Inspector calls

Society and class divides

Society and class divides

What is it about

J.B. Priestley

Who wrote it

1945 (during WW2)

When was it written

1912 (2 years before WW1)

When was it set

Brumley (fictional town in the midlands)

Where was it set

1894

When was J.B Priestley born

Bradford

Where was J.B Priestley born

1984

When did J.B Priestley die

89

How old was J.B Priestley when he died

Businessman, owns a factory, head of the Birling family

Arthur Birling

Obsessed with her status

Sybil Birling

Secret alcoholic, works for Arthur, will inherit the business

Eric Birling

Upper class businessman, engaged to Sheila

Gerald Croft

Engaged to Gerald

Sheila Birling

Maid, only working class woman on stage

Edna

Victim, never see her

Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton

Claims to be a police investigator, investigating Eva/ Daisy's death

Inspector Goole

Dramatic irony makes Birling look overconfident

Analyse 'unsinkable absolutely unsinkable'

Contrasts violently with the polite and playful atmosphere at the start

Analyse 'burnt her inside out'

She's remembered as an attractive hero, this makes Birling look worse

Analyse 'lively good looking girl'

Sheila's reaction shows that she knew she behaved badly and has grown up since then, she is portrayed as a forgivable character

Analyse 'felt rotten about it at the time'

Eric points out the hypocrisy of sacking Eva

Analyse 'try for the highest possible prices'

He tries to act like it never happened, he wants to keep it a secret so that it doesn't become a scandal

Analyse 'over and done with last summer'

Sheila gets more anxious and suspicious which heightens the tension

Analyse 'how much he knows that we don't know yet'

The inspector only says one word but it confirms that he's in control

Analyse 'well'

For Gerald it was a summer fling, for Daisy it was the best thing to have happened to her

Analyse 'there'd never be anything as good again'

Birling defends Gerald and implies that a lot of men have mistresses

Analyse 'you must understand a lot of young men'

Sybil thought it was rude of Eva to try and associate herself with the Birlings

Analyse 'piece of gross impertinence'

Sybil thinks someone in the lower class wouldn't refuse money, she based her refusal on class prejudice, social class theme

Analyse 'girl of that class'

She doesn't accept responsibility and passes the blame onto the father

Analyse 'confess in public his responsibility'

She recognises that she's changed when she handed the ring back to Gerald

Analyse 'the same people who sat down to dinner'

He knows what he did wrong, he guessed that the inspector helped everyone realise he's the father of Daisy's child

Analyse 'you know don't you'

His language shows his immaturity, he's language is insensitive given how badly he treated her

Analyse 'a good sport'

Sybil disobeys her husband now that's she realises how involved she is

Analyse 'had to know what's happening'

Eric links Sybil's failure to understand to his own childhood

Analyse 'you don't understand anything you never did'

The inspector links Eva/Daisy to the rest of society

Analyse 'millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths'

The inspector foresees the suffering that will result from selfishness, including the world wars

Analyse 'fire and blood and anguish'

'We are members of one body'

Quote to show that the inspector is moral

'All in good time'

Quote to show that the inspector is authoritative

'Was it a hoax'

Quote to show that the inspector is mysterious

'The rude way he spoke to Mr Birling and me - it was quite extraordinary'

Quote to show that the inspector is an outsider

Sounds casual, deceptive word to use about the inspector, the title of the play is echoed in Edna's words as she announces the arrival of the inspector at the start of the play, and in the telephone call at the end of the play

Analyse 'calls'

Attractive words make the audience feel sympathetic towards her

Analyse 'pretty', 'lively'

Harsh tone strengthens the audiences sympathy

'With a burnt out inside on a slab'

Her identity isn't certain, the audience aren't sure if she exists, the diary might be a bluff to stop anyone asking him any questions

Analyse 'a rough sort of diary'

The inspector seems to come from outside the class system

Analyse 'classless'

'There's a good change of knighthood'

Quote to show that Mr Birling is ambitious

'A hard-headed, practical man of business'

Quote to show that Mr Birling is business-minded

'A man has to make his own way'

Quote to show that Mr Birling is selfish

'There'll be a public scandal - unless we're lucky'

Quote to show that Mr Birling is anxious

Birling sees his daughters marriage as a business deal

Analyse 'lower costs and higher prices'

Birling is optimistic about the future, dramatic irony makes him seem foolish, this undermines his authority

Analyse 'silly little war scares'

Birling is selfish and self-centred, he won't admit what he has done wrong, Gerald is the first character to use the word 'hoax'

Analyse 'hoax'

Birling has a regional accent, accent and social class were closely linked, it would be clear that Birling was a middle class businessman not upper class

Analyse 'provincial in his speech'

Birling has the most continuous speech, he likes to talk and doesn't like being interrupted

Analyse 'just let me finish Eric'

Birling repeatedly shouts rubbish to dismiss what other people have said

Analyse 'rubbish'

Birling finishes his own sentences with of course to make his own claims seem more obvious and matter of fact

Analyse 'of course'

'When you're married you'll realise'

Quote to show that Mrs Birling is traditional

'I was the only one of you who didn't give in'

Quote to show that Mrs Birling is proud

'As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money'

Quote to show that Mrs Birling is prejudiced

'I used my influence to have it refused'

Quote to show that Mrs Birling is cruel

Sybil is from a family with a higher social status than Birlings family, even though Birling is the head of the family, Sybil is his social superior

Analyse 'social superior'

It wasn't polite to mention the cook or lower servants

Analyse 'tell cook from me'

Sybil's social standards make her prejudiced against people from a lower class

Analyse 'of that sort'

