INSPECTOR CALLS

Title: An Inspector Calls
Author: J.B. Priestley
Genre: An Inspector Calls is a didactic play, a morality play, and a social drama.
Setting: The play is set in the prosperous home of the Birling family in Brumley, an industrial city in the North Midlands, in 1912.
Publication/First Performance: First performed in 1945 in the Soviet Union, then in 1946 in the UK (with London premiere in 1946).

The Birling family (Arthur, Sybil, Sheila, Eric) and Gerald Croft (Sheila's fiancé) are celebrating Sheila and Gerald's engagement.
Their celebration is interrupted by Inspector Goole, who is investigating the suicide of a young working-class woman named Eva Smith (who also goes by Daisy Renton).
The Inspector reveals, through a series of interrogations, that each member of the Birling family and Gerald contributed to Eva Smith's downfall.
- Arthur Birling: Fired Eva from his factory for leading a strike for higher wages.
- Sheila Birling: Had Eva fired from her department store job out of jealousy.
- Gerald Croft: Had an affair with Eva (Daisy Renton) and then ended it.
- Sybil Birling: As head of a charity organization, refused Eva's appeal for financial aid when Eva was pregnant and desperate.
- Eric Birling: Got Eva pregnant after a drunken encounter and stole money from his father to support her.
After the Inspector leaves, the family debates whether he was a real police inspector or an imposter.
A telephone call at the end of the play reveals that a girl has just died in the infirmary, and a police inspector is on his way to make inquiries, implying that the cycle is about to repeat.

Inspector Goole: A mysterious, omniscient figure who serves as the moral compass and a catalyst for the family's introspection. His name sounds like 'ghoul', suggesting he might be supernatural or a projection of conscience.
Arthur Birling: A self-made industrialist and capitalist, concerned with profit, social standing, and avoiding scandal. Represents the complacent pre-World War I capitalist class.
Sybil Birling: Arthur's snobbish wife, a prominent member of a women's charity organization. Represents the aristocratic contempt for the lower classes and social hypocrisy.
Sheila Birling: Initially a cheerful young woman, she becomes the most remorseful and socially aware of the family, representing the younger generation's capacity for change.
Eric Birling: Initially awkward and often drunk, he shows genuine remorse for his actions, also representing the younger generation's potential for social responsibility.
Gerald Croft: Sheila's fiancé, from an upper-class family. Initially tries to protect himself and his reputation, but eventually expresses some regret, though less than Sheila or Eric.
Eva Smith / Daisy Renton: The unseen victim, whose life story is pieced together through the revelations of the Birling family and Gerald. Represents the exploited working class and the consequences of social indifference.

Social Responsibility: The central theme, exploring the idea that we are all responsible for each other, not just ourselves.
Class System: Highlights the stark divide between the wealthy and the working class, and the exploitation faced by the poor.
Guilt and Consequence: Each character's actions contribute to Eva's demise, illustrating the ripple effect of individual choices.
Generational Divide: The younger generation (Sheila and Eric) are more open to change and accepting of social responsibility than the older generation (Arthur and Sybil).
Hypocrisy: The Birlings' attempts to maintain their respectable facade crumble as their immoral actions are exposed.
Time and Reality: The ambiguity of the Inspector's identity and the final twist question the nature of reality and the opportunity for redemption.

Dramatic Irony: The audience knows the historical context (e.g., world wars, social upheaval) that Mr. Birling dismisses, making his declarations seem foolish.
Symbolism: Eva Smith (a common name for 'Eve', symbolizing all humanity or working-class women); the Inspector (conscience, justice, fate).
Structure: A well-made play with a strong linear plot, building tension and suspense through the unfolding interrogations.
Dialogue: Used to reveal character, expose social attitudes, and drive the moral arguments.
Foreshadowing: The Inspector's warnings about