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York Notes for GCSE (9-1): An Inspector Calls

ISBN: 978-1-2921-3532-8

www.yorknotes.com

Notes by John Scicluna

Revised by Mary Green

The right of John Scicluna to be identified as Author of this Work has

been

asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and

Patents Act

1988

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© Librairie du Liban Publishers 2015

Excerpts from An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley are reproduced

by

kind permission of United Agents on behalf of the Estate of the late

J. B. Priestley.

Illustrations by Timo Grubing and Rob Foote (Key locations diagram

only)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored

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VIDEOS

PLOT AND ACTION

CHARACTERS

THEMES, CONTEXTS AND SETTINGS

FORM, STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE

PROGRESS BOOSTER

CHECKPOINT ANSWERS

SAMPLE ANSWERS
 VIDEO TUTORIALS

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An introduction to the play

Planning a response

Writing a top quality paragraph

The challenges of the text

Top revision tips

Plot and Action
 GETTING STARTED

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED ON MY WORK ON

AN INSPECTOR CALLS?

All exam boards are different but whichever course you are
following, your work will be examined through these four
Assessment Objectives:

Assessment
Wording Worth thinking about…
Objectives
AO1 Read, understand and • How well do I know what
respond to texts. Students happens, what people say, do
should be able to: etc?
• maintain a critical style • What do I think about the key
and develop an informed ideas in the play?
personal response
• How can I support my
• use textual references, viewpoint in a really convincing
including quotations, to way?
support and illustrate
• What are the best quotations
interpretations.
to use and when should I use
them?

AO2 Analyse the language, • What specific things does the

form and structure used by writer ‘do’? What choices has
a writer to create meanings Priestley made (why this
and effects, using relevant particular word, phrase or
subject terminology where paragraph here? Why does this
appropriate. event happen at this point?)
• What effects do these choices
create – Anticipation? Sense of
threat? Reflective mood?
Assessment
Wording Worth thinking about…
Objectives
AO3 Show understanding of the • What can I learn about society
relationships between texts from the play? (What does it tell
and the contexts in which me about workers’ rights in the
they were written. 1910s, for example?)
• What was society like in
Priestley’s time? Can I see it
reflected in the play?

AO4 Use a range of vocabulary • How accurately and clearly do

and sentence structures I write?
for clarity, purpose and
• Are there small errors of
effect, with accurate
grammar, spelling and
spelling and punctuation.
punctuation I can get rid of?

The text used in these notes is the Heinemann edition, 1992.

PLOT SUMMARY: WHAT HAPPENS IN AN
INSPECTOR CALLS?

ACT ONE: MEETING THE CHARACTERS

© David Muscroft / Shutterstock

The Birling family and Gerald Croft are celebrating Sheila’s

engagement to Gerald.
Mr Birling makes pompous speeches outlining his views on the
advances in science, new inventions and the relationship
between bosses and workers. He says they should ignore the
‘cranks’ (p. 10) who claim that everybody has a responsibility to
care for everybody else.
The evening is interrupted by the arrival of a police inspector
named Goole making enquiries about the suicide of a young
woman, Eva Smith.
Shown a photograph of the girl, Mr Birling admits that he
employed her in his factory but sacked her for being one of the
leaders of a strike for higher wages.
Sheila and Eric both feel that their father has acted harshly,
while Gerald supports Mr Birling’s claim that he acted
 reasonably.
Sheila is shown the photograph and realises that, driven by
jealousy and ill temper, she later had the girl sacked from her
job as a shop assistant.
When Gerald hears that the girl changed her name to Daisy
Renton, his reaction shows that he too has known the girl.
The Inspector suggests that many people share responsibility
for the misery which prompted Eva Smith/Daisy Renton to end
her life.
Left alone with Gerald, Sheila warns him not to try to hide
anything from the Inspector.

Key context

Women’s wages were lower than men’s in the Edwardian period,

so the Inspector’s comment that Eva Smith ‘hadn’t been able to
save much out of what Birling and Company had paid her’ (p.
19) rings true.
ACT TWO: MORE REVELATIONS

Gerald admits that he met Daisy Renton in the spring of the

previous year and that she was his mistress for six months.
Sheila is hurt and angry at Gerald’s involvement with the girl, yet
she feels a certain respect for the openness of his admission.
Mrs Birling tries to bully the Inspector and to control events.
Sheila realises that the Inspector’s enquiries are well founded,
and that her mother might also have had some dealings with the
girl.
While Eric is out of the room, Mrs Birling is forced to admit that
the girl asked for the help of a charity she worked for and was
refused.
It is revealed that the girl was pregnant, and Mrs Birling lays the
blame for the girl’s death on the father of the unborn child.
There is a suspicion that Eric might have been the father of that
unborn child.

Top tip

When writing about a specific scene or extract, try to make

connections with the play as a whole, where relevant. For example,
when discussing the Inspector you could note that there is a
change in the stage directions so the light becomes ‘brighter and
harder’ (p. 1). The harsher light tells us that the Inspector is an
important figure who is about to bring a harsh reality into the lives
of the Birlings and Gerald Croft, and also suggests that he may
affect the course of events.
ACT THREE: THE INSPECTOR LEAVES BUT THE
MYSTERY CONTINUES

© Phil Dickson / Thinkstock

Eric confesses that he got the girl pregnant and that he stole
money from his father’s firm to support her.
Learning that the girl had appealed to his mother for help and
been turned down, Eric blames his mother for the girl’s death.
The Inspector makes a dramatic speech about the
consequences of the kind of social irresponsibility that Mr Birling
was preaching at the end of the dinner.
The Inspector, having shown that each had a part in ruining the
girl’s life, leaves.
Between them Gerald and Mr Birling gradually prove that the
man was not a real police inspector.
A telephone call to the Chief Constable establishes that there is
no Inspector Goole on the police force.
A telephone call to the Infirmary reveals that there has been no
recent suicide.
Eric and Sheila continue to feel guilty about what they have
done, but the others now shrug off any guilt.
Mr Birling answers the telephone: a young woman has just died
on her way to the Infirmary and an inspector is on his way to
make enquiries.
 REVISION FOCUS: CHARACTER TIMELINE

On a timeline, plot each character’s involvement in the life of Eva

Smith as it is revealed. Make sure you list the events in chronological
order. Include the Inspector’s involvement too, so that you begin
your timeline with his arrival at the Birling house. Note the Act and
page in which each event occurs.
ACT ONE, PART 1: CELEBRATING THE
ENGAGEMENT (PP. 1–7)

SUMMARY

kuzina/Shutterstock

The Birlings and Gerald Croft are enjoying a dinner to celebrate

the engagement of Gerald to Sheila.
Sheila, partly serious and partly light-hearted, reproaches
Gerald for neglecting her last summer. Mrs Birling, who says
 little, stresses that men like Gerald and Mr Birling are committed
to their businesses.
Eric, who is slightly drunk, suddenly bursts out laughing, to the
annoyance of his parents and Sheila.
Mr Birling makes a speech congratulating the engaged couple
and expressing his pleasure at the match. He hopes their
marriage will lead to closer links and greater profits for the
Birling and Croft companies.
The family raise a toast to the couple and, to Sheila’s delight,
Gerald presents her with an engagement ring.
Mr Birling gives another speech dismissing recent strikes among
the workers and extolling his belief in a successful future for
employers like himself. He also dismisses the possibility of a
war with Germany.
Mrs Birling, Sheila and Eric exit, leaving Mr Birling and Gerald to
enjoy port and cigars.

Key context

Mr Birling’s reference to the Titanic , sailing ‘next week’ (p.7)

places the setting of An Inspector Calls the week before Thursday
11 April 1912 when the Titanic departed from Southampton. The
liner sank in the early hours of 15 April after hitting an iceberg and
1500 people lost their lives.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

It introduces five of the main characters and establishes the

relationships between them.
It demonstrates the wealth and social position of the Birling
and Croft families.
It hints at Mr Birling’s attitudes to life, marriage, money and
business.
It introduces key ideas about social justice, the divisions
between the social classes and how life will develop in the
future.
 KEY CHARACTERS: THE BIRLINGS AND
GERALD

J. B. Priestley presents all the main characters in this opening scene.

Mr Birling is the head of the family, a man of business, who likes to
make pompous speeches. He is delighted at the engagement
between Sheila and Gerald, since it will expand his business.
However, his lack of concern about relationships between employers
and the work force, and about the possibility of war, suggest that his
judgement is poor. Mrs Birling is reserved, says little and places
great importance on correct behaviour. Eric finds self-control difficult.
He drinks too much and is ill at ease in company. By contrast, Sheila
is confident and happy to be engaged to Gerald, a sociable, polite,
upper-class man of thirty, who seems fond of Sheila. Nonetheless,
Priestley raises doubts in the audience’s mind about how honest and
loving the relationship between the couple really is when Sheila
playfully questions Gerald about his neglect of her the previous
summer.
 TOP TIP: WRITING ABOUT GERALD’S MOTIVES

When Mrs Birling defends Gerald’s neglect of Sheila, she comments

that ‘men with important work to do … have to spend … their
time and energy on their business’ (p. 3). This hints that Mrs
Birling is used to her husband neglecting their marriage and also
reinforces the idea that there was a reason Gerald neglected Sheila
– one that might have a bearing on the development of the play.
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT MR BIRLING

Read what one student has written about Mr Birling’s character

and attitudes.

Priestley uses the character of Mr Birling to show how

out of touch the wealthy could be before the First World
War. [A good example of what Mr Birling represents]
Mr Birling’s confidence that prosperity will continue, that
trouble with the work force, is ‘a lot of wild talk’ and
that war is highly unlikely creates the effect that he is
unable to understand what is happening in the world
around him. Not only did strikes increase, but also the
First World War was to begin two years later. In
addition,[A useful connective to highlight an extra
point] Mr Birling sees technology as only linked to
progress so that his remarks about the Titanic as
‘unsinkable’ are ironic [A clear example of a literary
technique (irony) used by Priestley to create effects]
as well as bad judgement.

Now you try it:

Add a sentence to say how Mr Birling imagines 1940 and why this
was ironic for the British audience watching the first performance
of the play in 1946.
 KEY SETTING: THE DINING ROOM

In his stage directions, J. B. Priestley describes how the set should

look, so the family’s privileged lifestyle is clear. The dining room has
‘good solid furniture’ (p. 1). The champagne, port and cigars all
reflect a very comfortable lifestyle where luxury is taken for granted.
The hard furniture also suggests a lack of family warmth, despite the
luxury, and the formal nature of the dinner party suggests the family’s
wealth.
 KEY CONTEXT: WEALTH AND BUSINESS

Priestley is preparing us for the contrast we will see between the

lifestyle of the wealthy and the hardships endured by those they
employ. The references to business and to the Croft family’s higher
social standing and greater wealth indicate the things Mr Birling
values. Although he comes from a modest background, he sees
Sheila’s marriage to Gerald as the beginning of a powerful business
empire.

Checkpoint

Mr Birling has distinct views. How would you describe his character
so far?
See Answer
ACT ONE, PART 2: A CONFIDENTIAL CHAT (PP.
8–11)

SUMMARY

Mr Birling and Gerald Croft remain in the dining room where Mr

Birling wonders if Lady Croft is concerned that Sheila is of a
lower social class than Gerald.
Gerald politely dismisses Mr Birling’s worries. Mr Birling
mentions that he is likely to get a knighthood in the New Year’s
Honours List and is pleased when Gerald suggests that he drop
a hint to his mother.
Gerald and Mr Birling joke about a scandal ruining that
possibility.
 Eric returns, pours himself a drink, and tells them the women
are talking about clothes, so there is no hurry.
Mr Birling claims that to women clothes are a mark of self-
respect. Eric, about to recall something, stops himself abruptly.
They are interrupted by someone at the front door. It is a police
inspector and Mr Birling, who is a magistrate, assumes he has
come for a warrant.
Gerald jokes that Eric may have been ‘up to something’ (p.
10). Eric is not amused.

Top tip

Mr Birling claims that a man must work hard in life and that his only
responsibility is to himself and his family. Notice how he laughs at
the idea of responsibility to others in society.

Key context

When Mr Birling says he has been ‘a sound useful party man’ (p.
8) he means a political party man. In the past, wealthy people
made donations to the party in power, which could ensure a
knighthood.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

It allows Mr Birling to talk with Gerald while the rest of the family
are not present.
It reveals the selfish way in which the Birlings and Crofts think.
We learn that Mr Birling, despite his wealth, feels socially
inferior to the Crofts.
It is revealed that Mr Birling is in line for a knighthood.
There are hints about secrets that could affect the characters
in the future.
 KEY THEME: STATUS AND AMBITION

In this section Priestley shows us how ambitious Mr Birling is to gain

social status, and how much he believes in each man for himself and
his own. Mr Birling fears that Lady Croft may not wholly approve of
Sheila because the Birlings are of a lower social class and, since
Lord and Lady Croft are absent from the engagement dinner, there is
a hint that Mr Birling’s fears may be justified. Nonetheless, we
suspect that the Birlings’ wealth is sufficiently attractive to the Crofts
for them to agree to the marriage. We see another example of Mr
Birling’s ambition when he tells Gerald (and, via him, Lady Croft) that
he expects a knighthood. However, his most important characteristic
is his belief that a man has no responsibilities to the wider
community. Inspector Goole will challenge this view, and
responsibility to others will be a constant theme throughout the play.
 KEY QUOTATION: DRAMATIC DEVICES

Gerald’s comment to Mr Birling, ‘You seem to be a nice well-

behaved family’ (p. 8) would alert a perceptive audience to the
possibility that the Birlings are no such thing, and it would be
Priestley’s intention to create this effect. Dramatic irony of this kind is
one of the most common devices used in the play.

Top tip

Make a list of all the quotations between pages 8 and 11, up to the
Inspector’s entrance, that hint at revelations to come as the play
progresses.
 AIMING HIGH: MAKE LINKS TO WIDER THEMES

© nameinfame / Thinkstock

Mr Birling’s joke that he expects a knighthood, provided that the

Birlings don’t ‘start a scandal’ (p. 8), and Gerald’s joke that Eric
may have been up to something ‘fishy’ (p. 9) alert the audience to
the likelihood of a scandal. These comments illustrate Priestley’s use
of irony and also link to the wider themes of the play, such as
hypocrisy and responsibility. For example, Mr Birling is happy to
accept a knighthood from the community while he dismisses his
responsibility to the community, revealing his hypocrisy. Eric’s
irresponsibility and lack of concern for others results in Eva Smith’s
pregnancy (p. 53).

You will gain more marks if you mention these links to the wider
themes of the play.
You can also show how Mrs Birling’s and Sheila’s preoccupation with
clothes (p. 9) links to Eva Smith’s story and the theme of
responsibility. A dress is at the centre of Eva Smith’s sacking from
Milwards – a dress that suits Eva Smith better than Sheila, who is
jealous, and Sheila is responsible for Eva Smith’s dismissal (pp. 20–
2).
ACT ONE, PART 3: AN INSPECTOR INTERRUPTS
(PP. 11–16)

SUMMARY

An Inspector enters the room. Mr Birling tries to take control of

the situation. He mentions his standing in the community, but
the Inspector is unimpressed.
The Inspector has come to make enquiries about the suicide of
a girl who has died after drinking disinfectant.
Eric is shocked. Mr Birling is more interested in why the
Inspector is visiting. The Inspector says that there was a letter
and a diary in the girl’s room. She had more than one name,
including Eva Smith.
The Inspector shows Mr Birling a photograph of Eva Smith, but
refuses to show Gerald or Eric.
Mr Birling recognises the girl. He claims her suicide had nothing
to do with her dismissal two years previously as a ringleader of
a strike.
Eric objects to his father’s actions. Mr Birling justifies them and
Gerald supports him. In an attempt to silence the Inspector, Mr
Birling says the Chief Constable is his friend.
Eric and Mr Birling continue to argue about Mr Birling’s sacking
of Eva Smith. Mr Birling sees no need for the Inspector to
question him further. Sheila enters.

Checkpoint

In the course of the play, how does J. B. Priestley develop the idea
of events in time being like links in a chain? Where is Mr Birling
placed in this chain?
See Answer
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

The celebratory atmosphere is interrupted by the arrival of the

Inspector, who has a commanding presence.
We see Mr Birling losing control of events.
A link is made between the suicide of Eva Smith and the
Birlings.
Eric opposes his father’s decision to sack Eva Smith.

Key context

In the same year that Mr Birling’s factory workers were striking for
an increase in pay, Philip Snowden published a book called The
Living Wage (1912, London: Hodder and Stoughton). A living wage
(the amount a person needs to live on) is still campaigned for
today.
 KEY CHARACTERS: MR BIRLING AND THE
INSPECTOR

Priestley presents the Inspector and Mr Birling as opposites. When

the Inspector enters, the stage directions tell us he creates ‘an
impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness’ (p.
11). Priestley is telling us that the Inspector will almost certainly have
an impact on future events, and from the outset the Inspector takes
command of the situation. He ‘has a disconcerting habit of
looking hard’ (p. 11) at someone before speaking, he takes his time
and interrupts Mr Birling, ‘cutting through’ (p. 12) his bluster. Mr
Birling, by contrast, adopts a condescending manner towards the
Inspector and shows increasing ‘impatience’ (p. 11). Finally he
resorts to bullying when he realises that the Inspector will do his
‘duty’ (p. 15) and not be diverted. The biggest difference between
the two is the Inspector’s determination to pursue justice for Eva
Smith, and Mr Birling’s determination to ‘keep labour costs down’
(p. 15) at the expense of his work force.
 KEY QUOTATION: ASKING FOR THE EARTH

When the Inspector says, ‘But after all it’s better to ask for the
earth than to take it’ (p. 15), he is replying to Mr Birling’s
justification for sacking Eva Smith. The Inspector’s comment links
closely to his monologue in the final act (p. 56), in which he warns
the Birlings and Gerald of potential conflict to come if his message of
responsibility to others is ignored.

Top tip

Note how the Inspector’s arrival interrupts Mr Birling expressing his

disregard for community responsibility. This is ironic when we learn
that the Inspector has arrived to try to teach them about what
responsibility really means.
 KEY STRUCTURE: THE CHAIN BEGINS

Priestley uses the Inspector to outline the idea of a ‘chain of events’

(p. 14) leading to Eva Smith’s death. Although Eva Smith was a
good worker, Mr Birling’s refusal to take her back after the strike
means that he is the first link in the chain. When he asks the
Inspector ‘what happened to her after that?’ (p. 16) he unwittingly
invites the Inspector to reveal the next link in the chain.
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT EVA SMITH

You may be asked to write about important features of the play.

Here is what one student has written about the way Priestley
presents the character of Eva Smith:

The Inspector introduces the character of Eva Smith. He

has her letter ‘and a sort of diary’ and is able to outline
a chain of events[A key point about Eva Smith’s story]
leading to her death. However,[Connective adverb
helps develop a related point] we never meet her and
only see her through the Inspector’s eyes, and the other
characters who assume she is the same person that each
of them knew. Mr Birling seems cruel and unsympathetic
towards her. The Inspector, a good man, shows sympathy
and consequently[Conjunctive adverb connects clauses
showing cause and effect] we assume that Priestley
shares his view. Eva Smith’s life is at the centre of the
play because…

Now you try it:

Finish the final sentence saying who or what Eva Smith represents
in society and what Priestley means by creating her.
ACT ONE, PART 4: SHEILA’S LINK IN THE CHAIN
(PP. 16–21)

SUMMARY

Sheila returns. Mr Birling assumes the Inspector will now leave

and is annoyed when he wants to question Sheila.
Sheila is shocked by the description of the girl’s suicide and Mr
Birling becomes less aggressive when he realises that the
Inspector wants to question others in the family who might know
something of the girl’s life.
Sheila, Eric and Gerald claim no knowledge of Eva Smith and
the Inspector reminds them that she used more than one name.
The Inspector describes Eva Smith’s struggle to find work after
her dismissal from Birlings, explaining that there are many
young women like Eva Smith. He says she was very lucky to get
a job in the dress shop, Milwards.
On hearing that Eva Smith was sacked from Milwards because
a customer complained about her, Sheila becomes agitated.
The Inspector shows her a photograph.
Sheila runs from the room crying.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

Both Eric and Sheila feel sympathy for Eva Smith.

Sheila is horrified by the story of Eva Smith’s death.
Mr Birling senses a possible scandal as Eva Smith’s story takes
on greater significance for the family.
We realise there is a new link in the chain since Sheila
recognises Eva Smith.

Key context

Before the First World War many working women in the United
Kingdom worked as domestic servants. As a factory or shop
worker, Eva Smith might have expected to have more freedom. So
she would have felt more confident about going on strike.
 KEY THEME: COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY

© Alastair Wallace / Shutterstock

In this section Priestley shows us the divide that is emerging

between Mr Birling and his children with regard to the main theme of
the play: our responsibility to others and the idea of community. Mr
Birling’s treatment of Eva Smith is frowned on by Sheila, who
protests, ‘But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people’ (p.
19). Eric agrees, but Mr Birling is far more self-interested. His main
concern in this section is to quash any hint of scandal, so that no
doubts should threaten his knighthood and his respectability. These
take priority over any sense of duty to his work force and women
such as Eva Smith.
 KEY CHARACTERS: SHEILA AND EVA

Both women are of similar age, but while Sheila is celebrating her
engagement, Eva Smith is dead and lying in the hospital mortuary.
Sheila has an affluent life, while Eva lived in poverty, ‘lonely’ and
‘half-starved’ (p. 19). These contrasts emphasise Eva’s
unhappiness and Priestley always presents her in a sympathetic
light, for example, through the Inspector’s description of her as ‘very
pretty’ (p. 18). Consequently, when Sheila sees the photograph and
the audience realises that she was the customer who ‘complained’
(p. 20), causing the girl’s dismissal from Milwards, the effect is to
create dramatic tension. We see that Sheila is, indeed, the next link
in the chain and we wait for the details to unfold.
 KEY QUOTATION: SHEILA’S ALARM

Sheila’s comment, ‘What do you mean by saying that? You talk

as if we were responsible’ (p. 18) is ironic because the audience
suspects that the Birlings and Gerald do bear some responsibility for
Eva Smith’s death. Through these words of Sheila’s, Priestley alerts
the audience to the possibility of the characters’ involvement.