This gives Sybil the authority to decide who's deserving of help

Analyse 'deserving cases'

Sybil is annoyed that Eva/Daisy would pretend to have 'fine feelings' of a higher social class, she is unfeeling towards Eva/Daisy

Analyse 'fine feelings'

She won't accept responsibility, she claims that she did the right thing

Analyse 'I accept no blame at all'

She doesn't learn anything from the inspectors message, she regrets not asking him questions because she wants to be in control

Analyse 'asked him a few questions'

Even when Sybil's language is polite, her tone is severe and superior

Analyse 'haughtily,' 'very sharply,' 'bitterly'

'I don't believe I will. So you be careful'

Quote to show that Sheila is strong-minded

'He's giving us the rope - so that we'll hang ourselves'

Quote to show that Sheila is sharp

'You used the power you had to punish the girl'

Quote to show that Sheila is selfish

'But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people'

Quote to show that Sheila is moral

The stage directions make Sheila seem childish

Analyse 'very pleased with life and rather excited'

Sheila uses slang expressions which remind the audience that she belongs to a younger generation

Analyse 'squiffy'

Excited about the ring, Sheila looks to her mum for approval

Analyse 'look - mummy - isn't it a beauty'

Sheila's childishness might be a way to hide serious concerns about her relationship with Gerald

Analyse 'half serious, half playful'

Priestly uses Sheila as a moral judge at the end of the play

Analyse 'probably between us we killed her'

Sheila contradicts and undermines her parents like the inspector

Analyse 'don't interfere'

'I didn't even remember - that's the hellish thing'

Quote to show that Eric is irresponsible

'You don't understand anything. You never did'

Quote to show that Eric is unloved

'My god - I'm not likely to forget'

Quote to show that Eric is sensitive

'I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty'

Quote to show that Eric is an alcoholic

Eric's laugh interrupts the polite conversation earlier in the play, just like when his behaviour disrupts the polite middle class illusion of respectability

Analyse 'suddenly guffaws'

Eric accepts responsibility

Analyse 'the fact remains I did what I did'

Eric criticises his parents for pretending nothings happened

Analyse 'you lot may be letting yourselves out nicely'

'The easy well-bred young man-about-town'

Quote to show that Gerald is respectable

'Landed people and so forth'

Quote to show that Gerald is upper-class

'I wasn't telling you a complete lie'

Quote to show that Gerald is a liar

'I should say so'

Quote to show that Gerald is traditional

Gerald supports Birling sacking Eva, Gerald is very similar to Birling, they are both comfortable with being in control, Gerald agrees with Birling on politics women and his jokes about getting in trouble

Analyse 'you couldn't have done anything else'

'Young and fresh and charming'

Quote to show that Eva/Daisy is attractive

'She didn't want to take any more money from him'

Quote to show that Eva/Daisy is honourable

'Girls of that class,' 'a girl of that sort'

Quote to show that Eva/Daisy is working-class

'There was some woman who wanted her to go there'

Quote to show that Eva/Daisy is a prostitute

'Eva' is similar to Eve the first woman, biblical references, 'Smith' is a common last name, from the word for a tradesman, 'Eva smith' represents all ordinary working-class women

'Eva smith'

British society was family divided along class lines, those with the most money had the most power, the Labour Party was formed in 1906 to represent the interests of the working class, only men who owned property could vote, women weren't allowed to vote in national elections at all, women's lives are far more controlled by their families and husbands then today, there wasn't as much government help for people in need as there is today, this is why charities like Sybil's are so important, there was a dangerous level of tension between the big European countries in 1912 which resulted in the First World War, this is a terrible conflict which cost millions of lives, after the war many British people questioned the leadership given by the upper classes during the war

Britain in 1912 (context)

Britain was still divided by class but by 1928 all men and women over the age of 21 got the vote, this meant power was shared out more evenly, there were still conflicts between business owners and workers such as the 1926 general strike which saw many important industries grind to a halt, from 1930 a global economic slump known as the depression hit many British industries, there was a big increase in unemployment and many workers faced terrible poverty, millions of people from all classes had fought for Britain during the Second World War, after the war people wanted to work out how to make a better society, the world wars made people question Britain's social structure, socialism and other left-wing ideas, which called for the more equal sharing out of wealth and power became more popular, the Labour Party won the 1945 general election by a landslide, in government they focused on improving the welfare system to l

Britain in 1945 (context)

Family members were expected to know their role and be content with their position, the parents are in charge of the family and the children were expected to be obedient and unquestioning, gender roles were well defined for the wealthy middle-class, men were expected to work to support their perfect family and protect women especially their wives and daughters, women were expected to marry into money so they didn't have to work and plan parties, visit friends and have children, however working-class families and especially working-class women had very different roles, many had jobs in factories or worked as servants

Family life in 1912 (context)

The Birlings want everyone to believe they are the perfect family, the gender roles are clearly defined but there is tension bubbling just under the surface, Mrs Birling keeps correcting her family's social mistakes, Eric laughs out of turn and acts oddly and Sheila teases Gerald half playfully but also "half serious" about last summer, the clear hierarchy at the beginning is destroyed by the inspectors arrival, without their parents influence Sheila and Eric can think for themselves, Sheila doesn't know whether she'll marry Gerald anymore she needs time to decide for herself, Eric says his mother doesn't "understand anything" and that Birling is "not the kind of father a chap could go to" for help, the family is in a mess and Sheila and Eric refuse to "go on behaving just as we did", they don't want to pretend anymore, the parents no longer have any authority over their children

Theme of family life