An Inspector Calls Essay Plans

Mr Birling: Poor Judgement

“absolutely unsinkable” Russia “will always be behindhand” war is “impossible” “he holds them for a moment”

Mr Birling: Foil to Inspector

“community and all that nonsense” “as if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive” “members of one body” “we don’t live alone”

Mr Birling: A Static Character

“there’ll be a public scandal” “I was almost certain for a knighthood”

Sheila: She is the quickest to change her views and align with inspector. Has the most dramatic change

“but these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people” “mummy” “mother” “You and I aren't the same people who sat down to dinner here”

Sheila: Awareness of right and wrong and of the inspector:

“you don’t seem to have learnt anything” “he’s giving us the rope to hang ourselves” “of course he knows”

Sheila: Foil to her parents/ hope for the younger generation

“so I’m really responsible?” -Sheila “I can’t accept any responsibility” -Mr B

Responsibility: Mr Birling

“community and all that nonsense” “as if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive” “ I can’t accept any responsibility”

Responsibility: The Inspector

“we are all members of one body” “chain of events” “in fire and blood and anguish”

Responsibility: Sheila

“so I’m really responsible” “I behaved badly too. I know I did. I’m ashamed of it”

The Inspector: Priestly’s mouthpiece

“public men… have responsibilities as well as privileges” “members of one body” “chain of event” “we must share our guilt”

The Inspector: Controls the narrative

“the Inspector interposes himself” so that E and G can’t see the photo “we do need him here” “pink and intimate” “brighter and harder”

The Inspector: Biblical References and abiguity

“in fire and blood and anguish” “I don’t play golf” Goole sounds similar to ghoul

Social Class & Inequality: Mr + Mrs Birling

“girls of that class” “we’ve several hundred young women there”

Social Class & Inequality: Sheila is protected more than Eva

“young women ought be protected from unpleasant things” “we all know one young woman who wasn’t”

Social Class & Inequality: The Inspector

“there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths” “all intertwined with our lives”

Mrs Birling: Superiority to Lower Classes

“girls of that class” “of her sort”

Mrs Birling: Denial

“it isn’t true” and “he’s just a boy” “surely you don’t mean Alderman Meggarty”

Mrs Birling: Eric’s Involvement (she gives the inspector the rope to hang him)

“I blame the young man who was the father of the child” “he should be made and example of” “I won’t believe it”

Different Generations: The Inspector

“young ones” are more impressionable”

Different Generations: Sheila & Eric

“So I’m really responsible” - Sheila “we did her in all right” - Eric (we being Mrs B and him)

Different Generations: Mr & Mrs Birling

“I can’t accept any responsibility” “community and all that nonsense” “as if we were all mixed up like bees in a hive” - Mr B “I think she only had herself to blame” - Mrs B

Gender: Women can’t cope with unpleasant things

“young women ought to be protected from unpleasant things” “we all know one young woman who wasn’t”

Gender: Gerald Hypocritical description of Eva and prostitutes

“hard eyed, dough faced” “soft brown hair and big brown eyes”

Gender: Sheila’s power

“don’t give it another thought” “he means that I’m getting hysterical now” “you and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner”

Edna: Puts the light on the birlings, acts as eva smiths and john smiths in the microcosm, annonces the inspector

Eric: Takes some responsibility but not all and weak

“you killed her” and “your grandchild” “that state where a chap easily turns nasty” “we hear the front door slam”

Eric: Hope for the younger generation

“I can’t accept any responsibility” - Mr B “I accept no blame” - Mrs B “we all helped to kill her”

Eric: Contrasts to Gerald despite appearing to be similar

“there were probably four or five different girls” “that doesn’t matter to me. The one I knew is dead.”

Eric doesn’t have consent vs Gerald does → “threatened to make a row” “ and that’s when it happened”