Checkpoint

What do we learn from the Inspector about Eva Smith in Act One?
See Answer
 AIMING HIGH: COMMENT ON THE
PHOTOGRAPH AS A DEVICE

© Uluc Ceylani / Shutterstock

Another example of how Priestley creates dramatic tension is the

use of the photograph as a device. The Inspector controls who sees
the photograph and when, and it has an instant effect on the
character viewing it. Sheila, for example, recognises Eva Smith and
gives ‘ a little cry, … a half-stifled sob’ (p. 21) that raises or
confirms suspicions in the audience. Importantly, no single character
can ever be sure that they have seen the same photograph as
another. This helps the Inspector to control the plot as well as the
characters.

However, you will show a fuller understanding if you also consider

whether Priestley’s use of this device is well handled. For example,
is the way the Inspector controls who sees the photograph
believable? Would a police inspector behave in this way? Does the
device make the plot seem clumsy? Or is the Inspector so different
from the usual police inspector that we accept his behaviour as part
of his mysterious presence? Be sure you have reasons for the view
you choose and support what you say by referring to the play.

Key context

An Inspector Calls is sometimes referred to as a ‘well-made play’.

This idea arose in the nineteenth century and refers to the way a
play is carefully constructed, such as through Priestley’s use of the
photograph to create twists and turns in the plot.
ACT ONE, PART 5: SHEILA’S CONFESSION (PP.
21–6)

SUMMARY

Eric realises that Sheila knows who Eva Smith is. Mr Birling is
angry with the Inspector for upsetting Sheila and goes out to tell
his wife what is happening.
Inspector Goole remains unperturbed. He refuses to show
Gerald the photograph or to let Eric leave.
Sheila returns. She feels guilty that she was the cause of Eva
Smith’s dismissal, but the Inspector shows no sympathy for
 Sheila.
Sheila explains that she requested Eva Smith’s sacking from
Milwards because the dress Sheila liked suited Eva Smith better
and this made Sheila cross. Eric is surprised by Sheila’s actions.
The Inspector makes Sheila understand that her jealousy
contributed to Eva’s downfall. He adds that Eva Smith changed
her name to Daisy Renton and Gerald reacts sharply. Sheila is
immediately alerted. The Inspector leaves the room with Eric.
Sheila warns Gerald not to try to hide the truth and he does not
deny the affair he had with Daisy Renton/Eva Smith, but
suggests they say nothing to the Inspector. Sheila laughs,
knowing full well that the Inspector already knows.

Top tip

List examples from Act One, with quotations, that show the
similarities and differences between Sheila Birling and Eva Smith’s
circumstances, appearance and natures. Keep it as a reference.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

We see Mr Birling’s desire to protect his daughter.

Sheila’s link in the chain of events becomes clear.
The Inspector’s position is becoming more powerful and he
reveals more information about Eva Smith.
We see how people can misuse wealth and social status.
Sheila and Gerald’s relationship becomes strained and we
realise Gerald is the next link in the chain.
 KEY THEME: GUILT

Priestley reveals the power that privilege and wealth have by

showing how Sheila, as the ‘daughter of a good customer’ (p. 24)
at Milwards ensured that Eva Smith was sacked. Sheila’s
assumption that Eva would manage subsequently, shows her naivety
about the way people like Eva live, and her realisation that she was
a catalyst in Eva’s decline create feelings of intense guilt. The
Inspector points out that Sheila’s remorse comes ‘too late’ for Eva
Smith. (p. 24). However, this is the beginning of Sheila’s
development as a character. Gradually, through the Inspector’s
words she is becoming more aware of the world beyond her narrow
experience.

Checkpoint

Find examples in Act One that show how the Inspector controls the
other characters.
See Answer
 KEY FORM: AN EXIT, A SECRET, A CLIMAX

© Vladistorms / Shutterstock

After Gerald’s ‘startled’ (p. 25) response to the name Daisy Renton,
the Inspector exits with Eric. Sheila can now confront Gerald about
his secret affair. Tension is raised. Sheila calls Gerald ‘a fool’ (p. 26)
for his vain suggestion that the Inspector need never be told about
the affair, and the climax is reached when she dramatically declares
that the Inspector already knows. As the curtain falls, the audience
sees that Gerald is the next link in the chain.

Top tip

Make sure you describe the effects Priestley creates on the

audience. Look back through Act One. When is the audience
meant to feel sympathy, surprise or shock?
 KEY LANGUAGE: REPETITION

Repetition is a device Priestley uses to give power to a character’s

voice. Mr Birling complains that the Inspector, by upsetting Sheila,
has made ‘a nasty mess’ (p. 21) of the celebratory dinner. The
Inspector repeats these words and applies them to Eva Smith’s life,
‘a nasty mess somebody’s made of it’ (p. 21). The Inspector’s
scornful reply reveals the trivial nature of Mr Birling’s concerns
compared with Eva Smith’s death, and also the Inspector’s self-
assurance and growing control over the characters. His voice will
reach its most rhetorical in his final speech, where he uses much
repetition (p. 56).
REVISION FOCUS: THE INSPECTOR’S WORDS

Reread the Inspector’s speech about the ‘dead girl’ (p. 25).
Create a two-column table. Head the first ‘Reason’ and the
second ‘Evidence’.
Under the first column, write down four reasons why Priestley
creates this speech.
In the second column, support your reasons with evidence (such
as quotations or references).
ACT TWO, PART 1: GUILTY FEELINGS (PP. 27–9)

SUMMARY

The Inspector enters. Gerald encourages Sheila to leave but,

although the Inspector allows her to go, she prefers to hear the
details of Gerald’s affair with Daisy Renton.
Gerald resents Sheila’s decision to stay and hear the details of
his affair with Daisy Renton. He thinks Sheila wishes to see his
discomfort when he is questioned.
Sheila challenges Gerald’s doubts about her and believes
Gerald does not love her because of her treatment of Eva
Smith.
The Inspector intervenes. He points out that Sheila wishes to
stay because she does not want to shoulder all the blame for
Eva Smith’s death, nor should she.
The Inspector emphasises that they have to share the guilt.
Mrs Birling enters.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

Sheila and Gerald’s quarrel reveals a lack of trust and

understanding in their relationship.
The Inspector emphasises shared responsibility to others and
has a growing influence on Sheila.
While Sheila’s sense of guilt does not lessen, she believes she
is not the only one to blame.

Key context

It was not uncommon for upper-class and wealthy middle-class

Edwardian men to have mistresses or to meet women (as Gerald,
Eric and Alderman Meggarty do) providing it did not become public
and there was no scandal.
 KEY THEME: SHEILA AND GERALD – TRUE
LOVE?

© INTERFOTO / Alamy

Priestley reveals that Sheila and Gerald’s relationship is not an

honest one. The revelations that occurred in Act One about Sheila’s
dealings with Eva Smith and Gerald’s affair with her (as Daisy
Renton) have already put a strain on Sheila and Gerald’s
relationship and they begin to grow suspicious of each other. When
Gerald suggests that Sheila should leave the dining room because
she has had a ‘long, exciting and tiring day’ (p. 27) and Sheila
refuses, he suspects her motives.

Sheila’s shock that Gerald can think so badly of her, reveals he does
not understand her. She in turn assumes he must see her as ‘a
selfish, vindictive creature’ (p. 28) for her treatment of Eva Smith.
All these doubts suggest that neither knows the other sufficiently well
and that the relationship is not founded on trust and sympathy. Part
of the Inspector’s role is to peel away the self-assured layers of the
Birlings’ and Gerald’s lives to reveal what lies underneath, and
Sheila and Gerald’s relationship is becoming a casualty.
 KEY QUOTATION: ATTITUDES TO WOMEN

The Inspector’s comment, ‘And you think young women ought to

be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?’ (p. 27)
and Gerald’s reply that he does, display different attitudes to middle-
class Edwardian women. Aside from Gerald not wanting Sheila to
hear about his affair, he adopts the Edwardian view that women are
not to be tainted by unpleasant, worldly truths, or are not capable of
dealing with them. The Inspector holds a more modern view and also
points to class hypocrisy in the treatment of Eva Smith: while middle-
class women are to be protected from the harsh realities of life,
poorer, working-class women are not.
 KEY CHARACTER: SHEILA’S GROWING
AWARENESS

The Inspector’s bluntness and unsparing criticism of Sheila’s

behaviour does not make her dislike or disapprove of him. On the
contrary, she is drawn to him and stares at him, ‘wonderingly’ (p.
29). His mysterious presence affects her and she finds that she
agrees with his view. The audience is witnessing how the Inspector
is influencing the young.

Top tip

Find quotations in this section that sum up Sheila’s attitude to

Gerald. For example what does this tell you about her feelings
towards him when she says: ‘Yes, but you don’t believe me. And
this is just the wrong time not to believe me’ (p. 28).
 AIMING HIGH: COMMENT ON THE INSPECTOR’S
ROLE

© chrisdorney / Shutterstock

Priestley creates a moral figure in the Inspector to drive home to the

audience how much Eva Smith suffered and to elicit the audience’s
sympathy and condemnation of those who have mistreated her.
However, the Inspector also knows that Sheila alone is not to blame.
When he says, ‘we’ll have to share our guilt,’ (p. 29) he is referring
to both a shared responsibility for Eva Smith’s death and to our
collective responsibility for others like Eva Smith. The full weight of
his moral position, that we are all responsible for each other, will
gather impact as the play develops.
However, to present a fuller understanding of this position you could
discuss Priestley’s beliefs, embodied in the Inspector, which are tied
to a moral socialism (as opposed to Mr Birling’s individualism that
focuses on himself). This is a political belief that says there is a need
for cooperation, community and social justice in society. The play is
a vehicle for Priestley’s views and an attempt to influence the 1946
audience only just free of war and ready to build a new society.

Top tip

It is important to understand why the Inspector intervenes in the

quarrel between Sheila and Gerald. Reread his dialogue on p. 29
and underline key words. For example, ‘understand’.
ACT TWO, PART 2: ENTER MRS BIRLING (PP.
29–32)

SUMMARY

Mrs Birling enters, unaware of what has been happening

between Sheila and Gerald, and introduces herself to the
Inspector. Sheila objects to her mother’s over-confidence.
Mrs Birling thinks that Sheila’s interest in Eva Smith’s death is
an unhealthy curiosity and she encourages her to leave the
dining room.
Sheila tries to warn her mother that the Inspector can break
down any defences, but Mrs Birling does not understand.
When the Inspector takes Sheila’s part, Mrs Birling tries to
impress the Inspector by reminding him of her husband’s
importance in the community.
Gerald cuts in to advise Mrs Birling not to persist in trying to
impress the Inspector.
Mr Birling explains that Mr Birling and Eric will be coming back
soon and that Eric, untypically, is a little drunk. She is shocked
to find from Sheila that Eric regularly drinks too much. Gerald
confirms what Sheila has said.
Mrs Birling accuses Sheila of being the one who is destroying
the family’s reputation.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

Priestley draws a sharp contrast between Mrs Birling and

Sheila.
Mrs Birling’s attempts to use her position to bully the Inspector
fail.
Mrs Birling’s ignorance of Eric’s drinking show us she is
insensitive and out of touch with her son.
Sheila recognises the Inspector’s ability to break down defences
and control situations.

Key context

During the Edwardian period, a Police Inspector such as Inspector

Goole would be regarded as lower middle class. Mrs Birling would
see herself very much as a social superior. A Chief Inspector, such
as Mr Birling’s friend Colonel Roberts, would be seen as thoroughly
middle class.
 KEY CHARACTERS: MRS BIRLING AND SHEILA

Sheila’s growing awareness of the Inspector’s viewpoint and her

concern for her family’s part in Eva Smith’s downfall starkly contrasts
with Mrs Birling’s understanding of what is happening. Mrs Birling
enters the dining room ‘ briskly and self-confidently, quite out of
key ’ (p. 29) with the atmosphere. While she is unaware of the
conversation that has just taken place between Sheila, Gerald and
the Inspector, she is also unable to sense the mood in the room,
suggesting she lacks awareness of other people. Sheila’s attempt to
warn her mother that she is ‘beginning all wrong ’ (p. 29) is
fruitless. Mrs Birling does not grasp what Sheila means when she
says, ‘you mustn’t try to build a kind of wall between us and that
girl’ (p. 30) because the welfare of her husband’s employees are of
no concern to her.
When the Inspector agrees with Sheila, Mrs Birling takes offence
because he does not pay due regard to her position and rank. For
Mrs Birling, social position matters. The Inspector holds no
fascination for her, as he does for her daughter. She sees him as a
social inferior, who is a threat to her well-ordered life. Consequently,
she tries to threaten him by reminding him (just as Mr Birling did) of
her husband’s position as ‘Lord Mayor only two years ago’ (p. 31).
If we consider that Sheila and her mother were light-heartedly
‘talking about clothes’ (p. 9) earlier in the evening we can see how
a rift between them is growing.
 KEY QUOTATION: IMPRESSING THE YOUNG

The Inspector’s comment, ‘We often do [make an impression] on

the young ones. They’re more impressionable’ (p. 30) is said in
answer to Mrs Birling’s haughty observation that he has made an
impression on Sheila. Priestley is suggesting that the young are
more open minded than the older generation about the kind of
society they want to live in, in this case one in which people care and
feel responsible for the wider community. We have already seen how
Sheila is influenced by the Inspector’s words and mystified by him (p.
29). Eric showed earlier (p.15) that he does not agree with his
father’s attitude to his work force.

Top tip

Note how Priestley presents the Inspector in this section. What

mood does the Inspector adopt? How does he manage Mrs
Birling? How does he control the situation?
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT ERIC’S
PROBLEMS

Here is what one student has written about the way Priestley
presents Mrs Birling’s understanding of Eric:

Priestley indicates how little Mrs Birling knows about her

son through her ignorance of his drinking". [A strong
opening line] She excuses him to the Inspector by saying
that Eric has ‘had rather too much to drink tonight’.
Sheila immediately tells her mother the truth in an
attempt to ‘stop these silly pretences’[A quotation
embedded successfully in the sentence] because she is
aware that the Inspector is concerned[Key point about
the Inspector] about truth and Mrs Birling is not facing
the truth. When Gerald supports Sheila, Mrs Birling’s
responds ‘bitterly’ complaining about the unsuitability of the
occasion to give her the news.

Now you try it:

Add a final sentence saying what Mrs Birling’s response tells us

about her relationship with Eric.
ACT TWO, PART 3: GERALD’S REVELATIONS
(PP. 32–40)

SUMMARY

Mr Birling has been trying unsuccessfully to persuade Eric to go

to bed.
Mr Birling is annoyed by the Inspector’s insistence that he
question Eric, and in his own time.
Sheila protests that her father’s high-handed approach to the
Inspector is pointless. Mrs Birling dismisses Sheila’s protests as
‘over-excitement’ (p. 33).
The Inspector confronts Gerald and asks how he knew Daisy
Renton. Mr and Mrs Birling are shocked.
Gerald’s tries to deny that he knew Daisy Renton and then
admits he met her the previous year in the bar at the Palace
Theatre. He asks Sheila to leave. Sheila refuses.
Gerald explains that he rescued Daisy Renton from the clutches
of Alderman Meggarty. She later became Gerald’s mistress
when he rented rooms and provided her with money. Sheila is
resentful and sarcastic towards Gerald. Gerald says he is
uncertain whether he loved Daisy Renton and that he ended the
affair in the September.
The Inspector explains that Daisy Renton left for the seaside
where she stayed for two months to be alone and to think.
Gerald expresses his sadness. Sheila thanks Gerald for being
honest, but returns the engagement ring.

Top tip
Follow Gerald’s relationship with Daisy Renton noting when it
started and ended, its duration and where it took place.
 WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

The Inspector exerts increasingly greater control over the

situation.
Gerald reveals his affair through the Inspector’s questioning
and we see both Gerald and the girl in a different way.
Sheila breaks off her engagement to Gerald but leaves the way
open for a fresh look at their relationship.

Checkpoint

Earlier, Mr Birling refused to accept any blame for Eva Smith’s

death. How does Gerald’s confession contrast with Mr Birling’s
attitude?
See Answer
 KEY LANGUAGE: EUPHEMISM

© Masson / Shutterstock

Priestley uses euphemism such as ‘women of the town’ (p. 34) in

this section of the play. It is in keeping with the characters since they
would use a less blunt way of referring to prostitution. Note how
Sheila sarcastically repeats ‘women of the town’ when she asks
Gerald to continue with his story. Reference to prostitution, even
euphemistically, would not usually occur in middle-class circles in
front of women, but in the play Inspector Goole is forcing the Birlings
and Gerald to face the realities of Daisy Renton’s life.
 KEY CONTEXT: EDWARDIAN RESPECTABILITY

Whatever Gerald’s feelings for Daisy Renton and Sheila, which may
be genuine, it is not simply a matter of whom he loved best. His
affair, if known, would cause a scandal. Daisy Renton, though ‘fresh
and charming’ (p. 35) was poor, working class and ‘a woman of
the town’ (p. 34) and ‘being found out’ was as much a social crime
as having a mistress. This is exemplified in Mrs Birling’s refusal to
hear about ‘this disgusting affair’ (p. 38). The Inspector’s
questioning exposes this kind of hypocrisy. For Gerald and Sheila’s
relationship to continue they would need to confront these double
standards and get ‘to know each other’ (p. 40) honestly.

Top tip

Remember that Priestley uses the diary as a device to explain how

the Inspector knows so much about the events of Daisy
Renton’s/Eva Smith’s life. His knowledge also adds to his power
over the other characters. Make a note of where the Inspector
refers to the diary in this section and in Act One and how he uses
it.
 KEY QUOTATION: THE INSPECTOR’S POWER

The Inspector’s comment, ‘As soon as I mentioned the name

Daisy Renton, it was obvious you’d known her’ (p. 33), not only
reinforces Sheila’s comment (p. 25) recognising the same thing, it is
another signal to the audience that Gerald’s relationship will be
revealed. Priestley, through the Inspector, is introducing the next link
in the chain of events as well as highlighting the Inspector’s
increasing control of the situation.
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT DAISY
RENTON

Here is what one student has written about Daisy Renton’s

situation after her affair with Gerald is over:

Priestley is careful to portray Daisy Renton in a quiet,

thoughtful mood when the Inspector tell us that she
went to the seaside to ‘remember’ the good times with
Gerald. The effect is to make the audience especially
sympathetic towards her. [Sound reference to the
effects Priestley creates] The Inspector’s account of her
upsets Gerald. We see his compassionate side[Shows a
feature of Gerald’s character] and he regrets the hurt
he caused. Priestley also shows us that this was her
happiest time, making the audience feel that if her
relationship with Gerald, which had no future, was the
best there was then she must have felt she had no
future. Most importantly,[Adverb phrase draws attention
to a key idea] her feelings of sadness are the first signs
of the depression that will lead to her death and …

Now you try it:

Finish the sentence, commenting on Gerald’s link in Daisy

Renton’s story.
ACT TWO, PART 4: SHEILA OPPOSES HER
MOTHER (PP. 40–2)

SUMMARY

Mr Birling tries to excuse Gerald’s affair, but Sheila dismisses

her father’s comments. Gerald leaves intending to return.
Sheila comments that Gerald was not shown the photograph
and the Inspector points out that it was unnecessary.
The Inspector shows the photograph to Mrs Birling who claims
not to recognise the girl. The Inspector accuses her of lying.
Mr Birling demands an apology from the Inspector, who says he
is doing his duty, and that power brings responsibilities as well
as privileges.
Sheila recounts Eva Smith’s story to date and tells her mother to
reveal the truth about any involvement. She advises her parents
not to make things worse.
The front door slams. Mr Birling goes to see if Eric has left the
house.

Top tip

Remember, the stage directions tell us how the characters feel.

Compare Mr Birling’s response to the Inspector (p. 41) with
Gerald’s (pp. 38–40) Note how the Inspector responds to each and
what it reveals about the Inspector’s attitude to both characters.
 WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

The Inspector’s control and authority over the action

increases.
Sheila emphasises the Inspector’s power to reveal the family’s
connection to Eva Smith.
Sheila’s makes a summary of the links in the chain.
Mr Birling and Mrs Birling assume they are protected from
scandal by their social position.

Checkpoint

How has Gerald’s confession affected Sheila’s feelings about him

now?
See Answer
 KEY LANGUAGE: STAGE DIRECTIONS

Priestley uses stage directions to help give the Inspector authority

and lessen Mr and Mrs Birling’s power. For instance, the stage
directions for Mr and Mrs Birling indicate that they should respond
‘angrily’ (p. 41) showing that neither character is able to control the
Inspector’s actions. By contrast, the Inspector either cuts across Mr
Birling’s dialogue ‘massively’ (p. 41), which we can understand to
mean ‘with authority’, or questions Mrs Birling ‘calmly’ (p. 42) or
‘severely’, (p. 42). They reveal that the Inspector is in charge and is
paying little regard to the Birlings’ demands.
 KEY CONTEXT: POSITION AND PRINCIPLE

In 1912 a powerful social position depended on wealth and

connections. The Birlings make money through business and would
be thought of as ‘in trade’. Though not as high on the social scale as
the Crofts, their wealth gives them influence. Remind yourself that
Inspector Goole, who is further down the social scale, pays no
regard to the Birlings’ position and is more interested in a person’s
worth. He reminds Mr Birling that men who hold public office ‘have
responsibilities as well as privileges’ (p. 41), duties to the wider
community. However, he is also implying that Mr Birling has no right
to regard himself as above others.
 KEY STRUCTURE: MRS BIRLING SEES THE
PHOTOGRAPH

© Sandra Cunningham / Shutterstock

Note how Priestley uses the photograph as a device again, so the

Inspector can control events, but is Priestley also controlling the
audience? When Mrs Birling is shown the photograph, she claims
not to recognise the girl and the Inspector questions her denial.
When Sheila reinforces the Inspector’s view that her mother is
‘pretending’ (p. 41) not to recognise the girl, the audience is inclined
to believe her. Sheila, after all, has proved herself perceptive in
recognising who is lying. Nonetheless, Sheila is increasingly coming
under the Inspector’s influence, so is she necessarily correct?

