Overview and Key Scenes - An Inspector Calls - AQA English Literature GCSE

Overview

• Author: J.B. Priestley

• Publication: Written in 1945

• Setting: One evening in Brumley, an English manufacturing town, in 1912

• Structure: 3 acts in real time (no change in time or location)

• Plot: The upper-middle-class Birling family is visited by a mysterious inspector investigating the suicide of a young woman, Eva Smith, revealing their connections and responsibilities in her death.

Characters

• Arthur Birling: Head of Birling and Company, capitalist businessman.

• Sybil Birling: Arthur's wife; represents the upper-class, socially prominent woman.

• Sheila Birling: Daughter of the Birlings; symbolizes the impressionable, socially-aware younger generation and feminist movement.

• Eric Birling: Son of the Birlings; represents the consequences of toxic masculinity.

• Gerald Croft: Son of Sir and Lady Croft, symbolizes upper-class privilege and patriarchy.

• Inspector Goole: Represents socialist ideals and social responsibility.

• Eva Smith (Daisy Renton): Represents the mistreated lower-class; her plight serves as the catalyst for the investigation.

Quick Summary

Act 1

1. The family celebrates Sheila's engagement to Gerald.

2. Inspector Goole arrives, revealing that Eva Smith has died from drinking disinfectant.

3. Mr. Birling fired Eva after she led a strike for better wages.

4. Sheila admits to complaining about Eva at her job, leading to Eva's subsequent firing.

5. Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton; Gerald recognizes the name indicating a past affair.

6. Sheila accuses Gerald of an affair with Daisy Renton; he initially denies but eventually confesses.

Act 2

7. The Inspector questions Mrs. Birling about her charity work denying help to a young pregnant woman.

8. The family realizes that Eric is the father of the unborn child.

9. Eric returns and confesses to using stolen money to support Eva.

10. The Inspector stresses the importance of accepting responsibility for their actions.

11. The family begins to realize the inspector's connection to their secrets; however, they remain divided on the concept of guilt and accountability.

Act 3

12. Eric, distraught, accuses his mother of killing Eva by denying her help.

13. The Inspector declares they all played a role in Eva’s death, warning of consequences for a society that ignores its responsibilities.

14. The family realizes the Inspector might not be a real investigator; a phone call reveals a girl died on her way to the infirmary, hinting at the real-life consequences of their actions.

Analysis

Act 1

• Initial Setting: The environment showcases luxury, reflecting the Birlings' social class.

• Mr. Birling's Speech: Predicts prosperity, dismisses social concerns, ironic given the historical context known to the audience (WWI, WWII).

• Character Dynamics: Power dynamics established; Mr. Birling dominates conversations, dismissing potential crises, emphasizing self-interested capitalism.

Key Quotes & Analysis

• “good solid furniture” (pg 1): Indicates the Birlings’ wealth; luxury blinds them to societal issues.

• Mr. Birling on future optimism (pg 7): Dramatic irony; audience knows the future holds war and societal shifts.

• “A man has to make his own way” (pg 9): Reflects Birling’s capitalistic ideology; foreshadows conflict with socialist ideals presented by the Inspector.

Act 2

• Inspector's Role: Conduit for socialism, forces characters to confront their actions, tying past sins to present consequences.

• Mrs. Birling’s Prejudice: Highlights character flaws, reveals classist attitudes that dehumanize the lower class.

Act 3

• Final Confrontation: The Inspector’s monologue emphasizes collective responsibility; urges recognition of intertwining fates within society.

• Contrast Between Generations: Younger characters show awareness and empathy; elder characters remain entrenched in their privilege.

Conclusion

• Themes: Responsibility, class struggle, the impact of societal structures on individual lives.

• Priestley’s Message: Advocates for a more unified, empathetic society where individuals recognize their shared humanity.