the novella - predominantly we see Scrooge’s greed
transformation of Scrooge’s miserable character at regarding money and wealth as he refuses to part with a
the start to his kind and generous character at the single penny for any cause. We also see it through
end. In order to escape the horrible fate of Marley, Scrooge’s past that greed corrupted Scrooge and led to
Scrooge must change and atone for his sins against the end of his relationship with Belle, leaving him to lead
an isolated life. We also see the consequences of greed
mankind and redeem himself. Scrooge’s
personified in Marley and his heavy chain. Moreover, the
redemption is foreshadowed by Dickens throughout poor people who rob Scrooge’s house after his death in
the novella through small hints such as Scrooge’s Stave Four shows how greed leads to immoral and
father’s redemption and the transformation of corrupt behaviour across all classes.
Scrooge’s room in Stave three.
Social Responsibility
Family
Dickens wanted his readers to recognise that their actions have
The importance of family is central to the story.
consequences on others - particularly the poor. Jacob Marley serves
Dickens shows many examples of loving and as a symbol for what happens when social responsibility is ignored
supportive families through the Cratchits, Fred, Fan and even abused. Scrooge soon learns that he has a responsibility to
and even Belle’s family when she is older. Scrooge be kind to others as a friend, uncle, employer and as a member of
must look upon all of these characters and recognise society. As an employer, Scrooge must learn to treat his employees
that true happiness does not stem from love of with kindness and dignity, just as Fizziwig treated him. He learns he
money, but rather love of your fellow man. The needs to accept Fred’s invitations and be a loving and generous
Cratchits, in particular, show that they are uncle to the family he has left. Through Tiny Tim, we see how
supportive in spite of serious adversity such as a lack Scrooge’s actions could mean the difference between life and death
of money or the loss of a child. for those who are in desperate need
, Class - Class and hierarchy propel most of the events in the play. Eva Smith is symbolic of
the oppressed working class who are exploited by those in higher classes such as Mr
Birling and his low wages and Gerald and his affairs. Gerald represents the aristocracy and
it is clear that the importance of his reputation is his motivation for his actions throughout
the play. Mr Birling is also very keen to protect his public image and avoid a public scandal.
Mrs Birling also believes in social hierarchy and shows herself to be extremely prejudiced
again Eva purely because Eva is from a lower class. Priestley highlights and criticises these
damaging classist views through the inspector’s interrogations.
Capitalism - When you believe the society and the economy should be privately owned to work to the benefit of the
individual
Socialism - When you believe everyone should be equal in society and provide should be shared for a collective
benefit.
Morality - The knowledge of what is right and wrong.
Patriarchal- A society when it is ruled by men
Hierarchy - A system or society in which members are ranked according to their status
Foreshadowing - When the ending is hinted at through something or by someone
Stage direction
The lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives, and then it should be brighter and harder. This
stage direction portrays the capitalistic and nonchalant atmosphere in a pink and soft light until later on, suggesting
that it is ‘rosy’, unlike reality, where this sort of lighting is hardly ever present. It suggests that the events inside the
household are somehow unrealistic, or sheltered, as most of the characters appear to be (especially Sheila at the
beginning), which is why the inspector, who inspects all of this, brings a brighter and harder light, which shines lights
on everything, dispelling this rosy atmosphere, replacing it with reality – how it really is. The inspector is in this sense
like a literal torch, shining a light on falsehood, so the inspector is the moral correctness in this story.
Context
It was set in 1912, weeks before the Titanic sank and before the two world wars. Priestley uses dramatic
irony with Mr Birling such as describing the Titanic as "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable" to empathise
that he is foolish and ignorant, which would be more obvious to an audience because they would know he
was wrong.
JB Priestley was a socialist. Socialism is a political ideology that calls for collective responsibility and
common ownership of wealth, while capitalism calls for individual responsibility and free markets. JB
Priestley presents the Inspector as a foil to Mr Birling to compare the political ideologies of capitalism and
socialism; the Inspector who is a socialist is compassionate and caring, while Mr Birling who is a capitalist
is greedy and irresponsible
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