We know the Inspector controls who sees the photograph, and we

have no idea if the characters are viewing the same one, so even if
Mrs Birling is lying, is the photo Sheila saw the same one that Mrs
Birling saw? We cannot know for certain. Remember, too, that Mrs
Birling has no chance to reinforce her denial, because at the critical
point the characters (and the audience) are distracted when the front
door slams. Finally, because Mrs Birling is an unsympathetic
character, the audience would prefer not to believe her. So, consider
what Priestley is doing. He is managing our reactions, just as
Inspector Goole manages the other characters.
Top tip

Find references which tell you that Sheila is growing in opposition

to her father. What does she think of his attitude to the Inspector?
How does she show a lack of respect for him, and what does this
imply about her attitude to his position in Brumley?
 KEY QUOTATION: AIRS AND GRACES

Sheila is the only character who is able to grasp that lying to

Inspector Goole or adopting a superior attitude towards him will not
prevent his interrogation, and she stresses this when she says to her
mother that ‘we’ve no excuse now for putting on airs and […] if
we’ve any sense we won’t try’ (p. 41). Her words are also a plea
for honesty. She suspects that Mrs Birling has something to hide and
that the Inspector will find out what it is. The quotation is the start of
Sheila’s recap of the injustice done to Eva Smith by the family and
Gerald, and we can see how much Sheila is increasingly coming
under the Inspector’s influence.
 REVISION FOCUS: SHEILA’S CHANGING
NATURE

Reread pp. 41–2 from Sheila: ‘Let’s hope not…’ (p. 41 ), to Sheila:
‘(To Inspector) Yes she is. Why?’ (p. 42).

Create a spider diagram showing what the dialogue reveals

about Sheila’s character.
Go back to the opening of the play and reread pp. 2–3. Create a
second spider diagram showing what this dialogue reveals
about Sheila when we first meet her.
Compare the two spider diagrams, noting the change in Sheila’s
character. (For example, her forceful nature is evident in both,
but how has this forcefulness changed by Act Two?)
ACT TWO, PART 5: MRS BIRLING’S IDEA OF
CHARITY (PP. 42–9)

SUMMARY

The Inspector questions Mrs Birling about the Brumley Women’s

Charity Organization, which helps women in trouble.
Mrs Birling says they give help to those who deserve it. She was
chairing the meeting two weeks ago.
Mr Birling returns. Eric is not in his room. The Inspector says
Eric is needed, but refuses to say more.
The committee interviewed a girl (under the name of Mrs Birling)
two weeks earlier. Mrs Birling regarded the use of her name as
insolent and felt justified in using her influence to refuse help.
 The Inspector insists that Mrs Birling was wrong because Eva
Smith was pregnant.
Mrs Birling says the father of the unborn child should be held
responsible. Sheila is horrified by her mother’s attitude and Mr
Birling is worried that his wife’s actions will cause a scandal.
Mrs Birling refused to believe the girl’s account that the father
was young and irresponsible and that she had rejected his
stolen money.
Mrs Birling says the father should be held entirely to blame if the
story is true and Sheila begs her mother to stop. Eric enters.

Key context

Most Edwardians would regard Eva Smith as ‘a fallen woman’; an

unmarried woman who had lost her virginity. When Mrs Birling
holds the young man ‘entirely responsible’ (p. 48) she reflects
the attitude that a woman’s place was under the authority of a man,
whether it was a husband, father or another man. Much of society
did not regard women as independent citizens.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

Mrs Birling’s link to Eva Smith is established.

We see the characters’ different reactions to events.
We see the Inspector as prosecutor and judge.
Eva Smith’s pregnancy is revealed.
Mrs Birling’s insistence that the father of the unborn child is to
blame for the girl’s death leads to the dramatic ending of the
Act.
 AIMING HIGH: CLASS PREJUDICE

© David muscroft / Shutterstock

Priestley depicts class prejudice through several characters, in

particular Mrs Birling. She has a clear-cut code in which families like
hers and the Crofts are near the top of the social pile and young
women like Eva Smith are squarely at the bottom. Due to this class
prejudice, Mrs Birling cannot believe that Eva Smith, or ‘a girl in her
position’, could have ‘fine feelings and scruples’ (p. 46) and
would refuse Eric’s stolen money. Mr Birling and Gerald’s exchange
about the irresponsibility of the workers managing their money (p.
15) shows a similar attitude to class. Eric visits the Palace bar not
only to drink, but also to seek women from the lower class.

However, to gain higher marks you should show how class prejudice
is evident in the Birling character we are sympathetic to: Sheila. Her
display of anger at Milwards, because she felt that Eva Smith had
been ‘very impertinent’ (p. 24), echoes Mr Birling’s attitude. Her
prejudice springs not only from jealousy of Eva Smith’s looks, but
because the lower-class Eva Smith is not respectful enough of
Sheila’s higher status. The effect is that each of the Birlings and
Gerald in their different ways displayed the kind of class prejudice
that shaped Eva Smith’s life.
Checkpoint

Do you think Eric fits the description of the father of the unborn
child and, if so, in what ways?
See Answer

Checkpoint

How do Mrs Birling’s attitude and language affect the way the
audience regard her?
See Answer
 KEY STRUCTURE: DRAMATIC EFFECT

Priestley carefully builds the tension throughout this section and the
final effect is highly dramatic. Before the Inspector questions Mrs
Birling (p. 42), certain key features are in place. Gerald has not seen
Daisy Renton since ‘the first week of September’ (p. 38) and Eric
is absent from the stage. As the questioning continues it turns out
that Mrs Birling had interviewed the girl (as ‘Mrs Birling’) at the
charity committee only ‘two weeks ago’ (p. 43). Eric, when last
seen, was ‘excitable’ (p. 42) and the Inspector wishes to question
him. The audience can guess that Eric is likely to be a link in the
chain of events.

As the Inspector’s interrogation of Mrs Birling progresses it is Sheila

who sees what is about to happen. Despite her ‘sudden alarm’ (p.
48) and her warnings, her mother ignores Sheila’s plea to stop
demanding that the Inspector does his ‘duty’ (p. 48) and seek out
the father of Eva Smith’s unborn child. An important pause in the
drama then follows in which the Inspector calmly repeats Mrs
Birling’s words that he will do his ‘duty’ (p. 48). The irony is not lost
on Mrs Birling as Act Two dramatically reaches a climax with her
sudden realisation that the ‘drunken young idler’ (p. 47) is Eric. At
this point Eric enters and the curtain falls.

Top tip

Sheila is greatly troubled by her mother’s reaction to Eva Smith.

Find evidence in this section to show her horror and make a note
of which statement reveals this most.
ACT THREE, PART 1: ERIC’S LINK IN THE CHAIN
(PP. 50–2)

SUMMARY

The family and the Inspector confront Eric, who acknowledges

his involvement with the girl/Eva Smith.
Sheila tells Eric that their mother feels that the father of the child
should be held responsible. Mrs Birling pleads ignorance of
Eric’s involvement.
Sheila also tells Eric that she has already revealed that he
drinks too much. Eric is angry.
The Inspector takes control, overruling Mr Birling by allowing
Eric to have a drink.
 Eric explains that he met the girl the previous November at the
Palace bar when he was drunk.
Eric and the girl went to her lodgings that night, after Eric
insisted. They had sex.
Mr Birling demands that Sheila take her mother to the drawing
room and they leave.

Top tip

Remember that you will not get high marks if you simply retell the
story. Try keeping a log of page references of important events in
the plot (for example, when Mrs Birling realises that Eric is the
father of the unborn child) and why they are important.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

The link is made between Eric and the girl/Eva Smith and we
learn of his association with her.
Mrs Birling is distressed, overcome by Eric’s behaviour and the
Inspector’s persistence.
The Inspector takes over.

Key context

When Eric notes that the girl/Eva Smith ‘wasn’t the usual sort’ (p.
51) he is using a euphemism to refer to the prostitutes at the
Palace Theatre bar. The connection between theatres and
prostitution was common in the Edwardian period and goes back a
long way, at least to Shakespeare’s time.
 KEY THEME: FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

As the curtain opens on Act Three, the Birling family and the
Inspector are all present ‘staring at’ Eric (p. 50). Priestley puts Eric
in the spotlight, the last of the Birlings to be held accountable for Eva
Smith’s death. But Priestley is also showing how the Birling
relationships have fractured. The gulf between Eric and his mother is
made clear as Mrs Birling protests that ‘There must be some
mistake’ (p. 50). Her inability to accept Eric’s involvement with Eva
Smith (as well as his drinking, which she denied previously, p. 32),
emphasises again how little she knows her son.

When Sheila tells Eric she has already revealed that he drinks too
much, ‘because it was simply bound to come out’ (p. 50), Eric
interprets Sheila’s honesty as betrayal, calling her a ‘little sneak’ (p.
50). In response, Mr and Mrs Birling accuse Sheila of disloyalty.
When the Inspector grants Eric a whisky he is not only overruling Mr
Birling’s wishes, he is taking over the father’s role, as if Mr Birling is
no longer capable. It is the Inspector’s comment about adjusting
‘family relationships’ (p. 51) that gets to the heart of the matter.

Top tip

Follow how the Inspector talks to the other characters in Act Three
by reading the stage directions. Also follow the other characters’
responses to him. Keep notes and decide how this shows the
Inspector has changed.
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT THE
INSPECTOR IN CHARGE

Here is what one student has written about the way Priestley
shows how Inspector Goole has taken control of events.

At the beginning of Act Three,[Precise reference to

evidence] whenever the Inspector speaks it is to question
or inform the other characters or tell them what to do.
The effect is to make us believe that the Inspector is
now in complete charge. [Shows how Priestley creates
effects] One of the most important examples of the
Inspector’s control is when he counters Mr Birling’s ‘No’
with a ‘Yes’ when Eric asks for a drink. Mr Birling curbs
his temper so that when he follows by saying to Eric, ‘All
right. Go on.’ we can almost feel his resentment.[Key
point about Mr Birling’s reaction] From this point until
the Inspector leaves the stage [Reference to another
part of the play develops point] Mr Birling does not
challenge him again.

Now you try it:

Add a final sentence saying what you think the Inspector has done
to Mr Birling.
ACT THREE, PART 2: ALMOST A FATHER (PP.
52–3)

SUMMARY

The Inspector questions Eric, who describes how he met the

girl/Eva Smith again by accident in the Palace bar.
Eric learned more about the girl’s life. He also reveals his
attitude to the women at the Palace bar. He returned to the girl’s
lodgings.
Eric and the girl met again, she told him she was pregnant, but
did not want to marry him.
Eric gave her money, about £50, but she refused to accept any
more when she discovered it was stolen.
 Eric reveals that he took the money from the Birling office, but
denies it was theft. Mr Birling is angry.
Mrs Birling and Sheila return.

Top tip

Make sure you have a sound knowledge of how, in Act Three,

Priestley presents Eric’s involvement with Eva Smith. Recap (pp.
51–3) and create a timeline listing Eric’s dealings with her in
chronological order. Add page numbers and dates where you can.
This is a summary, so only the key events.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

We learn about Eric’s relationship with the girl/Eva Smith, her

pregnancy and why he stole money.
We learn about Eric’s difficulties admitting the theft.
The male characters speak more bluntly without the female
characters present.
Eric’s involvement with the girl is the last to be revealed. He is
another link in the chain of events.
 KEY LANGUAGE: A CHOICE OF WORDS

Once again Priestley gives us an example of how the men behave

differently when the women leave the room. For example, in front of
his mother Eric avoids saying he had sex with the girl by
commenting, ‘that’s when it happened’ (p. 52). While the men still
use euphemism, the Inspector now feels free to ask if Eric and the
girl ‘made love’ (p. 52). Mr Birling asks if Eric ‘had to go to bed
with her’ (p. 52). Both these phrases would be considered strong
language in 1912. This shows us that middle-class women, like
Sheila and her mother, are treated as though they were children and
we are reminded of the Inspector’s earlier comment to Gerald, ‘you
think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant
and disturbing things’ (p. 27).

Eric describes the women of the Palace bar as ‘fat old tarts’ (p. 52),
an expression he would never use in his mother’s presence. This
and Gerald’s earlier comment about ‘hard-eyed dough-faced
women’ (p. 34) show the distinction being made between the
treatment of middle- and lower-class women. Eric and Gerald’s
belittling and insulting language show both sexism and class
prejudice.

Top tip

Think about how Eva Smith would have been treated if she had
become a member of the Birling family. From what you know,
would she have been accepted or not? Make notes with evidence
from the text about the characters’ likely responses.
 KEY CHARACTER: THE FURTHER DECLINE OF
EVA SMITH

© Snusmumr / Shutterstock

Eva Smith had once been unable to accept the abuse of Alderman
Meggarty, but now accepts Eric’s drunken approach. We can
assume that poverty had driven her back to the Palace bar and that
prostitution had become her life. According to Eric, she did not feel
like getting another job, which suggests she had given up hope.
When we consider her hard work and potential at Birling’s factory
where she could have become ‘a leading operator’ (p. 14) we see
how much she had changed and how hopeless her life must have
seemed.

Using the name ‘Birling’ at the Brumley Women’s Charity

Organization was logical, since Eric was the father of her child. It
also gave her some dignity. This makes Mrs Birling’s refusal to help
seem even more petty and unjust.

Priestley ensures that the details we learn about Eva Smith are
vague. Eric did not even know her name. As her circumstances
declined, the audience has the sense that her character became
frail. She was becoming one of the ‘millions’ of anonymous poor (p.
56) whom the Inspector will refer to in his final speech. This
uncertainty about her identity is also useful later on in the final act,
when her very existence is questioned.

Key context

The use of euphemism in the An Inspector Calls accurately

portrays the custom and values of the Edwardian period. However,
the audience of 1946, when the play was first performed in
London, would also have been shocked to hear the blunter word
‘prostitute’ used.

Top tip

Eric’s comment, ‘she was pretty and a good sport’ (p. 52), is
reminiscent of the kind of comment made by boys at public schools
of the period, in which sport was highly valued. What does it
confirm about Eric’s nature?
ACT THREE, PART 3: THE INSPECTOR’S
HEARTFELT WORDS (PP. 53–6)

SUMMARY

Mr Birling tells his wife that Eric is responsible for the girl/Eva
Smith’s pregnancy and that he stole money from the company
office.
Mrs Birling is shocked and Eric says he intended to pay back
the money.
Mr Birling starts to plan how to cover up Eric’s fraud.
Eric tells his father that he did not feel he could ask him for help.
Eric informs the Inspector that the girl refused the stolen money.
Sheila explains that Mrs Birling met Eva Smith, and the
Inspector explains why and how.
Eric accuses his mother of killing her own grandchild.
The Inspector shows how each of them helped to push the girl
towards suicide. Sheila cries.
The Inspector delivers a final speech before leaving, in which he
warns what will happen if people do not accept how to live
responsibly as part of a caring community.

Key context

Some critics have said that Priestley did not need to include the
Inspector’s final speech, because it felt as if the Inspector was
preaching at the audience. Others think that Priestley included the
speech deliberately to make the audience think about their own as
well as the Birlings’ responsibilities. Reread the speech and decide
what you think.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

Eric is shown to be a thief, but also that he cares about what

happened to the girl.
Once again Mr Birling’s is concerned to avoid scandal.
The guilt of each member of the family has been demonstrated.
The Inspector becomes the voice of morality and
righteousness.
The mood of celebration we saw at the start of the play is
completely destroyed.

Key context

While the 1946 audience would be well aware of both the First
World War (1914–18) and the Second World War (1939–45) as two
of the conflicts the Inspector speaks of, they would also be aware
of another conflict that Priestley would have in mind: the Russian
Revolution (1917) in which the Tsar (Emperor) was overthrown by
the people and replaced by Communism (common ownership).
 KEY QUOTATION: THE INSPECTOR’S WARNING

© Fluke samed / Shutterstock

Priestley’s message is summed up in the Inspector’s warning to the

Birlings that we all have a responsibility in society to care for each
other and that ‘the time will soon come when, if men will not
learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood
and anguish’ (p. 56). The metaphor ‘fire and blood and anguish’ is a
powerful image that suggests conflict. The words ‘fire’, ‘blood’ and
‘anguish’ also have a religious interpretation, as if the Inspector
were a prophet or holy man.
 KEY CHARACTER: ERIC’S CONTRARY NATURE

Priestley shows Eric expressing a range of feelings and character

traits. We have seen Eric’s initial lack of concern about Eva Smith
and his immaturity. However, he does attempt to help her when she
becomes pregnant. Priestley’s characterisation of Eric means we
believe he is motivated partly out of self-centredness and partly from
a genuine concern for the girl’s welfare. His denial that he truly stole
the money reveals his failure to face unpleasant truths (p. 53). But
his reaction to his mother’s refusal to help the girl and the
consequences of her actions show that Eric has a moral aspect to
his character. He is stunned by Mrs Birling’s behaviour and, ‘nearly
at breaking point’ (p. 55), accuses her of killing her unborn
grandchild.

Top tip

Mr Birling’s reaction to Eric’s theft is to cover up the scandal. Look

back at Mr Birling’s comments to Gerald on p. 8 and make notes
about why they are ironic.
 KEY STRUCTURE: DRAMATIC TENSION AND
CLIMAX

Priestley brings the action to a climax when Eric accuses his mother
of causing the death of Eva Smith and her unborn child. There has
been a slow build-up of tension. First, we learned of Eric’s relations
with Eva Smith and her pregnancy, then Eric’s theft of money and Mr
Birling’s angry reaction. Finally we see the tension culminate in Eric’s
explosive outburst when he learns of his mother’s involvement and
refusal to help the girl. This climax shows the most dramatic division
yet between the values of the younger and older generations in the
reactions of Eric and his mother. The climax also prepares the way
for the Inspector’s final, powerful polemic, the most important climax
in the play.

Top tip

Reread the Inspector’s speech, starting on p. 55. He reminds the

Birlings how each was a link in the chain leading to Eva Smith’s
death. Make notes about how each character responds and what
this confirms about the older and younger Birlings.
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT THE
INSPECTOR’S SPEECH

Here is what one student has written about Inspector Goole’s final
speech.

Inspector Goole’s final monologue about the need for us all

to support the wider community has great dramatic effect.
Priestley uses several devices to do with the form[Sound
use of a literary term] of the speech that help to drive
home his message. Repetition of the words ‘we’ and
‘millions’ gives emphasis. [A good example of a device
used and its effect] The listing of abstract nouns such as
‘hopes’ and ‘fears’ gives a steady strong rhythm to the
character’s voice, as well as showing that the ordinary
person can have deep feelings. [A good example of more
than one effect]

Now you try it:

Add a statement on the effect created by the length of the

Inspector’s sentences and in particular the effect of the final two
sentences of his monologue.
ACT THREE, PART 4: RAKING OVER THE
REMAINS (PP. 57–61)

SUMMARY

Sheila is crying, Mrs Birling has collapsed in a chair, Mr Birling

pours himself a drink, swallows it quickly and turns on Eric,
worried about a scandal.
The two men argue over the stolen money. Mrs Birling declares
she is ashamed of Eric who declares he is ashamed of both his
parents.
Sheila tells her parents that they are behaving as though they
have learned nothing.
 Sheila questions whether or not Inspector Goole was a real
police officer. This arouses her parents’ interest.
Mr Birling declares that Eric could be ruined because of the
theft. He accuses his children of being fooled by the Inspector.
Mrs Birling supports her husband, who wonders how to escape
a scandal.
Gerald returns.

Top tip

Sheila accuses her father of not accepting his guilt, and it is

important to understand how Mr Birling separates himself and his
wife from the chain of events. Find where Sheila challenges her
father and outlines the chain of events again in this part of the play.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

It shows that even when their guilt is established the family are
still divided.
Sheila and Eric, who represent the young, are united against
their parents, who represent the older generation.
Questions are raised about the Inspector’s true identity.
 KEY THEME: THE GENERATION GAP

Once the Inspector has gone and the Birlings are able to behave
more freely, Priestley creates a dramatic situation for maximum
impact. The Birlings become like two opposing armies, Sheila and
Eric on one side and Mr and Mrs Birling on the other. Mr Birling
remains untouched by the Inspector’s words and still holds the
values he had at the beginning of the play (p. 6). Mrs Birling supports
her husband. Sheila and Eric’s concern is a moral one, their parts in
the death of the girl – the Inspector’s words have struck home.
However, the contrast between the generations is most striking when
Sheila says to her father, ‘you don’t seem to have learnt anything’
and Mr Birling replies, ‘I’ve learnt plenty tonight’ (p. 58). The
generations no longer seem to understand each other at all.
Priestley has set them against each other intentionally. He is
addressing his audience, saying that if society is to change for the
better after the Second World War it is the younger
‘impressionable’ (p. 30) generation who will make the difference.

Top tip

You need to embed your quotations within your sentences to

support what you write, so make sure your quotations are not too
long.
 KEY QUOTATION: THE INSPECTOR’S IDENTITY

Eric reminds his father of the speech he made earlier about ignoring
‘cranks’ (p. 58) who claim we are all responsible for each other. Eric
points out that ‘one of those cranks walked in – the Inspector’ (p.
58). Sheila asks if the Inspector arrived at this point. The audience is
thus alerted to the possibility that the Inspector is not who he says he
is – even that he is some kind of supernatural being who has come
with a purpose: to teach these people a lesson about social
responsibility.

