Plot - Short Summary

An Inspector Calls is about how people should be more responsible.
Priestley demonstrates that many wealthy people were irresponsible; they did not think enough about other people, which led to great inequality in society.
Priestley demonstrates that many wealthy people had double standards; they were happy to make judgements about others but unhappy to accept responsibility for their own mistakes.
Priestley uses the play to challenge traditional age roles and suggest that younger people will take more responsibility for others and can build a fairer society.

PLOT

1. While the Birlings are celebrating Sheila and Gerald’s engagement, an Inspector calls about a suicide.

2. On the inspector’s questioning, Arthur admits firing Eva from his factory but denies

3. On the inspector’s questioning, Sheila admits having Eva fired from her job and feels guilty.

4. On the inspector’s questioning, Gerald admits having an affair with Eva and feels guilty.

5. Under questioning, Sybil denies responsibility for Eva and blames the man who got her pregnant.

6. Under questioning, Eric admits to having got Eva pregnant and blames his mother for killing Eva and their child.

7. Gerald, Sybil and Arthur think Goole was a hoax; Eric and Sheila criticise them for not learning the right lesson.

8. A final phone call says that a suicide has happened and that a police inspector is on the way.

CHARACTERS

Inspector Goole is powerful and moral.

[cutting in, massively]. This stage direction shows Inspector is unafraid of the Birlings.
‘Misery and agony’. This emotive language demonstrates how badly Eva Smith has been treated.
‘We are responsible for each other’. This reflects Priestley’s important message about responsibility.

Sheila and Eric change through the Inspector’s questioning.

Sheila Birling is ashamed and willing to learn.

‘Mummy and daddy’ ‘mother and father’. Sheila starts off childish and sheltered but matures and changes her view of her parents.
‘I started it’ - Sheila takes full responsibility for having Eva fired.
‘I guess we’re all nice people now’ - Sheila is sarcastic with her parents, accusing them of not learning.

Eric Birling is ashamed and argumentative.

‘Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?’ Eric challenges his father’s selfish approach to business.
‘I did what I did’- Eric feels guilty and accepts complete responsibility for his actions.
‘You’re beginning to pretend that nothing happened’. Accuses his parents of not learning.

Arthur, Sybil and Gerald don’t change despite the Inspector’s questioning:

Arthur Birling is arrogant and selfish.

‘A man has to mind his own business, look after himself and his own’. Cares only about himself and his family. Not willing to take good care of his workers.
‘I refused of course’. Proudly admits he refused a pay rise and sees nothing wrong with what he did.
‘I can’t accept any responsibility’. Refuses to accept that he had any part in Eva’s death.
‘I’d give thousands’- Arthur arrogantly tries to bribe the Inspector to protect his reputation

Sybil Birling is unkind and prejudiced.

‘girls of that class’ - judgemental of working classes, believing that they get pregnant, lie and steal.
‘I was perfectly justified’ - Takes no responsibility for her actions.
‘Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility.’ Double standards. Happy to blame the father when she thinks he is working class. The dramatic irony is that the father is Eric.

Gerald is ashamed but arrogant.

‘We can keep it from him’ Gerald wants to lie about his affair to the inspector. Irresponsible.
‘I was sorry for her’. Gerald feels ashamed of the way he treated Eva, but admits that he felt sorry for her and tried to help her at first.
‘Everything’s alright...What about this ring?’ Gerald believes they can go back to the way they were before.

SETTING: The play is set in the Birlings’ ‘heavily comfortable house’ where they drink ‘champagne’. This is a huge contrast to the life led by the working classes.

CONTEXT

In 1912, there were obvious divisions between classes: upper, middle and lower.
In 1912, if people fell ill or unemployed, there was no benefits system to help.
In 1945, when the play was first performed, things were starting to change but Priestley reminded his audience that there was still a lot of work to do to change inequality.

THEMES

Responsibility: Through the characters’ actions, Priestley demonstrates that many wealthy people were irresponsible; they did not think enough about other people, which led to great inequality in society.

Class: Priestley highlights the inequality in 1912 society. He also demonstrates that many upper class people had double standards: they behaved badly themselves, but continued to look down on the working classes.

Age: Priestley uses the play to challenge traditional age roles and suggest that younger people will take more responsibility for others and can build a fairer society.

VOCABULARY

arrogant - behaving as if you are better or know more than other people
ashamed - feeling guilty or embarrassed about something you have done
moral - behaving in a way that is good and right
responsibility - either: someone/something that it is your duty to take care of Or: accepting you played a role in something that didn’t turn out well
responsible - either: knowing that it is your duty to take care of someone/something

OR: accepting you played a role in something that didn’t turn out well

Irresponsible - either: not feeling it is your duty to take care of someone/something

OR: not accepting you played a role in something that didn’t turn out well

prejudice(d) - an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, class, etc
unsympathetic -not showing any care for someone else’s suffering
stage directions - the notes in the text of a play which say what the actors should do, plus the arrangement of the scenery

dramatic irony - when the audience knows something the characters don’t