An Inspector Calls: Characters

capitalist, business man, main focus Look Inspector Id give thousands

Arthur
is money now youve brought us togetherCrofts and
Birling Birlingsworking together for lower costs and higher
self-interested
prices (referring to S & G marriage)
believes in individual responsibility
its my duty to keep labour costs down
pompous (self-important) a man has to make his own way has to look after
powerful (magistrate & former himself
mayor) Yes, yes. Horrid business. (reaction to ES death)
lacks insight I ought to warn you that hes an old friend (referring
to Colonel Roberts)
Weve been had. Thats all.

Insensitive Weve done a great deal of useful work in helping

Sybil
No conscience deserving cases.
Birling Mrs Birling entersself-confidently, quite out of key
Cold & uncaring
prejudiced me against her case
A snob
I think she had only herself to blame.
Righteous & judgemental She was claimingscruples that wereabsurd in a girl
Lacks insight in her position.
I was the only one of you who didnt give in

Pretty & young (20s) very pleased with life and rather excited
Sheila
Engaged to Gerald (taking out the ring)Mummy isnt it a beauty?
Birling Oh how horrible! Was it an accident? / Ive been
Superficial & immature (start)
so happy tonight. Oh I wish you hadnt told me.
Remorseful
So Im really responsible? / It was my own fault.
Caring & sensitive Dont interfere, please, Father / Mother dont you
Gained insight & mature (by end) see?
impressed by Inspector it was trueThats whats important and not
whether a man is a police inspector or not
she stares at him wonderingly and dubiously

Young (20s) & unsure of himself not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive
Eric Youre squiffy / His whole manner of handlingthe
Heavy drinker
Birling drink shows his familiarity with quick heavy drinking
Ignorant, immature, careless (at
And I didnt even rememberhow stupid it all is!
start)
Im ashamed of you as well yes both of you (E to
Gained insight, remorseful (by end) parents)
Bad relationship with father Youre beginning to pretend now that nothings really
happened at all.The girls still dead, isnt she?
youre not the kind of father a chap could go to

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 30; Engaged to Sheila attractivewell-bred
Gerald
Son of Mr Bs business rival Theyd be all broke if I know them. [referring to
Croft lower classes / workers]
Shares Mr Bs business views
I didnt feel about her as she felt about me. [re ES]
Lacks insight / sympathy with other
(smiling) Thanks, I think I could just do with one now.
classes [has drink after proved no girl in infirmary] /
Polite to Birlings Everythings all right nowWhat about this ring?
Self-confident
Lacks insight?

an impression of massiveness, solidity and

Inspector Omnipotent (powerful / in control)
Omniscient (knows everything)
Goole
Supernatural / mysterious
Serious
purposefulness has ahabit of looking hard at the
personbefore actually speaking
Goole. G. Double O-L-E. (homophone of ghoul)
Quite so. / she was in great agonySuicide, of
course.
Yes (when Eric asks for a drink and his dad says no)
(taking charge, masterfully) Stop!
each of you helped to kill her. Remember that.
We are members of one body.

An Inspector Calls: Themes and Ideas

We do not live in isolated bubbles; our actions
Responsibility
affect other people, even if we think the other
person has nothing to do with us (e.g.
especially if they are less powerful, such as
someone in a menial job or homeless).
We must admit we are responsible for other
people and not just judge them or call them
lazy etc.
It is also our responsibility to try to
understand others, especially if they are from
a very different background to our own
We are all responsible for society being
successful and working well. We cannot say
that it has nothing to do with us because we
make up part of it.
millions of Eva Smithsstill left
with us, with their livesall
intertwined with our lives, and what
we think and say and do.
We dont live alone.
We are responsible for each other.
the way some of these cranks talk
and write now, youd think
everybody has to look after
everybody else, as if we were all
mixed up togethercommunity and
all that nonsense

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 Capitalism = we should be able to keep the We employers at last are coming
Capitalism vs. together to see that our
money we work hard for and earn and not
Socialism have to pay taxes. If everyone worked hard,
interestsare properly protected
a man has to mind his own
earned money then they could look after
business and look after himself and
themselves and we wouldnt need to provide his own
for others so much.
Socialism = we should pay taxes in order to
look after the more weak / vulnerable /
unfortunate in society. Hard work doesnt
always guarantee you money. You may be in
a helpless position and it isnt your fault (e.g.
Eva Smith), therefore we should look after
other people, not just focus on ourselves.

Priestley purposely SETS the play in 1912, but the Titanicunsinkable, absolutely
Dramatic Irony
WROTE the play in 1944-45 unsinkable
Birling says things that the audience know will there isnt a chance of war
NOT come true in the future in 1940youll be living in a world
thatll have forgotten all these
Capital versus Labour agitations

Lower classes lack power & a voice Eva Smith speaks through the
Class
Lower classes are not understood / are judged Inspector only
by upper classes Edna hardly says anything
millions of Eva Smiths and John
Smiths still left with us

Rely on marriage or a job; no real power of Sheila is seen in relation to

Women
own; no help from government; no marriage & clothes
contraception at that time emphasizes how Eva Smith has to consider turning to
prostitution / relying on a man
life more difficult for them / more vulnerable
(Gerald)
as a female

Detective / whodunnit Inspector slowly reveals killer of

Genre
Morality play ES; use of cliff-hangers
Inspector delivers a moral lesson &
message to characters & audience

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