Checkpoint

Sum up how the different characters view the importance of the

Inspector’s status as a police officer.
See Answer
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT DIFFERENT
VIEWPOINTS

Here is what one student has written about the way characters
respond differently to the possibility that the Inspector is an
imposter.

Priestley shows us that for Sheila and Eric, ‘it doesn’t

make any real difference’[Quotation embedded in the
text] whether the Inspector was a real police officer or
not because he has made them face what they did to
Eva Smith. By contrast, for Mr and Mrs Birling, whether
he was an imposter ‘matters a devil of a lot’ because only
a real police officer could take action against them. [A
clear contrast is made between the characters’
responses] Both Sheila and Eric have faced the truth
about their own self-centredness and lack of concern for
others. [A key point showing the characters’ similar
attitudes]

Now you try it:

Add a statement showing how Mr and Mrs Birling’s view contrasts

with Sheila and Eric’s.
ACT THREE, PART 5: THREE TELEPHONE
CALLS (PP. 61–72)

SUMMARY

Sheila tries to bring Gerald up to date, but her parents prevent

her.
Gerald has discovered that the Inspector is almost certainly not
a police officer. Mr Birling rings Chief Constable Roberts and
confirms that there is no Inspector Goole.
Sheila objects to her parents’ triumphant attitude. Eric agrees.
Mr Birling thinks the visit was a hoax. He considers how to avoid
a scandal. Eric reminds him that a girl died. Sheila supports
Eric. Mr Birling reminds Eric of the theft.
 Gerald wonders if Eva Smith actually existed. They question
whether the photograph was the same each time it was seen.
Gerald rings the Infirmary. There have been no recent suicides
and nobody has been admitted after drinking disinfectant.
Sheila remembers the Inspector’s words, but Mr Birling
dismisses her.
Gerald tries to persuade Sheila to take back the ring, but she
needs time to think.
The telephone rings. Mr Birling answers. A girl has just died
after committing suicide. An Inspector is on his way to interview
them.

Top tip

If a question asks you to ‘compare’ or ‘contrast’, make sure you

answer appropriately. For example, find references or quotations in
this section that contrast Sheila’s and Gerald’s attitude to the
Inspector.
WHY IS THIS SECTION IMPORTANT?

It seems Inspector Goole is not a real police officer.

Questions are asked as to whether Eva Smith is a real
person and whether the family had dealings with the same girl.
The tension decreases when there appears to have been no
suicide. Mr and Mrs Birling feel no guilt for their past actions.
The rift between the younger and older Birlings grows. Sheila
and Eric’s attitude is contrasted with that of the other three.
We are led towards the dramatic final twist.

Top tip

Notice how, in discrediting the Inspector, Gerald conveniently

forgets about his treatment of the girl and his deception of Sheila. If
we look at Gerald’s attitude in other situations we can see a pattern
(see pp. 63 and 71). Gerald likes to avoid unpleasant truths. In this
respect, he is not unlike Eric.
 KEY STRUCTURE: A PATTERN OF MOOD
CHANGES

© Steve Allen / Shutterstock

Priestley structures the events to create different moods. As the

characters assess the Inspector’s story and work out the details, the
tension lessens. Priestley leads the audience to believe, as Mr
Birling says, ‘no police enquiry. No one girl that all this happened
to. No scandal’ (p. 69). Then, just as they think all is well, the
telephone rings. The mood suddenly shifts to apprehension. The
characters ‘stare guiltily and dumbfounded’ (p. 72) as Mr Birling
declares that a police Inspector is on his way. The audience, as well
as the characters, are taken completely by surprise. The question of
the Inspector’s identity is reopened. We are taken back to the
beginning of the play to ask: What will happen now? How will the
characters behave this time? What will the consequences be? The
final twist was described at the time as ‘the best coup de théâtre of
the year’.

Top tip

To fully appreciate a play you should see it performed. If you can’t

see a theatre production of An Inspector Calls, try to see a
television production or a film. You can also read the play aloud in
your own time with a group of other students, each taking and
swapping roles.

Checkpoint

How do their reactions at this point in the play make Sheila and
Eric different from the others?
See Answer
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT SHEILA AND
ERIC’S FEAR

Here is what one student has written on the effects of Sheila and
Eric’s viewpoint.

Towards the end of the play, Priestley shows us how

Sheila and Eric’s bitterness and anger at the way they
could so easily forget the Inspector’s words turns to fear.
[Important shift in mood mentioned] Sheila remembers
how the Inspector made her ‘feel’ and she repeats the
Inspector’s words, ‘fire and blood and anguish’. The effect
of this metaphor[Good use of literary technique] on the
1946 audience would be to remind them of two world
wars.[Shows the effect on the audience]

Now you try it:

Add a statement showing how Sheila and Eric’s fear is a warning.

Start: So the audience would see that…
 PROGRESS AND REVISION CHECK

SECTION ONE: CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Answer these quick questions to test your basic knowledge of the

play, its characters and events:

Who agrees with Mr Birling’s assessment that ‘increasing

prosperity’ (p. 6) is to come?
Who says there is ‘nothing to gain by war’? (p. 6)
How did Eva Smith die?
Why did Mr Birling refuse to increase his workers’ pay?
Who tells us Eva Smith found a job at Milwards shop?
What two characters in Act One are shown the photograph of
Eva Smith?
What does Sheila warn Gerald not to do at the end of Act One?
Who refers to Eva Smith as a girl ‘of that class’ (p. 30) and
what does she mean?
Who tells Mrs Birling about Eric’s drinking and who confirms it?
When did Gerald meet Daisy Renton and when did the affair
end?
How does the Inspector know that Daisy Renton went to the
seaside?
What is the purpose of the Brumley Women’s Charity
Organization?
Who does Mrs Birling think should be held responsible for Eva
Smith’s pregnancy?
When did Eric meet ‘this girl’ (p. 51) at the Place Theatre bar?
How much did Eric steal from Birling’s office?
Who does the Inspector say helped to kill Eva Smith?
Who does Mr Birling ring to find out if there is an Inspector
Goole?
 Who establishes that there was no recent suicide?
What image from the Inspector’s speech sticks in Sheila’s mind?
Who answers the final phone call and who else is present when
it is answered?

ANSWERS

Gerald Croft
Mr Birling
by drinking disinfectant
to keep labour costs down
the Inspector/Inspector Goole
Mr Birling and Sheila
not to hide anything from the Inspector
Mrs Birling; she means ‘lower class’
Sheila tells her mother and Gerald confirms it.
He met her in spring/ ‘sometime in March’ (p. 34) the previous
year; the affair ended six months later/ ‘the first week of
September’ (p. 38).
She kept a diary.
to offer help to ‘women in distress’ (p. 42)/ to offer help to
women who need support
the father of the unborn child
November of the previous year
about fifty pounds
each of the Birlings and Gerald Croft
Chief Constable Colonel Roberts
Gerald Croft
‘fire and blood and anguish’ (pp. 56, 71)
Mr Birling answers; Mrs Birling, Sheila, Eric and Gerald are also
present.
 SECTION TWO: CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

© Mg7 / Thinkstock

Here are two tasks about the significance of particular moments in

the play. These require more thought and slightly longer responses.
In each case, try to write at least three to four paragraphs.

Task 1: Why are the sections in which Sheila’s engagement ring is

discussed significant (pp. 5, 40, 71–72)? Think about:

Sheila’s changing attitude to Gerald

What Sheila learns about herself

Task 2: Why is Mr Birling’s speech about the future (pp. 6–7)

important? Think about:

What it tells you about Mr Birling’s judgement about progress in

business and manufacturing
What it tells you about his judgement about the future of society

ANSWERS

Task 1
 Sheila is pleased to be engaged to Gerald when she first
receives the ring: ‘Now I feel really engaged’ (p. 5).
She returns the ring when she learns about Gerald’s affair with
Daisy Renton: ‘She hands him the ring’ (p 40).
Gerald’s affair and her own treatment of Eva Smith makes her
feel that Gerald and she ‘aren’t the same people who sat
down to dinner’ (p. 40).
Sheila learns the need for community responsibility. She refuses
the ring again because she needs time to consider how this and
Gerald’s affair affects their relationship: ‘It’s too soon. I must
think’ (p. 72).

Task 2

Mr Birling’s judgement is poor because:

His view is that there will be no trouble with his workers: ‘Don’t
worry. We’ve passed the worst of it’ (p. 6). We know strikes
followed in 1912.
He believes that the future of industry is rosy. He believes that
the Titanic is ‘unsinkable’ (p. 7), but we know that it sank in
1912.
He doesn’t think there will be a war. He says, ‘there isn’t a
chance of war’ (p. 6), but the First World War began in 1914.
He thinks that in the more distant future prospects will be good:
‘let’s say, in 1940’ (p. 7), but this is the time of the Second
World War.
 PROGRESS CHECK

GOOD PROGRESS

I can:

understand how Priestley has sequenced and revealed events.

refer to the importance of key events in the play.
select well-chosen evidence, including key quotations, to
support my ideas.

EXCELLENT PROGRESS

I can:

refer in depth to main and minor events and how they contribute
to the development of the plot.
understand how Priestley has carefully ordered or revealed
events for particular effects.
draw on a range of carefully selected key evidence, including
quotations, to support my ideas.
Characters
WHO’S WHO?
 EVA SMITH/DAISY RENTON

EVA SMITH/DAISY RENTON’S ROLE IN THE

PLAY

© Alistair Scott / Thinkstock

Eva Smith, also known as Daisy Renton, is the young woman who
suffered at the hands of the Birling family and Gerald. She does not
appear in the play. We are told that she:

was sacked by Mr Birling from his factory for leading a strike for
better pay.
was sacked from a dress shop after Sheila unjustly complained
about her.
became the mistress of Gerald Croft to whom she was known
as Daisy Renton.
was made pregnant by Eric Birling.
applied to a charity for help, but Mrs Birling refused her.
committed suicide by swallowing disinfectant.
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT EVA SMITH

Key point Evidence/Further meaning

Being bred in the country meant Eva ‘a lively good-looking girl –
Smith was more naive than a city country bred’ and a ‘good
girl. However, she was capable of worker too’ (Mr Birling, p. 14)
doing well. Reveals that Mr Birling recalls Eva
Smith as a pretty girl from the
countryside who knew how to
work hard.

She was capable of being a leader. ‘She’d had a lot to say – far too
much – so she had to go.’ (Mr
Birling, p. 15)
Reveals she was not afraid to
speak up (on behalf of others) for
more pay. Consequently she was
dismissed.

She seemed experienced and ‘she was very pretty and looked
consequently less naive than she as if she could take care of
was. herself’ (Sheila, p. 24)
Reveals that Sheila judged the girl
by her appearance, and wrongly
assumed she would find other
work.

Without work her prospects ‘Now she had to try something

declined. else.’ (Inspector, p. 25)
Without legitimate work she had to
turn to ‘something else’, a
euphemism for prostitution.
 THE INSPECTOR

THE INSPECTOR’S ROLE IN THE PLAY

Inspector Goole presents himself to the Birlings and Gerald as a

police officer who has come to investigate the suicide of a young
woman, Eva Smith. During the play he:

interrupts the celebratory dinner.

questions each of the other characters in turn.
establishes that each had an unwitting part in Eva Smith’s
death, through either cruelty or disregard for her welfare.
 gradually takes more control of the situation and has little regard
for social class or status.
is concerned about honesty and justice.
makes a powerful speech about our responsibility to each other
in the wider society.

Top tip

Make sure that you note how the Inspector controls events and
why. Ask yourself: What are your first impressions of him? How
does he regard the Birlings and Gerald? How does his control
increase as the play develops? What is the purpose of his visit?
 THE INSPECTOR’S IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY
AS A WHOLE

© Underworld111 / Thinkstock

Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to present his ideas

about the need for a just society and a communal sense of
responsibility. As well as increasingly governing events at the Birling
house, the Inspector also links all the characters to the ‘chain of
events’ (p. 14) that culminates in Eva Smith’s suicide.

Top tip

Note the way Priestley presents the relationship between Chief

Constable Colonel Roberts and Mr Birling, then ask yourself: How
is Inspector Goole different? Why does Mr Birling think the
Inspector would not ‘play golf’ (p. 16)? Why does the Inspector
ignore Mr Birling’s demands (p. 17)?
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT THE
INSPECTOR

Key point Evidence/Further meaning

The Inspector is an imposing figure He is a man of ‘massiveness,
who will dominate the play and will solidity and purposefulness’
achieve his aims. (p. 11).
Shows how the Inspector’s
physical presence matches his
identity.

He likes to do things in an orderly ‘One person and one line of

way. This allows J. B. Priestley to enquiry at a time. Otherwise,
build the play as a ‘chain of events’ there’s a muddle.’ (p. 12)
(p. 14). Indicates that all the Birlings and
Gerald are involved in the
inquiries.

The Inspector has high moral ‘It’s my duty to ask questions.’

standards, revealing that the others (p. 15)
characters have not. He takes his responsibilities
seriously.

The Inspector’s distinctive and ‘He never seemed like an

mysterious presence sets him apart ordinary police inspector’ (p.
from the other characters. 59).
Suggests he was different in
some way or that he was
somehow ‘extraordinary’, more
than human.
 TOP TIP: ‘GOOLE’ OR ‘GHOUL’

© Carolyn Franks / Shutterstock

Note the Inspector’s key character traits, in particular his single

mindedness when questioning the characters and ability to overrule
them (Act One, pp. 12, 17, 21–3; Act Two, p. 30; Act Three p. 51,
56); his power and magnetism (Act One, pp. 11, 26; Act Two, pp. 30,
37); his oratory (Act Three, p. 56) and the way in which he affects
Sheila and Eric so that they confront their actions (Act One, pp. 19,
20, 23; Act Three, pp. 58, 59).

Also consider his name, ‘Goole’, a homophone for ‘ghoul’,

suggesting a phantom and also a morbid interest in death, reminding
us that his concern is Eva Smith’s death. The Inspector’s origins are
unknown. Remember that Gerald discovers from a police sergeant
that there is no Inspector Goole on the force (Act Three, p. 63) and
this is confirmed by Mr Birling when he rings Chief Constable
Colonel Roberts (pp. 62–3). The audience is, therefore, bound to ask
themselves: who or what is Inspector Goole?

Top tip

Look at the stage directions. They give additional information to the

actors. What do the stage directions tell you about Inspector
Goole?
 MR BIRLING

MR BIRLING’S ROLE IN THE PLAY

Mr Birling, the father of Sheila and Eric, is a wealthy businessman

who owns a factory in Brumley. He has been the city’s lord mayor
and is a magistrate. During the play he:

hosts a celebratory dinner for Sheila’s engagement to Gerald

Croft.
is keen for the Birlings and Crofts to unite in business as well as
marriage.
 is keen to receive a knighthood.
says that a man’s responsibility is only to himself and his family
and not to the wider community.
reveals that he dismissed Eva Smith from her job at his factory
two years previously.
tries to take control when the Inspector arrives, but fails.
fears scandal and tries to protect himself and his family from
involvement with Eva Smith.
takes the final telephone call at the end of the play.

Key context

For Priestley, a socialist, Mr Birling stands for all that is wrong with
Edwardian society because he does not use his power and wealth
to help create social justice.
 MR BIRLING’S IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY AS A
WHOLE

© Tim Graham / Alamy

Arthur Birling believes that the individual has responsibilities only to

himself and his family. In business his aim is to make a profit, and if
this is at the expense of his workers, so be it. Although he has
gained public office as a mayor and an alderman, he does not feel a
responsibility to give anything back to the community. His views are
the opposite of Inspector Goole’s.

Key context

In 1912 trade unions were not well established and many

employers did not take them seriously. Consequently, Mr Birling
could easily dismiss workers such as Eva Smith.
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT MR BIRLING

Key point Evidence/Further meaning

Mr Birling’s size helps to give ‘heavy-looking, rather portentous man’
him a threatening (p. 1)
appearance. Reveals him as a thickset, pompous man.

He doesn’t let sentiment get ‘a hard-headed, practical man of

in the way of whatever business’ (p. 6)
needs to be done to He thinks of himself as a man who does
succeed. well in business.

Suggests he has a high ‘Yes, my dear, I know – I’m talking too

opinion of his own much.’ (p. 7)
importance. He likes to air his views and is aware that
he tends to monopolise the conversation.

He expects others to ‘I’m a public man’ (p. 41)

acknowledge his importance He has been in positions of power, locally,
and show respect. as a member of the town council and Lord
Mayor, and is still a magistrate.
 TOP TIP: POSITION AND POWER

© aluxum / Shutterstock

Ensure that you show how Priestley presents Mr Birling as a

powerful man (Act One, p. 11; Act Two, p. 31) full of his own
importance (Act One, p. 11) who tries to intimidate the Inspector (Act
One, p. 17). Note the way Mr Birling declares his views at the
beginning of the play (Act One, pp. 6, 10). Despite hearing of Eva
Smith’s suicide he shows no remorse for his part in her decline (Act
Three pp. 57, 58). He continually strives to protect himself and his
family from scandal (Act Two, p. 45; Act Three, pp. 54, 58) and from
losing his chance of a knighthood (Act Three p. 57).
 AIMING HIGH: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

For higher grades, it’s important that you can write about the way
Priestley presents Mr Birling as the play progresses. To develop your
views, try asking yourself the following questions. How is he
presented initially? What are his views? What is his relationship like
with the other Birlings and Gerald? What is his response to the
Inspector as the play develops? What is he most afraid of? How
does he behave when the Inspector leaves?
 MRS BIRLING

MRS BIRLING’S ROLE IN THE PLAY

Mrs Birling is the wife of Mr Birling and the mother of Sheila and Eric.
She is a prominent member of the Brumley Women’s Charity
Organization. During the play she:

commends Gerald’s timing after he presents Sheila with an

engagement ring.
adopts a superior tone with the Inspector.
is disgusted when she learns that Daisy Renton was Gerald’s
mistress, but forgets about it when she thinks a scandal has
 been avoided.
uses her influence to prevent the pregnant Eva Smith receiving
help from the charity.
thinks Eva Smith and the father of the unborn child are to blame
for Eva Smith’s death, before she realises that Eric is the father.
claims she was the only one who stood up to the Inspector’s
questioning.

Top tip

Note the way Priestley builds the dramatic tension around Mrs
Birling as the Inspector questions her. What does she reveal about
her attitude to Eva Smith? Why does Sheila try to stop her mother
talking? What does Mrs Birling discover?
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT MRS BIRLING

Key point Evidence/Further meaning

Mrs Birling regards most ‘a rather cold woman and her
people as beneath her and husband’s social superior’ (p. 1)
expects the Inspector to treat Mrs Birling is not a friendly person and
her with respect. rarely shows any affection. She comes
from a higher social class than her
husband’s.

She is used to being listened ‘Please don’t contradict me like that.’

to and having her opinions (p. 30)
accepted as right. She does not like, and doesn’t expect,
people to disagree with her.

She is prudish, unforgiving ‘It’s disgusting to me.’ (p. 38)

and intolerant of people’s Even though Gerald comes from a good
mistakes. family and meets with her approval as a
future son-in-law, she cannot accept
Gerald’s affair.

She is able to influence the ‘the most prominent member of the

decisions the charity committee’ (pp. 43–4)
organisation makes. She is the most powerful and respected
member of the group that runs the
charity.
 ERIC BIRLING

ERIC’S ROLE IN THE PLAY

Eric Birling is the son of Mr and Mrs Birling and sister to Sheila. He
works in his father’s firm. During the play he:

drinks too much at the celebratory dinner.

admits that he made Eva Smith pregnant after meeting her at
the Palace Theatre.
admits he gave Eva Smith money that he stole from his father’s
firm.
accuses his mother of murdering his unborn child and her
grandchild.
acknowledges his irresponsibility towards Eva Smith and
accepts the Inspector’s words.
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT ERIC BIRLING

Key point Evidence/Further meaning

Eric is treated as an ‘Just keep quiet, Eric, and don’t get
irresponsible child by his excited’ (p. 13)
father. Reveals that Mr Birling knows that Eric has
drunk too much and might say something he
shouldn’t.

Mr Birling feels he knows ‘That’s something this public-school-and-

more of life than his son. Varsity life you’ve had doesn’t seem to
teach you.’ (p. 16)
Reveals Eric has been educated at an
expensive school and university. Suggests
Mr Birling hasn’t.

Eric doesn’t discuss his ‘you’re not the type – you don’t get drunk’
problems or private life (p. 50)
with his mother. We know that Eric does get drunk, and that
the opposite of what his mother says is true.

Eric’s immaturity. ‘Your trouble is – you’ve been spoilt’ (p.

54)
Mr Birling thinks that by being the boss’s son
Eric has had too easy a life.
 TOP TIP: ERIC REGRETS

Eric’s change is not as profound as Sheila’s, but he is greatly

affected by the Inspector’s words. Show how Priestley presents him
as a character ill at ease with others (Act One, p. 3) who drinks too
much (Act One, p. 3; Act Three, p. 51). Explain how he is troubled by
Eva Smith’s suicide (Act Three, p. 55) and the death of his unborn
child (Act Three, p. 55), the way he is affected by the Inspector’s
words (Act Three, pp. 58, 59, 64) and recognises his guilt (Act
Three, p. 64). By contrast, show his attitude to the theft from his
father’s firm (Act Three, p. 53) and his unhappiness with his parents
(pp. 54, 55). Finally, decide if there are any indications that Eric’s
behaviour is likely to change (Act Three, pp. 64, 65, 68–9, 71).

Top tip

Compare and contrast Priestley’s presentation of Eric with his

presentation of Gerald. What are their similarities and differences
at the beginning of the play and at the end of the play?
 SHEILA BIRLING

SHEILA’S ROLE IN THE PLAY

Sheila Birling is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Birling and sister to Eric.
She is engaged to Gerald Croft. During the play she:

is initially pleased and excited at the prospect of her marriage.

is distressed when she hears that a young woman, Eva Smith,
has taken her own life.
reveals that she was responsible for Eva Smith’s dismissal from
Milwards shop.
 recognises Inspector Goole cannot be lied to.
breaks off her engagement to Gerald when she discovers he
had an affair with Daisy Renton/Eva Smith.
reveals that Eric drinks too much.
acknowledges her part in Eva Smith’s downfall and takes the
Inspector’s words to heart.

Key context

Edwardian middle-and upper-class parents often encouraged or

sometimes forced their sons and daughters to marry for money.
Sheila and Gerald are a love match, although Mr Birling also has a
keen eye on the financial rewards the marriage will bring.
 SHEILA’S IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY AS A
WHOLE

Of all the characters, Sheila changes the most. She is greatly

troubled when she realises that her petty jealously at Milwards
meant such hardship for Eva Smith. She respects Gerald’s honesty
about his affair, but also has the courage to break off her
engagement to him. Most importantly, she is affected by the
Inspector’s words. Her focus on frivolous concerns shifts, and she
supports the need for social justice. For Priestley, Sheila represents
the belief that young people are open to change.
 TOP TIP: WRITING ABOUT SHEILA’S VOICE

© kittimages / Thinkstock

Note Sheila’s voice at the beginning of Act One when we first meet
her at the dinner table. She is lively, chiding Gerald, ‘I should jolly
well think not’ (p. 2), or adopts a ‘mock aggressiveness’ (p. 3),
‘Gerald – just you object!’ (p. 3) as though she has no cares.
Although she protests that Gerald neglected her the previous year,
her overall mood at this time is carefree. This allows Priestley to
create a dramatic contrast in Sheila’s voice and mood after the
Inspector arrives, and you can find numerous examples of how her
light heartedness has changed to distress, scorn or anxiety as Eva
Smith’s story unfolds (pp.17, 38, 71).
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT SHEILA
BIRLING

Key point Evidence/Further meaning

Sheila feels shock at the death of a young ‘Oh – how horrible! Was it
woman, revealing that she can’t imagine an accident?’ (p. 17)
someone not having a lot to live for. Shows her naivety to
assume that someone could
drink a fatal amount of
disinfectant ‘by accident’.

Although bitter, her curiosity needs to be ‘I wouldn’t miss it for

satisfied and she is strong enough to hear worlds’ (p. 34)
the full story. Reveals her bitterness at
Gerald’s affair.

She is strong enough to accept ‘I had her turned out of a

responsibility for what she has done and job.’ (p. 56)
to feel regret. Shows she can confront her
bad behaviour.

Sheila believes that it doesn’t matter ‘it’s you two who are being
whether the Inspector is a real police childish – trying not to
officer or not. She is only concerned that face the facts’ (p. 59)
they all harmed someone. She recognises her parents’
faults and their failure to
acknowledge them.
 TOP TIP: SHEILA’S PROGRESS

© Maritije / Shutterstock

Show how Priestley presents Sheila’s development as the character

that changes the most. At first she is playful and egotistical (Act One,
pp. 2–5), but becomes serious and troubled at the news of a young
woman’s death (Act One, pp. 17, 19). She questions her own
behaviour and regrets her treatment of Eva Smith (Act One, p. 24;
Act Three, p. 57). Explain how she reproaches Gerald (Act One, p.
26; Act Two, pp. 34, 38, 40), but keeps the way open for a possible
reconciliation (Act Three, p. 72). Sheila fully accepts the Inspector’s
words (Act Three, pp. 58, 59) and is distressed when her parents do
not (Act Three, pp. 57, 71).

Top tip

Note the way Priestley presents Sheila. What does she care about,
initially? How does her mood change? How do her views change
and why? How does her relationship with Gerald change? How
does her relationship with Eric change? What does she think of her
parents by the end of the play?
 GERALD CROFT

GERALD’S ROLE IN THE PLAY

Gerald, who is the son of a wealthy industrialist and rival of Birling’s,

has become engaged to Sheila. During the play he:

gives Sheila the engagement ring during the celebratory dinner.

shows he has the same approach to business as Mr Birling.
conducts himself agreeably and politely with Mr and Mrs Birling.
tells how he rescued Daisy Renton/Eva Smith from the drunken
Alderman Meggarty.
admits that he kept the girl as his secret mistress for six months,
then broke off their relationship.
discovers that a police sergeant has never heard of an Inspector
Goole.
telephones the Infirmary and learns that no girl died that day.
EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT GERALD
CROFT

Evidence/Further
Key point
meaning
Gerald is self-assured, mature and worldly ‘easy, well-bred young
wise. man-about-town’ (p. 2)
Reveals that Gerald is
upper class and has a
polite, relaxed manner.

Mr Birling thinks that Gerald will make a good ‘You’re just the kind of
business partner as well as a husband for son-in-law I always
Sheila. wanted.’ (p. 4)
Reveals that Mr Birling
sees Gerald as being
like himself – a
determined man of
business.

Gerald can maintain a stiff upper lip while ‘I’m rather more –
being troubled by Daisy Renton/Eva Smith’s upset – by this
suicide. business than I
probably appear to be’
(p. 39)
Deep down Gerald is
greatly saddened by the
girl’s death and feels in
part responsible.

Gerald has double standards. When he thinks ‘Everything’s all right

a scandal has been averted, he wants to now, Sheila. (Holds up
resume his engagement, forgetting that he the ring.) What about
abandoned Daisy Renton/Eva Smith. this ring?’ (p. 71)
Shows Gerald wants to
continue his relationship
with Sheila.
 PROGRESS AND REVISION CHECK

SECTION ONE: CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Answer these quick questions to test your basic knowledge of the

play’s characters.

Who is described as ‘half shy, half assertive’, who as ‘very

pleased with life’ and who as a ‘young man-about-town’?
What were the different names used by the girl who committed
suicide?
What impression do we get of Mrs Birling when we first meet
her?
How would you describe Mr Birling when he discovers that the
Inspector is an imposter?
What impression does the Inspector’s physical appearance
create?
What character has the fewest lines to speak in the play?
Who is the alderman who visited the Palace Theatre bar?
What servants do the Birlings employ?
Who is absent from the engagement dinner?
What is the name and title of Mr Birling’s friend in the police
force?

ANSWERS

Eric Birling, Sheila Birling, Gerald Croft (Acto One, p. 2)

Eva Smith, Daisy Renton, Mrs Birling
She is cold, reserved and prim.
triumphant/jubilant/victorious (or similar)
It ‘creates an impression of massiveness, solidity and
purposefulness’ (Act One, p. 11). He has a large, solid and
determined appearance (or similar).
Edna, the maid
Alderman Meggarty
A maid (Edna) and a cook
Lord and Lady Croft
Chief Constable Colonel Roberts
 SECTION TWO: CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Here is a task about Inspector Goole. This requires more thought

and a slightly longer response. Try to write at least three to four
paragraphs.

Task: How does Inspector Goole speak to the other characters?

Think about:

His physical manner and how he questions them

How his manner changes over the course of the play and why

ANSWERS

He questions by speaking ‘carefully, weightily and has a

disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person before
actually speaking (Act One, p. 11).
He asks questions in a way that demands answers. He says to
Mrs Birling, ‘You’re not telling me the truth’ (Act Two, p. 41).
He begins by questioning politely: ‘I’d like some information if
you don’t mind’ (Act One, p. 11).
He becomes increasingly forceful to gain control of the situation.
He says to Mr Birling, ‘Don’t stammer and yammer at me
again man’ (Act Two, p. 46).
 PROGRESS CHECK

GOOD PROGRESS

I can:

explain the significance of the main characters in how the action

develops.
refer to how they are described by Priestley and how this affects
the way we see them.

EXCELLENT PROGRESS

I can:

analyse in detail how Priestley has shaped and developed

characters over the course of the play.
infer key ideas, themes and issues from the ways characters
and relationships are presented by Priestley.
Themes, Contexts and Settings
 THEMES

EQUALITY

Priestley presents the audience with a powerful social and political

message. The Inspector is his mouthpiece. He is the character who
highlights the inequalities in society. Make sure you remember:

The comfortable life of the middle-class Birlings (pp. 1, 2) is

compared with the lives of their working-class employees (p.
15).
The Inspector highlights injustices and inequalities. He makes
his point more and more forcefully as the play progresses. In his
final monologue he says that if injustice is allowed to continue it
will lead to dreadful consequences – to ‘fire and blood and
anguish’ (p. 56).
Sheila and Eric are affected by the Inspector’s words and are
fearful of what the future will bring if society does not change (p.
71).
Priestley is saying that hope for a more just society lies with the
younger generation. The young are not set in their ways like the
older generation, but are ‘more impressionable’ (p. 30)
according to the Inspector.

Theme tracker

Equality

p. 8: Mr Birling shows his belief in the class structure by

acknowledging Lady Croft’s superior position.
pp. 15, 16: Mr Birling explains why he dismissed the strikers.
Gerald agrees. Eric disagrees.
p. 41: Sheila challenges her mother’s belief in their superior social
position.
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT EFFECTS

Here is what one student has written about the way Priestley
presents Sheila’s attitude to working-class women. It also shows
the difference between Sheila and Eva Smith’s position in society.

Early on in the play, Sheila is outraged at factory owners,

such as her father, employing young women cheaply
[Reveals an aspect of Sheila’s character] and points
out that they aren’t ‘cheap labour’ but people’. However,
Sheila is capable of treating such women badly, too.
[Introduces a contradictory side to Sheila’s character]
Out of jealousy, she told the manager at Milwards to
dismiss Eva Smith (the sales assistant) because the dress
Sheila liked suited Eva better. The effect Priestley wants
to create is that Sheila is not a truly bad person, but she
is ignorant. [Shows clearly the effect created by the
writer] Sheila takes for granted that because she comes
from a powerful Brumley family she can do as she wants
and ‘get rid of’ people like Eva Smith, without thinking
about the consequences. [Points to unequal social
positions]

Now you try it:

Add a final sentence saying how Sheila feels when she realises
the consequences of her power over Eva Smith.
 RESPONSIBILITY

The theme of responsibility is closely related to the theme of equality

and occurs in different ways throughout the play:

Mr Birling feels his responsibility is to make as large a profit as

he can from his business, whether or not this means treating his
workers unfairly (p. 15).
Mrs Birling has responsibilities as chair of the Brumley Women’s
Charity Organization, but believes that help should only be given
to those who deserve it (pp. 42, 44).
Sheila realises too late that her social standing as a valued
Milwards’ customer brings responsibilities with it.
Eric has little sense of responsibility at all, until he is moved by
the Inspector’s words (pp. 64, 65).
Gerald showed some responsibility by helping Daisy Renton
escape from the Palace Theatre bar. He provided for her to a
limited extent, but he also disregarded his responsibilities to
Sheila.

Remember that the main focus of responsibility in the play is that

which the Birlings and Gerald had to Eva Smith, and how their failure
to take responsibility decided her fate:

Mr Birling dismissed her from his factory.

Sheila had her dismissed from Milwards.
Eric and Gerald took advantage of her vulnerability.
Mrs Birling refused to help her when she most needed it.

Theme tracker

Responsibility
pp. 10, 58: Mr Birling gives a speech about responsibility to
oneself and one’s family, and Eric later remarks on it.
p. 48: Mrs Birling states her view about who is to blame for Eva
Smith’s pregnancy.
p. 56: Inspector Goole gives an impassioned speech on
responsibility to others.
 AIMING HIGH: COMMENT ON EDNA

© Lisa S / Shutterstock

Through Inspector Goole Priestley emphasises the Birlings’

responsibilities to the wider community by focusing on their
treatment of Eva Smith. To gain higher marks you could also discuss
Edna, the maid, and the Birlings’ attitude to her, bearing in mind that
domestic servants relied on the goodwill of their employers and
could be dismissed without justification or compensation.

Edna is a very minor character in the play with few lines, most of
which include the words ‘Ma’am’ (p. 2) or ‘sir’ (p. 10) and illustrate
her lowly status and her employers’ superiority. There is no
conversation between Edna and the Birlings. Priestley has
deliberately given Edna little dialogue and no character development
for particular effects. He is making the point that she is one of the
invisible ‘millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths’ (p. 56). We do
not know what Edna’s hopes and fears are. Nor, it is safe to say,
would Mr and Mrs Birling. They are unlikely to feel any responsibility
to her beyond paying her wages. Also note how Edna ushers
Inspector Goole into the dining room (p. 10), a fitting action, since he
is about to address the Birlings on their responsibility to women like
her.
Key context

Servants like Edna worked very long hours, usually rising between
five and six in the morning and finishishing work at any time,
depending on the requirements of their employers. Note how Mrs
Birling asks Edna ‘to wait up’ (p. 61) to make tea for the family.
 LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Priestley explores the nature of love and marriage from the

perspectives of different characters and, in some cases, how their
understanding of love changes:

Mr Birling sees marriage as a way of climbing the social ladder,

so he is delighted at Sheila’s engagement to Gerald, the son of
a Lord.
Mr Birling’s motives for marrying Sybil Birling may have been
more to do with her social position than with love, since she
comes from a family socially superior to his.
Parental love is lacking in Eric’s life. He complains that neither
of his parents are the kind he would seek help from if he was in
trouble (pp. 54, 55).
Physical attraction was one motive behind Gerald’s and also
Eric’s relationship with Daisy Renton. She seems to have loved
Gerald (p. 38) and regarded Eric as immature (p. 53).

Inspector Goole promotes love as charity, where we demonstrate

care and humanity towards others in the community at large.

The love between Sheila and Gerald undergoes the greatest

change:

At the beginning of the play Sheila and Gerald appear to be

romantically in love as they celebrate their engagement.
As revelations about Gerald’s affair with Daisy Renton come to
light, Sheila questions whether the Gerald she loves is the one
she knows. She realises that trust and honesty are the basis of
a sound marriage (p. 40).

Theme tracker
Love and marriage

p. 8: The family toasts Sheila and Gerald’s engagement.

p. 38: Sheila demands to know if Gerald loved Daisy Renton.
Gerald is uncertain.
p. 72: Sheila no longer knows what her feelings are for Gerald.
She needs to understand everything that has happened before
she can resume the engagement.
 KEY QUOTATION: MR AND MRS BIRLING’S
MARRIAGE

While Mr and Mrs Birling have a marriage in which they share and
support each other’s opinions, Mrs Birling notes that men ‘with
important work to do’ , such as her husband, ‘spend nearly all
their time and energy on their business’ (p. 3). It suggests that
the marriage lacks affection.

Key context

Whether or not Mrs Birling objected to her husband spending so

much time on his business, she comments that when Sheila
marries Gerald she’ll ‘have to get used to it’ (p. 3). Married
women during the Edwardian period, from whatever class they
came, would be expected to put their husbands before themselves
at all times.
REVISION FOCUS: GERALD, ERIC AND DAISY
RENTON

Reread Gerald’s account of his time with Daisy Renton (pp. 34–
40). Then reread Eric’s account (pp. 51–4).
Create a two-column table headed ‘Gerald, Eric and Daisy
Renton’. Add two subheadings: ‘Similarities’ and ‘Differences’.
Under the first column, write down the similarities between
Gerald and Eric’s treatment of Daisy Renton, making a note of
any useful quotations or references.
In the second column, carry out a similar task noting the
differences between Gerald and Eric’s treatment of her. Again,
make a note of any useful quotations or references.
 TIME

Priestley draws on ideas about time to create twists and surprises in

the play. For example, the idea of time repeating itself, and using
knowledge of the past to change the future, occurs at the end of the
play. Here, the phone call telling the Birlings that a girl has just died
brings the characters full circle. This means that:

Inspector Goole arrives at the Birlings’ to question the

characters before the suicide has been discovered.
The characters are given a chance to see the consequences of
their past actions.
The characters can change how they will react when an
inspector questions them the second time round.
At the end of the play the audience is left to consider how each
character will respond. We expect Sheila and Eric to understand
what they have done to Eva Smith and behave differently in the
future. We expect Mr and Mrs Birling to deny any responsibility
for their actions.
It is trickier to decide what Gerald will do. His past behaviour
troubles him, but how far his future behaviour would change is
an open question.

Theme tracker

Time

p. 11: Inspector Goole informs Gerald and the Birlings that a

young woman has committed suicide by drinking disinfectant.
pp. 58–70: When the Inspector leaves, Gerald and the Birlings
discover that there is no one called Inspector Goole and no recent
suicide.
p. 72: The final phone call reveals that an inspector is on his way
to investigate the suicide of a young woman. Events are about to
repeat themselves.
 AIMING HIGH: COMMENT ON THE TIMING OF
THE PLAY

© iStock / PK Photos

To show your understanding more fully, you can also discuss the
timing of the play, both the period in which Priestley chose to set it
(1912) and its relationship to the audience who would first see it. He
set it just before the ‘fire and blood and anguish’ (p. 56) of the First
World War (1914–18) for an audience who would have just come
through the Second World War (1939–45). From Priestley’s point of
view it would give greater power to his words. He was appealing to
the audience to consider the failure of the older generation
(exemplified by Mr and Mrs Birling) to learn from their mistakes after
the First World War and not to repeat this failure now the Second
World War was over.

The audience would also recognise how Eric’s fear of the future
foreshadowed the coming loss of life among his generation.
(Remember that both Eric and Gerald are of the generation that
would fight in the First World War.) Also note how Eric, early on in
the play, seems to challenge his father’s views about the possibility
of war. His father silences him (p. 6), which we could see as a
symbol of the older generation failing the young. Gerald, on the other
hand, agrees with Mr Birling that the future looks like ‘a time of
steadily increasing prosperity’ (p. 6); comments that prove to be
tragically ironic.

Key context

Priestley wrote several ‘Time Plays’, such as Dangerous Corner

(1932) and Time and the Conways (1937). Like An Inspector Calls,
there are shifts in time so the future is revealed.

Key context

Time shifts like those in An Inspector Calls occur in several films.

For example, Back to the Future uses the idea of travelling back in
time and ahead into the future. Groundhog Day uses the notion of
time being circular and a particular day repeating itself.
 CONTEXTS

J. B. PRIESTLEY

Here are a few key dates from J. B. Priestley’s life. Remember that if
you include details about the life of the author in your essay, you
must make them relevant to the play:

1894 John Boyton Priestley is born in Bradford, Yorkshire, into a

middle-class suburban family. His mother dies and his father,
who becomes a headteacher, remarries.
1910 Priestley leaves school at 16 and takes a job as a clerk in
a wool company to have time to write, rather than go on to
university. At this time, his father’s socialist friends influence his
later views, which emerge in his writing.
1914–18 Aged twenty, he leaves to fight in the First World War,
in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. He is badly wounded and
gassed. The experience affects his views and writing.
1922 He attends Trinity Hall, Cambridge University and
achieves a degree.
1922 He works in London as a journalist and publishes his first
collection of essays Brief Diversions. He begins his career as a
successful writer.
1934 He writes English Journey, which depicts the poor in
England during the economic depression.
1939–45 He makes regular wartime broadcasts for the BBC.
1945 He writes An Inspector Calls, the most famous of his
plays.
1984 He dies at the age of eighty-nine, having written numerous
plays, novels, essays, social history, literary criticism and an
autobiography.
As a socialist, Priestley was particularly dismayed at the period
between the two world wars that brought widespread poverty,
economic depression and political extremism to many countries. An
Inspector Calls is a plea for a fairer society.

Key context

Not all manufacturers held the same views towards the working
class as Arthur Birling. Seebohm Rowntree (1871–1954), a
chocolate manufacturer, carried out research into poverty. He
found that a high percentage of the population lived below the
poverty line as a result of low wages – the ‘usual rates’ (p. 15)
that Arthur Birling paid.
 SOCIAL RANK

The place in society (class) from which you came was of great
importance in Edwardian society:

Mr and Mrs Birling feel that they must, at all costs, retain
respectability and social standing.
Mr Birling, like many manufacturers in the Victorian and
Edwardian period, has amassed wealth, which makes him more
acceptable to the aristocracy, a class above his, who were often
losing money from estates that were costly to maintain.
We are led to believe that Arthur Birling was not born wealthy,
but is a self-made man, keen to keep rising up the social ladder
and gain a knighthood (p. 8).
His knighthood will also make his daughter more acceptable to
Lady Croft, Gerald’s mother (p. 8).
Mrs Birling, her husband’s ‘social superior’ (p. 1), has strict
manners and behaviour (p. 2).

Top tip

Remember that, though Gerald genuinely cares for Daisy Renton,

he agrees that Mr Birling was right to sack workers like her (pp. 15,
17). You could argue that despite Gerald’s sensitivity and kindness,
his readiness to take up a mistress from the lower classes and
dispense with her when he pleases, is not dissimilar to Mr Birling’s
dealings with his workers (p. 15).
 POLITICAL AND WORKING LIFE IN 1912

© Sue C / Shutterstock

In 1912 the Liberal party is in power under the Prime Minister

Herbert Henry Asquith and the Labour Party, founded by James Kier
Hardie, is beginning to make headway. Suffragettes, calling for votes
for women, smash shop windows in London’s Oxford Street, and
coal miners, after a national strike, secure a minimum wage
(meaning pay cannot fall below a particular rate).

Employers at this time, with the same attitude as Mr Birling (pp.

6, 15) do not take trade unions seriously, though the unions do
 have more powers to negotiate with the employer than workers
who take unorganised action.
The strike Eva Smith took part in was not led by a trade union,
so had little chance of success (p. 15).
Women are paid less than men for doing the same or a similar
job.
There is no job security for working people like Eva Smith.
Dismissal without good references means it is even harder to
find work.
There is no unemployment pay or benefits to help while looking
for a new job, so people go hungry, as Eva Smith did (p. 51).

Key context

Mr Birling scoffs at ‘these Bernard Shaws and H. G. Wellses’ (p.

7). Both were writers and socialists who commented on inequality
and corruption in society. H. G. Wells addressed social class in The
Time Machine (1895), as did Shaw in his first play, Widower’s
Houses (1892).
 KEY QUOTATION: HUNGER

Priestley’s avoids revealing all the details of Eva Smith’s life, but
when Eric meets her at the Palace Theatre bar he tells us that
‘she’d not had much to eat that day’ (p. 51). We can assume that
a reluctance to make money as a prostitute has left her hungry and
poverty stricken and has forced her back to the life she hates at the
Palace bar.
 TOP TIP: PLACE AND PEOPLE

Remember that Priestley deliberately chooses a context in which

there is a marked divide between the lives of the rich and the poor. In
addition to employment, the poor are dependent on the rich for
welfare, which may not always be given (for example, the Brumley
Women’s Charity Organizaton may choose to offer help or not, p.
42). So there are no guarantees that women like Eva Smith (or the
‘John Smiths’ the Inspector refers to on p. 56) will be able to avoid
misery and poverty. Also note that, ironically, one place where the
rich and poor meet socially is the Palace Theatre bar. Men like Eric
(and possibly Gerald) and local dignitaries, such as Alderman
Meggarty (p. 35), gather there to meet prostitutes. Women such as
Eva Smith who cannot find legitimate work turn to prostitution to
make a living and are dependent on the wealthy yet again, but in a
different context.
SETTINGS

KEY LOCATIONS
 ONE EVENING IN BRUMLEY

The action of the play takes place in a single setting that does not
change: the Birlings’ dining room one evening in spring, 1912.

Choosing to set the play in one room only, helps to create a

claustrophobic mood.
The setting is realistic, depicting a normal suburban home, but
Priestley will strip away this normality as more and more is
revealed about the characters’ behaviour towards Eva Smith.
The lighting is described as ‘pink and intimate’ (p. 1) when the
play opens. This changes to a harsher light when the Inspector
arrives, suggesting that his inquiries will be clear sighted and
probing.

The Birlings’ home is situated in a fictional north Midlands city.

Brumley is a manufacturing city in which factory owners such as

the prosperous Birlings provide employment for the working
classes.
The city has a mayor, aldermen, police force and town hall as
well as other institutions. Milwards, the shop mentioned, serves
the wealthy.
The Brumley Women’s Charity Organization offers some help to
the city’s poorer women.
The Palace Variety Theatre bar is where prostitutes hope to find
trade among middle-class men of all ages.

Key context

The name Brumley has connotations with Birmingham’s nickname

‘Brum’. Brumley is also onomatopoeic, with a deep, engine-like
sound, reminding us of the manufacturing industry that Birmingham
was once famous for.
 TOP TIP: A REALISTIC SETTING

Priestley was concerned to present as realistic a stage set as

possible, giving detailed and lengthy stage directions at the
beginning of Act One. The effect is that of a typical prosperous
middle-class dining room of the period, portraying stability, prosperity
and convention. The family are dressed in traditional formal evening
dress (the men in ‘white tie and tails’ (p.1) for the celebratory
occasion.

The stage directions describe the dining room as ‘substantial and

comfortable, but not cosy and homelike’ (p. 1). The lack of
homeliness suggests the hidden tension between the members of
the family, which emerges as the play progresses.
 MODERN STAGE ADAPTATIONS

Stephen Daldry’s adaptation of An Inspector Calls (1992–5 and

2009–10) changes Priestley’s realistic setting.

Different time periods are created. The house is set in 1912, but
is placed in London during the Second World War. Inspector
Goole gives his final speech to the audience in the present day.
The Edwardian house opens like a flimsy doll’s house
surrounded by the rubble of the London blitz.
The lighting creates shadows and pools of light, and the music
is menacing.
A crowd of characters comes on stage, including three children
scavenging for food thrown by Edna, the maid.

Do you think Priestley would approve? Think of a reason for each

point.
 PROGRESS AND REVISION CHECK

SECTION ONE: CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Answer these quick questions to test your basic knowledge of the

themes, contexts and settings of the play:

Which characters learn that they live in an unequal society?

Who regards marriage as a means of climbing the social
ladder?
What twist occurs at the end of the play?
Who can be described as a self-made man?
Where is the lighting ‘pink and intimate’?
Name four kinds of love in the play.
What is the name of the city in which the play takes place?
What type of city is it and where is it?
When is the play set?
When does the lighting become brighter and harder?

ANSWERS

Sheila, Eric
Mr Birling
The play returns to where it started, as if through a shift in time.
Mr Birling
at the celebratory dinner before the Inspector arrives
romantic love, family love, lust, universal love
Brumley
‘An industrial city in the North Midlands.’
‘An evening in spring, 1912’
when Inspector Goole enters
 SECTION TWO: CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Here is a task about the setting of the play. This requires more
thought and a slightly longer response. Try to write at least three to
four paragraphs.

Task: What effect is Priestley trying to achieve through the setting of

the play? Think about:

What the stage directions and set design tell you

What they suggest about the characters and their values

ANSWERS

According to the stage directions, Priestley wants to create the

typical suburban dining room of a ‘prosperous manufacturer’
which has ‘good solid furniture’ (Act One, p. 1).
The Birlings want to present an image of solidity and
respectability, like their furniture.
The stage directions also indicate ‘white tie and tails’ (Act One,
p. 1) are to be worn, which is formal evening dress.
The formal evening dress establishes the idea of tradition and
correctness.
 PROGRESS CHECK

GOOD PROGRESS

I can:

explain the main themes, contexts and settings in the text and
how they contribute to the effect on the reader.
use a range of appropriate evidence to support any points I
make about these elements.

EXCELLENT PROGRESS

I can:

analyse in detail the way themes are developed and presented

across the play.
refer closely to key aspects of context and setting and the
implications they have for the writer’s viewpoint, and the
interpretation of relationships and ideas.
Form, Structure and Language
 FORM

OVERVIEW

A play’s form is its dramatic style. An Inspector Calls belongs to

more than one type, but it is usually described as a well-made play,
a traditional form.

It has a strong main plot in which events are linked by cause

and effect (as we see with Eva Smith’s story).
There is often a revelation about something or someone in
which letters or documents are important.
There is a backstory, in which events have already happened
before the play begins.
Usually, in the traditional well-made play, the conflict is resolved
and there is a return to normality. An Inspector Calls is different.
The twist at the end of the play leaves us asking what will
happen next.

Top tip

There are many different moods in the play, but you can sum up
the general pattern from beginning to end: the opening has a
festive mood until the Inspector arrives, when it changes to
seriousness and then anxiety as the characters are questioned;
anxiety turns to fear when the Inspector delivers his final
monologue, then relief when he is discovered to be a fake, only to
turn to shock at the very end of the play.
 THE THREE UNITIES

Priestley wanted the form of his play to be uniform and he followed

the three unities:

unity of action: one main plot that moves on rapidly and

smoothly through the play.
unity of time: the action takes place over a short period in the
real time of the play.
unity of place: the play takes place in a single location (the
dining room).
 A MORALITY PLAY

An Inspector Calls has been called a morality play, a play with a

moral or principle rather like a fable or parable. This dramatic style
dates back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Characters were
presented as ideas. So, for example, one character might be
‘Justice’, another ‘Hope’ and another ‘Pride’. A morality play had
religious themes and was concerned with moral behaviour. We can
see how Priestley’s themes of equality and responsibility are moral
ones.
 TOP TIP: WRITING ABOUT THE FORM OF THE
PLAY

© PunishDonhongsa / Thinkstock

Note how the play shares some of the features of a whodunit or

crime drama. When the imposing figure of the Inspector arrives and
the lighting becomes ‘brighter and harder’ (p. 1) we know that the
shift in mood means there will be a serious investigation of some
kind. The characters are closely interrogated and the play unfolds
through the uncovering of clues and information. Priestley borrows
these techniques from the whodunit to help create suspense.
 STRUCTURE

OVERVIEW

The structure of the play is the way the play is organised. An

Inspector Calls follows the conventional three acts and has several
distinct features.

The curtain lifts on a celebratory dinner.

When the Inspector arrives the mood quickly changes and there
are revelations involving the characters.
There is a build up of tension and a climax at the end of Act One
and Two followed by a release of tension and further
revelations, but the tension and the climax are greater in Act
Two.
Act Three follows a similar pattern to the first two, except that
the climax of the play is reached when the Inspector delivers his
final monologue.
There is a release of tension when the Inspector leaves and the
remaining characters believe they are finding a resolution (since
they believe the visit was some kind of hoax).
At the very end there is a twist to the denouement (ending) and
we are taken back to the beginning of the play.

Top tip

Note how at the beginning of Act Two we do not immediately

discover the details of Gerald’s affair with Eva Smith/ Daisy
Renton. Rather, Priestley explores the effect of the affair on Sheila
and Gerald’s relationship. We see how Mrs Birling, ignorant of
developments, tries to dismiss the Inspector and the effect this has
on her relationship with Sheila. Priestley is structuring events to
show how family relationships are breaking down.
 THE INSPECTOR’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE
STRUCTURE

Priestley uses the Inspector to link the ‘chain of events’ (p. 14) of
Eva Smith’s story through ‘One person and one line of enquiry at
a time’ (p. 12) and also through the use of the photograph and the
diary. The way characters exit or enter allows particular characters to
be questioned, or subsequent events to occur that might not have
otherwise. For example, Eric’s absence from the stage means that
tension can be built around his part in the story, so that we suspect
his involvement before he tells us about it. Another important
example is Gerald’s exit (p. 40). By allowing Gerald to leave and
return later, Priestley ensures that the exploration of Inspector
Goole’s identity can take place when the Inspector has left.
 EVA SMITH’S JOURNEY

If we assume Eva Smith was one person, we can trace her journey
according to the Inspector’s investigations and the characters’
statements. Priestley has worked out her movements thoroughly
over a two-year span and they fit together neatly into this timeline.

September 1910 she is dismissed form Birling’s factory (p. 13).

December 1910 she begins work at Milwards (p. 20).
January 1911 she is dismissed from Milwards (pp. 20, 33).
March 1911 she meets Gerald (p. 34).
September 1911 her affair with Gerald ends (pp. 38, 43).
From September to November 1911 she spends time at the
seaside (p. 39).
November 1911 she meets Eric (p. 51).
Spring 1912 she meets Mrs Birling (p. 43).
Spring 1912 she commits suicide (p. 11).
 TOP TIP: WRITING ABOUT TWISTS IN THE PLAY

© iStock / maxuser

You need to be clear about when the two twists in the play occur and
the effects created. The context of the play is realistic from the
beginning of the play until the Inspector exits the stage. Priestley
introduces us to the first twist when suspicion grows about who
Inspector Goole is and Gerald enters with the news, ‘That man
wasn’t a police officer’ (p. 62). The effect is that we question the
identity of the Inspector and also wonder if we have moved from
realism to fantasy. Is the Inspector human at all? The second twist
confirms the fantasy element at the end of the play, as the events
are about to repeat themselves.

Top tip

Find examples of how Priestley uses stage directions to encourage

the actors to build up tension. For instance, when Eric realises that
his mother refused Daisy Renton help, the following stage
directions come one after the other: ‘Mrs B. (alarmed) ’ ; ‘Mrs B.
(distressed, shakes her head but does not reply) ’ ; ‘Eric:
(nearly at breaking point) ’ ; ‘Mrs B. ( very distressed now )’ ;
‘Eric: (almost threatening her)’ (pp. 54, 55).
 EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT EFFECTS

Here is what one student has written about the way Priestley
structures events and their effect after the Inspector has left the
stage:

When the Inspector has left, Priestley carefully structures

the events. Sheila’s comment ‘was he really a police
inspector?’[Quotation embedded in the text] introduces
suspicions about Inspector Goole. The Inspector’s case is
then logically dismantled, particularly by Gerald, so that not
only is the Inspector’s identity questioned, but also Eva
Smith’s. This rational approach has the effect of making
the audience feel that the characters will return to the
stable situation depicted at the beginning of the play,
[Shows the effect on the audience] just like an
ordinary resolution in a narrative.[Comparison is useful to
support a point] Consequently,[Conjunctive adverb
linking cause and effect] the final phone call as the
twist at the end of the play comes as an even greater
shock than it might have.

Now you try it:

Add a final sentence contrasting the logical approach described

and the ending of the play.
LANGUAGE

OVERVIEW

J. B. Priestley, © Sasha/Hulton Archive / Getty Images

J. B. Priestley’s writing in An Inspector Calls has great energy

and directness. We can be in no doubt about the main
character’s convictions. Inspector Goole is an impassioned
orator and the effect on the audience is to regard his words as
Priestley’s views.
There are few metaphors or similes in the play. Priestley prefers
to use natural speech as spoken by the middle and upper
classes of the time.
Some expressions, such as ‘squiffy’ (p. 3), seem archaic to our
ears. Nevertheless, they help to convey a character’s nature
and give us a sense of the Edwardian period.
 LANGUAGE DEVICE: VOICE

What is The way a character speaks or the distinctive manner in which the
voice? playwright addresses the audience.

Example When Mr and Mrs Birling and Eric are quarrelling heatedly the
Inspector takes charge ‘masterfully’ calling ‘Stop!’ and the other
characters ‘are suddenly quiet, staring at him’.

Effect It portrays the Inspector’s ability to exert power and control, and
also how the other characters seem compelled to listen, as though
under a spell.

Priestley’s dialogue portrays a broad range of traits so that all the

characters have distinctive personalities: the moody and explosive
Eric, the tight-lipped Sybil Birling and the discreet Gerald. Arthur
Birling and Sheila share the Inspector’s directness, even bluntness
in the case of Arthur Birling, who is also given to oratory, but of a
different kind. In Act One, before the Inspector arrives, Mr Birling
delivers several speeches. The other characters are obliged to listen,
particularly Eric, as his father’s dialogue is peppered with ‘I hope
Eric’ (p. 4) or ‘Just let me finish, Eric. You’ve got a lot to learn’
(p. 6). The effect is that we are immediately aware of Mr Birling’s
pompous and self-righteous nature and the strained relationship
between father and son.

Priestley’s stage directions give us an idea of how he sees his

characters. He tells us that Mr Birling is ‘rather provincial in his
speech’ (p. 2), which conveys a lack of sophistication and
refinement. Sheila is ‘rather excited’ (p. 2), which is borne out in her
lively exchange at the dinner table, and Eric is ’ ‘half shy, half
assertive (p. 1), which is shown in his badly timed exclamations or
interruptions: ‘Eric suddenly guffaws’ (p. 3).
Top tip

Remember that when you comment on Priestley’s dialogue and

use of different literary techniques, such as irony, euphemism,
symbolism, rhetoric and so on, you should always discuss the
effect that they create on the audience.
 LANGUAGE DEVICE: IRONY

What is Expressions or situations that may suggest something different

irony? from the obvious meaning.

Example When Sheila reproaches Gerald for neglecting her the previous
summer he dismisses her concerns and she retorts playfully,
‘that’s what you say’ (p. 3).

Effect Sheila does not know that Gerald had been having an affair with
Daisy Renton. At the time Sheila makes her remark we wonder if
Sheila is being deceived. We find out later that she is.

Irony is the device most often used in An Inspector Calls. This is not
surprising since Inspector Goole’s purpose is to expose the double
standards people such as the Birlings practise. The play’s focus is
the constant uncovering of each character’s guilt, secrets or lies. The
most shocking dramatic irony is Mrs Birling’s persistent
condemnation of the father of Eva Smith’s unborn child, before she
grasps that it is her own son, and the baby, had it been born, her
own grandchild (pp. 48–9).

Looking at the play as a whole, we could say that the overarching

irony is Mr Birling’s complete faith in his way of life and the idea of
progress, as if life could only get better, when two years later the
country will be at war. If we think that Priestley is addressing the
audience as well as the characters, what is the effect? Are we in a
position to judge the Birlings? How far do we behave responsibly
towards others and help to create a just community, or do we only
care about ourselves?

Top tip
Turn to this example of the use of language in the conversation
between Mrs Birling and the Inspector, where she asks if he will
‘take offence’ (p. 31) meaning would he be insulted. But ‘offence’
has a double meaning and refers to the noun meaning a ‘crime’ as
well. The irony exists for us in hindsight when we discover the
crime Mrs Birling committed against Eva Smith and her unborn
child.
 LANGUAGE DEVICE: EUPHEMISM

What is A word or phrase that is mild and less blunt than the
euphemism? actual subject.

Example Mrs Birling refers to ‘a girl of that sort’ (p. 47).

Effect We know that she really means a young woman who has
few morals.

Being well mannered was important in the Edwardian period and the
use of euphemism in the play should be seen in this context, where it
is mainly used to refer to any sexual matters in order not to shock
the female characters. There is also a contrast between the way
different characters speak and observe accepted codes of
behaviour. Mr Birling’s manner is far less sophisticated than
Gerald’s. For example, when Mr Birling raises the question of Lady
Croft’s approval of Sheila he says bluntly what he believes Lady
Croft thinks: that Gerald ‘might have done better … socially’.
Gerald ‘embarrassed’ glosses over the comment (p. 8). It is an
issue that Gerald would never raise because it would be considered
impolite or distasteful.

Top tip

Note the use of slang such as ‘Chump!’ (p. 5) and ‘goggle-eyed’

(p. 35) and who uses it. Who disapproves of slang? What does
their language tell you about the characters and/or their different
generations?
 LANGUAGE DEVICE: SYMBOLISM

What is When an object or person represents something else, usually

symbolism? an idea or quality.

Example Eva Smith and Edna the parlour maid stand for those who
have little or no power over their own lives.

Effect The fact that Eva Smith is unable to halt her decline into
poverty because she is at the mercy of those more powerful
than herself creates a sense of the failure of society in its
duties.

Most of the characters are symbols of particular social types. The

Inspector is the truth seeker. Sheila and Eric are the younger
generation whose views are as yet undeveloped. Mr and Mrs Birling,
the older generation, are fixed and rigid in their views. Gerald
symbolises the young upper-class gentleman – sophisticated and
stylish.
 LANGUAGE DEVICE: IMAGE

What is It creates a word picture; common forms are metaphors and

an similes.
image?

Example Mr Birling says, ‘as if we were all mixed up together like bees
in a hive – community and all that nonsense’ (p. 10).

Effect This simile compares the image of a hive of bees with people of all
kinds mixed together as part of a community. Mr Birling sneers at
this idea.

The most important metaphor Priestley creates is ‘fire and blood

and anguish’ (p. 56). Spoken by the Inspector in his final speech
and repeated by Sheila (p. 71) it represents a breakdown in society,
whether as war, revolution or another horror. The characters and the
audience feel its impact since the metaphor is part of a rhetorical
monologue meant to arrest our attention.

Top tip

Find details that help you to build images of Gerald. For example,
what image do you have of Gerald from this description: ‘rather
too manly to be a dandy’ (p. 1) and his comment ‘I’m rather
more – upset – by this business than I probably appear to be’
(p. 39)?
 LANGUAGE DEVICE: RHETORIC

What is It is the technique of using language to persuade or convince

rhetoric? others.

Example Inspector Goole says, ‘This girl killed herself – and died a
horrible death. But each of you helped to kill her. Remember
that. Never forget it.’ (p. 55)

Effect The effect is to make the characters and audience pay attention
to the seriousness of the point being made.

Note how Priestley uses long and short sentences in quick

succession to give impact through a sharp change of pace. A long
sentence is followed by his final abrupt words to the Birlings, ‘Good
night’ , before he leaves the stage.
 PROGRESS AND REVISION CHECK

SECTION ONE: CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Answer these quick questions to test your basic knowledge of the

form, structure and language of the play:

What do we call the way a character speaks?

What do we call a milder word or phrase in place of a more blunt
one?
What style of speaking does the Inspector use to convince
others?
What is a religious play with a moral called?
What do we call the linked episodes of Eva Smith’s story?
What word do we use for a play’s dramatic style?
What name do we give to the way a play is organised?
What is the name for events that have happened before the play
begins?
What is a lengthy speech by one person called?
What do we call a character’s distinctive quality?

ANSWERS

voice
euphemism
rhetoric
morality play
‘a chain of events’
form
structure
backstory
monologue
character trait
 SECTION TWO: CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Here is a task about the form of the play. This requires more thought
and a slightly longer response. Try to write at least three to four
paragraphs.

Task: What are the features of a well-made play as a traditional

form? Think about:
The features of a whodunit or crime drama
How An Inspector Calls fits a whodunit, but is also different at
the end

ANSWERS

There is a strong plot with links of cause and effect.

There are revelations in which documents are often important.
There is a backstory.
There is a return to normality at the end.
 PROGRESS CHECK

GOOD PROGRESS

I can:

explain how Priestley uses form, structure and language to

develop the action, show relationships and develop ideas.
use relevant quotations to support the points I make, and make
reference to the effect of some language choices.

EXCELLENT PROGRESS

I can:

analyse in detail Priestley’s use of particular forms, structures

and language techniques to convey ideas, create characters
and evoke mood or setting.
select from a range of evidence, including apt quotations, to
infer the effect of particular language choices and to develop
wider interpretations.
Progress Booster
 UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION

DECODING

For your exam, you will be answering a question on the whole text
and/or a question on an extract from An Inspector Calls. Check with
your teacher to see what sort of question you are doing. Whatever
the task, questions in exams will need decoding. This means
highlighting and understanding the key words so the answer you
write is relevant.
 BREAK DOWN THE QUESTION

Pick out the key words or phrases. For example:

Question: How does J. B. Priestley present attitudes to ambition in

An Inspector Calls?

Write about:

Attitudes towards marriage in An Inspector Calls

How Priestley presents these attitudes by the way he writes

What does this tell you?

Focus on the theme of ambition but also on ‘attitudes’ – so

different characters’ views on it.
The word ‘present’ tells you that you should focus on the ways
Priestley reveals these attitudes, i.e. the techniques he uses.

Top tip

You might also be asked to ‘refer closely to’, which means picking
out specific examples from the text, or to focus on ‘methods and
techniques’, which means the ‘things’ Priestley does, for example,
the use of a particular dramatic device, a change of mood, etc.
 PLANNING YOUR ANSWER

PLAN QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY

It is vital that you generate ideas quickly and plan your answer
efficiently when you sit the exam. Stick to your plan and, with a
watch at your side, tick off each part as you progress.
 STAGE 1: GENERATE IDEAS QUICKLY

© vavuzunlu / Shutterstock

Very briefly list your key ideas based on the question you have
decoded. For example:

Mr Birling’s driving ambition

Eric’s lack of ambition
Gerald’s attitude to ambition
 STAGE 2: JOT DOWN USEFUL QUOTATIONS (OR
KEY EVENTS)

For example:

‘I might find my way into the next Honours List’ (p. 8)

Mr Birling to Eric: ‘Apparently nothing matters to you’ (p. 57)
 STAGE 3: PLAN FOR PARAGRAPHS

Use paragraphs to plan your answer. For example:

Paragraph Point
Paragraph Introduce the argument you wish to make: Priestley explores
1: the theme of ambition in a variety of ways, mainly through
Arthur Birling but also through other characters.

Paragraph Your first point: Arthur Birling has a driving ambition to

2: increase his wealth and status. In particular he wants to
achieve a knighthood by whatever means.

Paragraph Your second point: Eric has low self-esteem and seems to lack
3: ambition. He seems to have no interest in his father’s firm,
perhaps because of his poor relationship with his father, who
rarely listens to him. We can assume that before the
Inspector’s visit at least, Eric would rather spend time drinking
or seeking entertainment as a distraction from his anxieties.

Paragraph Your third point: Although Gerald Croft agrees with Mr Birling’s
4: business views, he does not seem to share his intense
ambition. However, he does seem happy to see the Croft and
Birling companies unite.

Paragraph Your fourth point: Mrs Birling is keen to maintain or improve

5: her social status and therefore we assume she is ambitious to
see Sheila marry Gerald, since he is the son of a lord.

Paragraph Your fifth point: At the beginning of the play Sheila seems
6: keen to marry Gerald because she loves him, but like most
middle-class Edwardian young women we can assume she
wants to marry ‘well’.
Paragraph Point
Conclusion: Sum up your argument: Finally, we could argue that Priestley
presents Inspector Goole as ambitious, not for himself, but he
is determined to see the wrongs done to Eva Smith put right,
so that justice is done.

Top tip

When discussing Priestley’s language, make sure you refer to the

techniques he uses and, most importantly, the effect of those
techniques. Don’t just say, ‘Priestley uses the dash a lot’, write,
‘When Priestley uses the dash to show that Eric is angry, the break
in the dialogue demonstrates Eric’s faltering sentences.’
 RESPONDING TO WRITERS’ EFFECTS

AO1 AND AO2

The two most important assessment objectives are AO1 and AO2.
They are about what writers do (the choices they make, and the
effects these create), what your ideas are (your analysis and
interpretation) and how you write about them (how well you explain
your ideas).
ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVE 1

What does it What does

Dos and Don’ts
say? it mean?
Read, You must: Don’t write …
understand
• Use some Gerald tells Mrs Birling ‘apologetically’ that
and respond to
of the Eric drinks. So that tells us he is unhappy.
texts. Students
literary
should be able Do write …
terms you
to:
have Priestley presents Eric as a troubled young
• Maintain a learned person. The stage directions tell us that
critical style (correctly!) Gerald confirms ‘apologetically’ to Mrs Birling
and develop • Write in a that Eric drinks. The adverb ‘apologetically’
an informed professional suggests that Gerald is aware that Eric’s
personal way (not a drinking is a social embarrassment.
response sloppy,
• Use textual chatty way)
references, • Show that
including you have
quotations, to thought for
support and yourself
illustrate
• Back up
interpretations
your ideas
with
examples,
including
quotations
 EXAM FOCUS: IMPROVING YOUR CRITICAL
STYLE

Use a variety of words to show effects:

Priestley suggests …, conveys …, implies …, presents …, explores

…, demonstrates …, describes how …, shows how …

I/we (as readers) infer …, recognise …, understand …, question …,

see …, are given …, reflect …

Exam focus:

For example, look at these two alternative paragraphs by different

students about Gerald Croft. Note the difference in the quality of
expression:

Student A:

Priestley says[Suggests that Priestley is actually

speaking] that Gerald is really nervy[Informal speech]
when he says that he has been to the Palace Theatre
bar. He says that ‘women of the town’ go there and
what he really means[Better to say: is
suggesting/implying] is call girls.[No adequate
interpretation] Sheila says ‘women of the town’ again in
order to make Gerald feel worse.
Student B:

Priestley presents Gerald[Shows us how Gerald is

feeling at this point in the play] in an uneasy
mood[Precise language] in Act Two, when he describes
his visit to the Palace Theatre bar. These feelings of
disquiet are conveyed[Varied vocabulary] when he is
obliged to refer to the women who go there. He
euphemistically calls them ‘women of the town’,
implying[Offers an interpretation] that they are
prostitutes. Sheila’s reaction is to repeat the phrase, as
though she wants[Allows for an exploration of the
meaning] to increase Gerald’s discomfort.
ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVE 2

What does it
What does it say? Dos and Don’ts
mean?
Analyse the ‘Analyse’ – Don’t write …
language, form and comment in
Sheila is rude to Gerald so I know
structure used by detail on
she is angry with him.
the writer to create particular
meanings and aspects of the Do write …
effects, using text or language.
Priestley conveys Sheila’s anger
relevant subject
‘Language’ – with Gerald when she uses the
terminology where
vocabulary, metaphor ‘Fairy Prince’ to describe
appropriate.
imagery, variety his behaviour with Daisy Renton.
of sentences, The metaphor suggests both a
dialogue/speech gallant hero who comes to the
etc. rescue and the element of fantasy,
implying the affair could not last.
‘Form’ – how the
story is told (e.g.
comedy, tragedy,
crime drama,
morality play, act,
scene)
‘Structure’– the
order in which
events are
revealed, or in
which characters
appear, or in
which climaxes
occur
‘create meaning’
– what can we,
as readers, infer
from what the
writer tells us?
What is implied
 What does it
What does it say? Dos and Don’ts
mean?
by particular
descriptions, or
events?
‘Subject
terminology’ –
words you
should use when
writing about
plays, such as
‘character’,
‘dialogue’, ‘stage
directions’, etc.
THE THREE ‘I’S

The best analysis focuses on specific ideas or events, or uses of

language and thinks about what is implied.
This means drawing inferences. Sheila’s description of Gerald
shows us how angry and hurt she must feel about his affair, but
what deeper meanings does it convey if, for example she can
use sarcasm? What does it suggest about their relationship, and
whether or not it can last?
From the inferences you make across the text as a whole, you
can arrive at your own interpretation – a sense of the bigger
picture, a wider evaluation of a person, relationship or idea.
 USING QUOTATIONS

FIVE BASIC PRINCIPLES

One of the secrets of success in writing exam essays is to use

quotations effectively. There are five basic principles:

Only quote what is most useful.

Do not use a quotation that repeats what you have just written.
Put quotation marks, e.g. ‘ ’, around the quotation.
Write the quotation exactly as it appears in the original.
Use the quotation so that it fits neatly into your sentence.
 EXAM FOCUS: USING QUOTATIONS

Quotations should be used to develop the line of thought in your

essay and to ‘zoom in’ on key details such as language choices.
The example below shows a clear and effective way of doing this:

Priestley presents Gerald as an upper-class young man

[Makes a clear point] and describes him as ‘rather too
manly to be a dandy’.[Gives an apt quotation] The
mention of the word ‘dandy’ does suggest that Gerald
has some vanity about him, even though Priestley describes
him as not quite a ‘dandy’. [Explains the effect of the
quotation]

However, really high-level responses will go further. They will

make an even more precise point, support it with an even more
appropriate quotation, focus in on particular words and phrases
and explain the effect or what is implied to make a wider point or
draw inferences. Here is an example:

In the stage directions Priestley presents Gerald as an

upper-class, young and easy going [Opens with a precise
point] and adds that he is ‘rather too manly to be a
dandy’.[Apt quotation] a more revealing description. The
noun ‘dandy’ implies vanity.[Refers to a specific word]
Despite Gerald not being quite a dandy, there is a
suggestion that vanity is part of his nature [Explains the
effect of language] – which may have been a factor in
his rescue of Daisy Renton at the Palace bar. [Draws
inferences to make a wider point about the character]
 SPELLING, PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR

SPELLING

Remember to spell correctly the author’s name, the names of all the
characters, and the names of places.

It is a good idea to list some of the key spellings you know you
sometimes get wrong before the exam starts. Then use it to check
as you go along. Sometimes it is easy to make small errors as you
write, but if you have your key word list nearby you can check
against it.

Top tip

Remember that spelling, punctuation and grammar is worth

approximately 5% of your overall marks, which could mean the
difference between one grade and another.
PUNCTUATION

Remember:

Use full stops and commas in sentences accurately to make

clear points. Don’t write long, rambling sentences that don’t
make sense; equally, avoid using a lot of short repetitive ones.
Write in a fluent way, using linking words and phrases and use
inverted commas for quotations:

Don’t write Do write

When Inspector Goole arrives When Inspector Goole arrives there is a

there is a shift of mood, the stage shift of mood as the light changes from
lighting changes from soft to soft to harsh. The Inspector stands
harsh, the Inspector stands squarely, giving the impression that he
squarely, he gives the impression has an important job to do. His imposing
that he has an important job to do, presence is added to by the ‘weightily’
and he speaks weightily. tone of his speech.

Top tip

Practise the spellings of key literary terms you might use when
writing about the text such as: irony, euphemism, simile, metaphor,
imagery, protagonist, character, theme, climax, etc.
 GRAMMAR

When you are writing about the text, make sure you:

Use the present tense for discussing what the writer does.
Use pronouns and references back to make your writing flow.

Don’t write Do write

Although Eric seemed to be an Although Eric seems to be an

apathetic, unhappy young man, Eric’s apathetic, unhappy young man, his
view of the world seems to change for view of the world seems to change
the better as Eric questioned his for the better as he questions his
actions after the Inspector’s visit. actions after the Inspector’s visit.

Top tip

Enliven your essay by varying the way your sentences begin. For
example, Mrs Birling is forced to answer the Inspector’s question,
despite her reluctance to do so, can also be written as: Despite her
reluctance to do so, Mrs Birling is forced to answer the Inspector’s
questions.
 PRACTICE TASK

A FULL-LENGTH RESPONSE

Write a full-length response to this exam-style question and then use

the Mark scheme to assess your own response.

Question: How does J. B. Priestley explore love in An Inspector

Calls?

Write about:

The ideas about love in An Inspector Calls

How Priestley presents ideas about love by the ways he writes

Remember:

Plan quickly and efficiently by using key words from the

question.
Focus on the techniques Priestley uses and the effect of these
on the reader.
Support your ideas with relevant evidence, including quotations.

Top tip

You can use the General skills section of the Mark scheme to
remind you of the key criteria you’ll need to cover.
 FURTHER QUESTIONS

How does J. B. Priestley present the ending of An Inspector

Calls?
Write about:
• the characters’ attitudes at the end of the play
• how Priestley affects the audience by the ways he writes.
Eric Birling: ‘I do take some interest in it. I take too much, that’s
my trouble.’ Explore how Eric’s experiences have affected him.
You must refer to other characters in your answer.
Answer both parts of this question:

(a) Read the extract below.

Sheila: Yes, and it was I who had the girl turned out of her job at
Milwards. And I’m supposed to be engaged to Gerald. And I’m not a
child, don’t forget. I’ve a right to know. Were you in love with her
Gerald?

Look at the way Sheila speaks and behaves in this extract. How may
this affect an audience’s attitude towards her? Refer closely to
details from the extract to support your answer.

(b) What do you think of the character of Edna and the way she is
presented in An Inspector Calls?
 MARK SCHEME

POINTS YOU COULD HAVE MADE

Here are some points that you could have made in response to the
Practice task question.

J. B. Priestley explores love from a wide variety of perspectives:

Romantic love is shown in Sheila and Gerald’s engagement

and the ring is a symbol of love.
Sheila’s love is depicted in her broken speech ‘Oh – it’s
wonderful! Oh – darling’ (p. 5).
Sheila’s statement about she and Gerald no longer being ‘the
same people’ (p. 40) questions whether their love was true
love.
Gerald’s feelings for Daisy Renton sprung from pity, a kind of
love.
Daisy Renton’s feelings for Gerald appear to have been a mix of
love and gratitude since she was ‘intensely grateful’ (p. 37)
for Gerald’s help.
Eric’s reference to his meeting with Daisy Renton when he was
drunk and ‘when a chap easily turns nasty’ (p. 52) reveals
lust rather than love.
The Birlings’ marriage shows them united in their opinions – a
kind of love.
Mr and Mrs Birling are not demonstrative, revealing a lack of
affection.
Inspector Goole preaches charity/love for one’s fellow human
when he says, ‘We are members of one body’ (p. 56).
 GENERAL SKILLS

Make a judgement about your level based on the points you made
(above) and the skills you showed.

Spelling,
Level Key elements punctuation and
grammar
Very You use very detailed analysis of the writer’s You spell and
high methods and effects on the reader, using punctuate with
precise references which are fluently woven into consistent
what you say. You draw inferences, consider accuracy, and use
more than one perspective or angle, including a very wide range
the context where relevant, and make of vocabulary and
interpretations about the text as a whole. Very sentence
well-structured answer which gives a structures to
rounded and convincing viewpoint. achieve effective
control of meaning.

Good At the top end, you address all aspects of the You spell and
to task in a clearly expressed way, and examine punctuate with
High key aspects in detail. You are beginning to considerable
consider implications, explore alternative accuracy, and use
interpretations or ideas; at the top end, you do a considerable
this fairly regularly and with some confidence. A range of
thoughtful, detailed response with well- vocabulary and
chosen references. sentence
structures to
achieve general
control of meaning.
 Spelling,
Level Key elements punctuation and
grammar
Mid A consistent response with clear You spell and
understanding of the main ideas shown. You punctuate with
use a range of references to support your ideas reasonable
and your viewpoint is logical and easy to follow. accuracy, and use
Some evidence of commenting on writers’ a reasonable
effects, though more needed. range of
vocabulary and
sentence
structures.

Lower You show you have understood the task and Your spelling and
you make some points to support what you say, punctuation is
but the evidence is not always well chosen. Your inconsistent and
analysis is a bit basic and you do not comment your vocabulary
in much detail on the writer’s methods. Some and sentence
relevant ideas but an inconsistent and rather structures are both
simple response in places. limited. Some of
these make your
meaning unclear.
LITERARY TERMS

Literary term Explanation

backstory events that have happened before the play begins

character characters are either a person in a play or novel, or his

or her personality

character a distinctive quality of a character that often makes them

trait different from other characters

character the distinctive qualities of a character that often makes

traits them different from other characters

characters either a person in a play or novel, or his or her

personality

climax the highpoint of a play or act

coup de a sudden and spectacular turn of events in the plot of a

théâtre play

dialogue speech and conversation between characters

dramatic occurs when the development of the plot allows the

irony audience to know more about what is happening than
some of the characters do

euphemism unpleasant, embarrassing or frightening facts or words

can be concealed behind a 'euphemism' - a word or
phrase less blunt or offensive
Literary term Explanation

homophone two or more words that have the same pronunciation,

but different origins, meanings and sometimes spellings
(e.g. 'pair' and 'pear' )

imagery creating a word picture; common forms are metaphors

and similes

ironic consists of saying one thing while meaning another,

often through understatement, concealment or indirect
statement

irony saying one thing while meaning another, often through

understatement, concealment or indirect statement

literary methods used by authors to create effects and meaning.

technique Also called a literary device

metaphor a figure of speech in which something, someone or an

action is described as something else in order to imply a
resemblance

metaphors are figures of speech in which something, someone or

an action is described as something else in order to
imply a resemblance

monologue lengthy speech by one person

orator an orator uses a dignified, formal style when making a

speech in a public place

oratory the dignified, formal style used by someone making a

speech in a public place
Literary term Explanation

polemic a piece of writing expressing an argument about

important social issues such as religion or politics

protagonist the central character of the play or narrative

rhetoric a technique for using language effectively to convince or

persuade

rhetorical fluent in using language effectively to convince or

persuade

rhetorical a long speech by one person that uses language

monologue effectively to convince or persuade

sarcasm an extreme form of irony, usually intended to be hurtful

simile a figure of speech using 'like' or 'as' to make a

comparison

similes are figures of speech which use 'like' or 'as' to make a

comparison

stage advice printed in the text of a play giving instructions or

directions information about the movements, gestures and
appearance of the actors, or on the setting or special
effects required at a particular moment in the action

symbolism use of an object or person to represent something else,

possibly an idea or quality
Literary term Explanation

the three in Classical Greek drama, plays conformed to the unities

unities of action, time and place - one complete action
happening in a single day or night. The unity of place
was added later and was usually in one location.

theme a central idea examined by an author

themes the central ideas examined by an author

voice a character's speech or the distinctive way the

playwright addresses the audience.

well-made a play that exhibits a neatness of plot and smooth-

play functioning exactness of action, with all its parts fitting
together precisely. An Inspector Calls works through an
interlocking series of unexpected discourses, leading to
a final revelation that is almost a trick ending

whodunit a novel, play etc. concerned with crime, usually a

murder
CHECKPOINT ANSWERS

Checkpoint
Explanation
answer

Mr Birling • Mr Birling is a self-important man. • He has a strong

has belief in his own position of power. • He wants to be
distinct accepted into society and is proud of his humble start in
views. life. • He has a narrow view of the world. • He prefers to
How would believe what suits his purpose.
you
describe
his
character
so far?

In the • The Inspector uses the expression a ‘chain of events’

course of (Act One, p. 14) quite early on. • The Inspector’s method
the play, of questioning each member of the family in turn adds to
how does this sense of there being a chain. • The deliberate mention
J. B. of the time of each event links what one character has
Priestley done to what the next one questioned has done. • There
develop are aspects of the girl’s description, manner and
the idea of behaviour that are common to more than one character’s
events in memory of her. • Mr Birling’s sacking of Eva Smith makes
time being him the first link in the chain.
like links in
a chain?
Where is
Mr Birling
placed in
this chain?
Checkpoint
Explanation
answer

What do • Eva Smith died in the Infirmary after swallowing

we learn disinfectant. • She had left a letter, a photograph and a
from the diary. • She had used more than one name. • She had
Inspector been employed in Mr Birling’s factory and was sacked in
about Eva September 1910 for asking for higher wages. • Both her
Smith in parents were dead. • She had been out of work for two
Act One? months, had no savings and was becoming desperate. •
She had got a job at Milwards but had been sacked in
January 1911 after a customer complained about her. •
She had changed her name to Daisy Renton and had
decided to try another kind of life.

Find • The Inspector decides who will be questioned and when.

examples • He decides who will or will not see the photograph. • He
in Act One makes Mr Birling recognise the implications of the
that show possibility of others being involved in the ‘chain of events’
how the (Act One, p. 14). • He contradicts Birling and overrules his
Inspector wish that Sheila should leave the room. • His method of
controls questioning draws confessions from Mr Birling and Sheila.
the other • He makes it clear he will not leave until he knows ‘all that
characters. happened’ (Act One, p. 25). • His catches out Gerald by
dropping in the name of Daisy Renton.
Checkpoint
Explanation
answer

Earlier, Mr Mr Birling: • is reluctant to discuss his business • refuses

Birling to see that he has done wrong • is unmoved by the girl’s
refused to death • has little concern for what might have happened to
accept any the girl after he sacked her • is casual about the idea that
blame for the girl may have had to ‘Go on the streets’ (Act One, p.
Eva 16) • is concerned only about his business and his profits.
Smith’s Gerald: • tells the story fully, after a brief attempt at
death. denying knowledge of the girl • is clearly distressed when
How does the fact of the girl’s death is fully realised • does not blame
Gerald’s the girl for what happened between them • stresses the
confession girl’s good points • shows care and compassion in his tone
contrast • recognises how important he became to the girl • admits
with Mr she behaved better than he did.
Birling’s
attitude?

How has • Sheila admits that she disliked Gerald after his reactions
Gerald’s to her own confession and her realisation that he had had
confession a relationship with the girl. • She says she now respects
affected him more and acknowledges that he has been honest. •
Sheila’s She accepts that his motives were originally good ones
feelings and she recognises that by revealing their secrets each
about him now sees the other in a new light.
now?
Checkpoint
Explanation
answer

Do you • The father is described as being young. • He is ‘silly and

think Eric wild’ (Act Two, p. 46) and we have seen Eric being silly at
fits the the dinner party. • He drinks too much and, according to
description Mrs Birling, is a ‘drunken young idler’ (Act Two, p. 48). •
of the He comes from a different social class from the girl’s.
father of
the unborn
child and,
if so, in
what
ways?

How do • Mrs Birling talks down to Sheila and the Inspector and
Mrs looks down on those, like the girl, who she thinks have got
Birling’s themselves in trouble. • She calls the Inspector
attitude ‘impertinent’ (Act Two, p. 30). • She speaks ‘haughtily’ (Act
and Two, p. 30), ‘grandly’ (p. 31) and ‘sharply’ (p. 32). • She
language claims to have done nothing wrong and tries to pass the
affect the blame on to anyone other than herself. • She says the girl
way the has only herself to blame, concentrating on blame instead
audience of helping someone in trouble. • She says, of the father of
regard the unborn child, ‘If the girl’s death is due to anybody, then
her? it’s due to him’ (Act Two, p. 48). • She admits to being
prejudiced.
Checkpoint
Explanation
answer

Sum up • Sheila feels it makes no difference. She recognises that

how the they have all done wrong. She feels that he was their
different inspector (that is, he inspected their behaviour), whether
characters he was a police officer or not. • Eric supports Sheila. He
view the sees the need for them all to change their behaviour. • Mr
importance Birling thinks that if the Inspector is not a real police officer
of the there is less chance of a scandal over their dealings with
Inspector’s the girl. He foresees no scandal relating to the money
status as a stolen from the firm’s office. He persuades himself it has
police all been ‘an elaborate sell’ (Act Three, p. 70), that is, a
officer. trick. • Mrs Birling supports her husband. She feels that if
the Inspector was an imposter then she has been right to
behave as she has. • Gerald is excited by the prospect
that there has not been any official investigation. He
appears to believe that the Inspector being a fake puts
things right.

How do • Sheila and Eric accept responsibility. • They do not feel

their that anything has happened to relieve their guilt. • They
reactions realise the seriousness of their actions; they have taken
at this the Inspector’s message to heart and are fearful of the
point in the consequence if his words are not listened to. • They have
play make an understanding that they need to change their
Sheila and behaviour in the future. • J. B. Priestley uses these two as
Eric symbols of the hope for a better future that lies in a
different younger generation.
from the
others?
SAMPLE ANSWERS

These are just extracts from sample answers. Grades are awarded
when you complete your unit, paper or course, so these are
provided to give you a broad idea of each student's level.

Make sure you check with your teacher and look at the most recent
papers and mark schemes so that you know what markers are
looking for.
 SAMPLE ANSWERS

Question: How does Priestley explore ideas about

justice in An Inspector Calls? Write about: Ideas
about justice in the play. How Priestley presents
these ideas through the way he writes.
Priestley explores ideas about justice by showing how the
fate of the poorly paid Eva Smith is in the hands of
the wealthy Birlings and the aristocratic Gerald Croft.
[Opening has a strong critical style] They make a series
of choices, creating a ‘chain of events’ that leads to her
downfall. Inspector Goole is Priestley’s mouthpiece and
Priestley gives him a commanding voice as the Inspector
interrogates each of the characters in turn.
[Sophisticated vocabulary]

The chain of events is the structure in which Priestley

lays out his ideas and it begins when Mr Birling sacks
Eva Smith for demanding more pay for her job at his
factory. Mr Birling’s belief is that a man ‘has to look
after himself – and his family’ only. In this way,
Priestley shows how employers like Birling feel no
obligation to the wider community and so do not give
their workers fair wages.
By contrast Sheila Birling objects to her father’s
attitude. She does not see employees like Eva Smith as
‘cheap labour’, but emphasises their humanity by referring
to them as [Follows on to show Sheila's opposing view
to Birling's]‘people’. However, Priestley also makes Sheila
a complicated character. Ironically, her unjust complaint at
Milwards store leads to Eva Smith losing her job; the
last regular job she has. When Sheila recognises her own
link in the chain, she is horrified. The Inspector’s words
impact on her as she realises that there are wider ideas
of justice, since there are ‘millions … of Eva Smiths’ in
society and that our lives are all ‘intertwined’. [Good
point showing Sheila's awakening conscience]

Priestley shows that Gerald, Sheila’s fiancé, also has

some sense of justice. When he meets Eva Smith (as
Daisy Renton) in the Palace Theatre bar, he rescues her
from the hands of the lecherous Alderman Meggarty
who ‘had wedged her into a corner’. The verb
‘wedged’ and the noun ‘corner’ illustrate her helplessness.
[Shows effect of Priestley's language] Nonetheless,
Gerald has a hand in Eva’s downfall too, because he
ends his affair with her when it suits him. His
deception is also unfair to Sheila.
Eric’s encounter with Eva Smith is less gentlemanly.
When drunk he ‘easily turns nasty’ and on the second
meeting he doesn’t even, ‘remember her name’, creating
the impression that he is thoroughly irresponsible.
Although he tries to do the right thing when Eva
becomes pregnant, he only makes his bad behaviour
worse. He steals from his father’s firm and gives Eva
the stolen money. When she discovers where it came
from, she declines ‘to take anymore.’ Consequently,
Priestley demonstrates that Eva, who knows right from
wrong, is a just, moral person, while Eric is not. [A good
contrast, supported by a quote] But Eric is very upset
by Eva’s death. Like Sheila, he is affected by the
Inspector’s warning that if the unfairness carries on it
will end in ‘fire and blood and anguish’, a striking
metaphor that reminds us of hellfire in the Christian
religion.
Unlike Eric, Mrs Birling undergoes no change of heart
and considers she did her ‘duty’ by Eva Smith. Her
actions are the final link in the chain when she refuses
Eva charity from the Brumley Women’s Charity
Organisation. Mrs Birling’s lack of sympathy – Priestley
uses the adjective ‘cold’ to describe her – and her
failure to understand Eva’s position ensures Eva sinks
further still, and ends by taking her own life. Priestley
also explores the lack of justice (as well as irony) when
Mrs Birling unwittingly helps to bring to an end her
own potential grandchild; the baby Eva Smith is carrying.
[Important point showing effect of injustice and noting its
irony]

Neither Mr nor Mrs Birling feels any sense of

responsibility (another theme in the play connected to
justice) for Eva Smith. Gerald, while he truly regrets his
part in her death, is still hard-headed enough to find
 out if an Eva Smith actually committed suicide when the
Inspector’s authenticity is doubted. Only Sheila and Eric
take on the full impact of the Inspector’s words. They
feel responsibility for what happened to Eva Smith and
accept that a change in society is needed. Priestley,
therefore, suggests that any hope for future justice can
only be with the young. [A sound conclusion referring
back to question]

The examiner gave this sample answer a High Level.

Now read the comments below to understand why this
level was given.
The examiner also provides tips on how the answer
might be improved.

COMMENT

The answer gives a sound exploration of Priestley’s ideas of justice

and how these are linked to the ‘chain of events’ that structures the
play. Appropriate quotations are used to show the nature of the
characters and the effects of their actions. Reference is also made
to techniques used to emphasise ideas of justice or the lack of it.
Sentence structure is sophisticated and paragraphs well placed to
show the chain of events.

FOR A VERY HIGH LEVEL

Offer closer analysis of language and its effects.

Provide a fuller examination of Inspector Goole’s effect on the
other characters.
Link the historical context in which the play is set and written to
Priestley’s ideas.
 SAMPLE ANSWERS

Question: How does Priestley explore ideas about

justice in An Inspector Calls? Write about: Ideas
about justice in the play. How Priestley presents
these ideas through the way he writes.
Priestley presents ideas about justice in different ways.
He does this through what the characters say about
what happened to Eva Smith and what they did to
her. [A basic opening, needs expanding]
Mr Birling owns a factory. He sacks Eva Smith from
her job because she asked for more money and because
he does not care about whether she had a job or not.
He does not care about any of his workers and says
they should ‘go and work somewhere else’ if they don’t
like the money they get. [Useful quote embedded in the
sentence] The inspector does not think this is fair and
thinks there will be more unfairness that will lead to
trouble if Mr Birling stays in charge. [Needs a fuller
exploration of the Inspector's view]

Sheila Birling thinks that her father is wrong. [New

paragraph with a shift of topic] She feels sorry for Eva
Smith and people like her. She feels very bad when she
finds out how Eva Smith died. When she finds out how
her moaning about Eva Smith meant Eva Smith got
sacked she feels even worse and she thinks it’s her
fault that Eva Smith died and then the Inspector says
to her, ‘you’re partly to blame.’ [Some good points but
sentence too long and expressions too casual] So
because she feels so bad about justice she listens to the
Inspector.
Gerald is engaged to Sheila, but he thinks it’s all right
to have an affair with Eva Smith, which is not right.
But the reason he does is because he feels sorry for
Eva Smith, because she is being got at by gross old
Meggarty. [Overly casual expressions not suitable]
Gerald treats her okay but he drops her when he
doesn’t want her anymore. Eric is worse. For example,
He gets drunk and makes Eva pregnant, but he feels
sorry about this when he listens to the Inspector and
like Sheila he thinks he is to blame.
In some ways Mrs Birling is the worst. She is hard
and mean and thinks she is always right. She is a snob
really. The way she talks about Eva Smith it shows she
doesn’t think Eva Smith is worth much. [An attempt to
explore language but needs specific examples] Anyway
she won’t help her, which is unfair and she sends her
away when she comes to her asking for some support.
[A specific example of Mrs Birling's lack of help would
show clear knowledge of the text]

So none of the Birlings and Gerald Croft treat Eva

Smith right and each one in their own little way make
her kill herself. This is the unfairness that the Inspector
 talks about when he says that lots of people like Eva
Smith get treated badly by people who are in charge.
These are the ideas about justice that J. B. Priestley
has. [Wider implications of Eva Smith's death need to be
explored]

The examiner gave this sample answer a Lower Level.

Now read the comments below to understand why this
level was given.
The examiner also provides tips on how the answer
might be improved.

COMMENT

Some sound points are made about Priestley’s ideas of justice.

Paragraphs are used and the answer deals logically with each
character’s involvement in Eva Smith’s death. Examples are also
given. There are few references to the writer’s views and
techniques, and the answer as a whole is too informal and uses
slang. The sentence structure lacks variety and the points made
need to be supported more clearly by quotes.

FOR A MID LEVEL

Make clearer and more developed points about how Priestley is

showing his audience about collective responsibility through
interlinked events in the play.
Embed quotations consistently in sentences and use them to
back up points.
Express points fluently without using informal language.
 SAMPLE ANSWERS

How does Mrs Birling respond to the Inspector's

visit? Write about: How Priestley presents the
character of Mrs Birling, why she responds in the
way that she does.
J. B. Priestley presents Sybil Birling as a very cold
woman and this is because she thinks she is better than
anyone else. She thinks she is an important person, like
Mr Birling does. [Introduces the main basic
characteristics of Mrs Birling]

In Act two she tries to bully Sheila telling her to go to

bed and then she starts to tell Inspector Goole off.
[New point signalled in new paragraph] She tells him all
about Mr Birling being a mayor and a magistrate. She
says, ‘You know of course that my husband was Lord
Mayor only two years ago’, but the Inspector takes no
notice.
Sybil Birling does not care about other people. She does
not want to help poor people if she thinks they haven’t
earned it. For example, she says to the Inspector, we’ve
been ‘helping deserving cases’. This means she doesn’t
want to help people she doesn’t think deserve it. In
those days people had to rely on charities because there
were no benefits from the government. [Reference to
the context in which the play is set] When Eva Smith
really needed help from her charity, because she was
expecting a baby, Sybil Birling wouldn’t give it because
she didn’t like Eva Smith. This was because Eva Smith
called herself Mrs Birling. Sybil Birling was cross because
she thought it was rude. She says, ‘I think it was
simply a piece of gross impertinence’. What she didn’t
know was that Eva Smith had a right to call herself
that because Eric Birling was the father of her baby.
[A clear detailed explanation given, but the literary device
(irony) not highlighted] On top of that [Informal
expression unsuitable - should use a critical style] Sybil
says to the Inspector that he ought to be looking for
who the father is and when he finds him, punish him.
But, as I said, Sybil doesn’t know Eric is the father.
All Sybil Birling cares about is keeping up appearances.
She doesn’t want the Inspector to find out any nasty
secrets, so she wants him to go away. Everything was
going well for her, she was having a little engagement
party for Sheila and Gerald and they were enjoying
themselves, she was very pleased about the engagement
because Gerald’s father is Lord Croft. [Sentence too
long - there are several sentences contained in one; also
includes irrelevant details] This means Sheila would get
to be Lady Croft at some point and that would just
suit Sybil Birling.
There are some nasty parts in the play. One is where
Sheila tells her mother that her brother Eric drinks too
much. Sybil Birling doesn’t believe her and in a way
Sheila shouldn’t have said anything because later in the
play, Sybil Birling says to Eric ‘you’re not the type – you
don’t get drunk’. [A quotation but not fully embedded] So
it shows she can’t face the truth. [An explanation of the
effect, but expressed rather clumsily]

Another nasty part is when Eric blames his mother for

killing Eva Smith and her grandchild, the one that
wasn’t born. He is very angry and Sybil Birling gets
upset and says she didn’t know that he was the father
when Eva Smith came to ask for help. Eric more or less
says his mother never understands anything and that she
doesn’t really care about him.
After this you would think she would be upset for a
long time, but she seems to get over it. When she finds
out that Inspector Goole may not be a real police
inspector, she’s back to normal. It shows how cold Sybil
Birling is and doesn’t seem to be affected by anything
deep down. [Needs to draw together the main points or
find an interesting way to sum them up]

The examiner gave this sample answer a Mid Level.

Now read the comments below to understand why this
level was given.
The examiner also provides tips on how the answer
might be improved.
COMMENT

There is an understanding of the character expressed and some

sound points are made. Paragraphs are used effectively, but
vocabulary is limited and words or expressions repeated. The
overall effect is too chatty in tone. The student needs to write in a
more formal style and should also discuss the effects Priestley
creates, referring to literary devices.

FOR A GOOD LEVEL

Develop a formal critical style, drawing on a wider range of

vocabulary and avoid informal language or slang.
Use literary devices and show how the playwright creates
effects from the language he chooses.
Make sure quotations are embedded in sentences so that when
a sentence is read it flows easily and the quotation feels part of
it.
 SAMPLE ANSWERS

How does Mrs Birling respond to the Inspector's

visit? Write about: How Priestley presents the
character of Mrs Birling, why she responds in the
way that she does.
Priestley presents Sybil Birling as a snobbish and unkind
woman. She feels herself to be above other people who
are not in the same class as she is, and when the
Inspector arrives she treats him like an inferior. [Clear
introduction that outlines the essential points]

She does not meet the Inspector until Act Two. In the
meantime he has been questioning other characters and
there has been an argument between Sheila and Gerald.
When Mrs Birling comes on to the stage she is not
prepared for this. Her mood is ‘quite out of key’ and
she does not pick up on the atmosphere and the effect
is to make her seem like a busybody. [A quotation that is
embedded fluently in the sentence] Sheila uses the
metaphor ‘not to build a wall’. She is trying to tell her
mother not to stop the Inspector’s inquiries, but Sybil
Birling does not understand and she is annoyed. She is
also rude to the Inspector, saying that his comments are
‘a trifle impertinent’. The word ‘impertinent’ shows how
her attitude to others is a superior one. [Explains the
effect of a quotation]
Priestley also presents Sybil Birling as someone who does
not care how people from the lower classes live.
Priestley sees this as part of the problem with the rich
in Edwardian times and since there is no government
assistance charities need to help. [Reference to the
context of the play and the point extended] Although Sybil
Birling belongs to the Brumley Women’s Charity
Organization, she only helps those who she thinks have
earned it. So when Eva Smith, who is pregnant, asks for
help and calls herself Mrs Birling, Sybil Birling is
extremely angry and tells her committee not to assist.
This is an example of irony, because Sybil Birling doesn’t
know that Eric is the unborn baby’s father. [Highlights a
literary device and shows its relevance] To make things
worse, she then tells the Inspector when he is
questioning her that the father of the child should be
made to pay and be, ‘dealt with very severely’.
Sybil Birling does not understand why her daughter
Sheila is so impressed with the Inspector. [Shifts
successfully to a new paragraph] She does not grasp the
Inspector’s message ‘that we are all responsible for one
another’ and most of the time she goes along with
what her husband says. She is more concerned to keep
things under wraps [Informal expression - should use
critical style] and make sure there is no gossip that
could harm her family. She is not interested in people
outside her own class.
Priestley shows us two points in the play where Sybil
Birling’s coldness turns to horror. At the end of Act
Two there is a climax. This is because she has just
realized that Eric is the father of Eva Smith’s unborn
baby. Although she shouts, ‘I won’t believe it’ we feel
she does. The stress on ‘won’t’ means that she doesn’t
want to believe it. [Explains the effect by highlighting the
key word] The other point is when Eric gets to find
out about his mother refusing help to Eva Smith and he
says, ‘you killed her – and your own grandchild’. This is
a real shock for his mother and she is ‘very distressed’.
Eric is so angry he is almost violent towards her and
the audience must feel the shock too.
You might think Mrs Birling would think hard about
what she has done and Eric’s problems, but when she
speaks next she just blames Eric. She is more concerned
with avoiding a scandal, and this tell us that despite
everything that has happened she is not willing to learn
from the Inspector and change. [A sound conclusion]

The examiner gave this sample answer a Good Level.

Now read the comments below to understand why this
level was given.
The examiner also provides tips on how the answer
might be improved.

COMMENT
This is a confident response to the question and demonstrates a
good understanding of the character’s nature and motivations. The
context of the play has also been mentioned. Literary devices have
been highlighted and there is some exploration of language to
emphasise effects. Quotations are relevant and fluently embedded
in sentences, but occasionally the language is a little informal.

FOR A HIGH LEVEL

Refer more to Priestley’s control of language and purpose.

Extend the range of vocabulary, and look for more sophisticated
words to express ideas.
Be careful not to use informal language, but to develop a critical
style.
Use long and short sentences to vary pace, and alter sentence
openers for variety.
 SAMPLE ANSWERS

How does Mrs Birling respond to the Inspector's

visit? Write about: How Priestley presents the
character of Mrs Birling, why she responds in the
way that she does.
Sybil Birling’s aloof and contemptuous nature springs from
feelings of social superiority and her character (along
with her husband’s) is central to an understanding of
the play. [Excellent opening that presents the character’s
importance in the text] They symbolise everything that
Priestley believes is wrong with the Edwardian ruling
class: their individualism, their lack of responsibility to the
community and their callousness. [Follows on using a
literary device to state the author’s purpose, linking the
text with the context in which it is written]

Having been off stage since the celebratory dinner, Mrs

Birling is unaware of the dramatic events that have
taken place between Sheila and Gerald in the Inspector’s
presence. In Act Two she bustles in ‘briskly and self-
confidently, quite out of key’ [Quotation clearly
embedded in the text with interpretation of language and
effect] with what has happened. Priestley’s stage
directions sum up her complete failure to sense the mood.
Sheila’s attempts to prevent her mother ‘building a wall’
against the Inspector – a metaphor for resistance – are
met with bewilderment and annoyance. Inspector Goole’s
plain speaking is met with an accusation of impertinence.
Sybil Birling is ignorant of how others, less fortunate,
struggle, at a time when there was no welfare state.
Her myopic [Precise, well-chosen vocabulary to describe
the character] view of the world prevents her from
grasping that Eva Smith, whose suicide is the focus of
the Inspector’s call, visited The Brumley Women’s Charity
Organization in desperation. The pregnant young woman’s
offence was to call herself ‘Mrs Birling’, another
apparent impertinence and an irony lost on Sybil. She is
unaware that her son Eric was the father of Eva’s
unborn child. [Literary device and its effect highlighted]
For Sybil, Eva Smith is one of the undeserving poor, so
she cruelly uses her influence to refuse charity. Not only
that, she takes the opportunity to tell the Inspector in
no uncertain terms that the father should be held
‘entirely responsible’ and ‘dealt with very severely’.
Another irony. [Sharp effective use of language to
reinforce an earlier example of literary device]

At the heart of Sybil Birling’s character and the reason

why the Inspector is so unwelcome is her acute sense of
propriety, respectability and status. Maintaining her
family’s social standing without regard to the needs of
the wider society is where she feels her duty lies. She
is quite unable to understand Sheila’s attitude as her
daughter tries to face the crux of the Inspector’s (and
Priestley’s) rhetorical message; that social justice is crucial
to society and that without it there will be ‘fire and
blood and anguish’. [Clear, extended analysis links the
character to the chief metaphor of the play] For Sybil
Birling anything troubling or unsavoury must be kept
hidden. Much of her dialogue is peppered with
warnings: ‘Careful what you say, dear!’ ‘Sheila!’
‘Arthur!’ ‘Eric!’ The frequency of exclamation marks in
her speech reveals anxiety as well as disapproval.
[Highlights effect of punctuation] Any whiff of scandal
alerts her to danger, so she resists the Inspector’s
interrogation until it is impossible to do so.
There are two occasions in the play where her chilly
exterior crumples. The first is the climax of Act Two.
We witness her ‘frightened glance’, as she realises that
Eric is the father of the unborn child, leaving us to
speculate on what scenes will follow in Act Three. The
second occasion is when Eric, ‘nearly at breaking point’,
damns her for killing ‘her own grandchild’. The audience
is gripped as Sybil pleads that she didn’t understand
that it was his child, and we see how this lack of
understanding is part of her relationship with Eric. He
accuses her of never having ‘tried’ to understand him.
We do not know how she reacts to this. She says no
more, and only speaks a few pages later to declare her
shame at his behaviour. [Important connection to another
part of the play] Is this an indication of her heartlessness
or her inability to recognise her part in his unhappy life
 and alcoholism? [Excellent use of sentence structure for
style and effect] Certainly, her recovery is remarkable
once she thinks the Inspector is a hoax. All the previous
revelations have been shuffled away in order to ‘behave
sensibly’. For Sybil Birling the Inspector’s visit brings no
epiphany, and we can only assume that she remains
unchanged by all that has happened. Or does she? The
Inspector, whether a man of insight or a mysterious
prophet, warns her that she will ‘spend the rest of
[her] life regretting’ what she did. [Excellent
conclusion challenging assumptions to show a complexity
of character]

The examiner gave this sample answer a Very High

Level.
Now read the comments below to understand why this
level was given.

COMMENT

This is an excellent critique of Sybil Birling and her motives. There

is good use of literary techniques, sound analysis of language and
its effect. Links have been made to other features of the play,
particularly to the central theme of responsibility and also to the
playwright’s main purpose. A sophisticated range of vocabulary
appropriate to the character has been used and sentence structure
has pace and variety. The conclusion presents an unusual and
well-supported argument about an aspect of the character.