An Inspector Calls - Revision Notes

An Inspector Calls: Plot Summary

  • Setting: 1912, dining room of the Birling family in fictional Brumley, England.

  • Synopsis: The Birlings celebrate Sheila's engagement to Gerald Croft when Inspector Goole arrives. He investigates the suicide of a young woman, Eva Smith, revealing each family member's connection to her downfall.

    • Arthur Birling dismisses Eva from his factory for striking.

    • Sheila Birling has her dismissed from a dress shop.

    • Gerald Croft had an affair with her when she changed her name to Daisy Renton.

    • Sybil Birling refuses charity assistance to Eva, unaware that her son Eric is the father of Eva's unborn child, resulting in her eventual death.

    • The Inspector exposes their collective responsibility, which resonates with themes of guilt and social duty.

  • Ending: The inspector leaves, and the family learns he may be a fraud, leading them to celebrate escaping scandal until a real police inspector calls about a recent death.

An Inspector Calls: Key Themes

Responsibility and Guilt

  • Major theme highlighting that all actions have consequences.

  • Inspector Goole urges the Birlings to acknowledge their roles in Eva's death, emphasizing social responsibility.

  • The younger generation (Sheila and Eric) shows awareness of their guilt, contrasting with their parents' denial.

Capitalism vs Socialism

  • Portrays capitalism as fostering inequality and exploitation.

  • The inspector represents socialist ideals, advocating for community and collective welfare.

  • Arthur and Sybil Birling epitomize self-interest over responsibility.

Class

  • Explores the stark divide between the privileged upper class and the suffering working class.

  • Characters like Eva Smith symbolize the vulnerability of the lower class and the moral blindness of the wealthy.

Gender

  • Examines the suppression of women's rights and societal expectations.

  • Sheila undergoes a transformation, challenging patriarchal norms as she grows to understand her social responsibility.

An Inspector Calls: Key Characters

Inspector Goole

  • Symbolizes moral authority.

  • Challenges the Birlings' views, holds them accountable.

Arthur Birling

  • Arrogant capitalist; prioritizes wealth and status.

  • Represents the older generation's stubbornness and ignorance.

Sybil Birling

  • Cold and dismissive, epitomizes upper-class hypocrisy.

  • Fails to recognize her moral responsibility.

Sheila and Eric Birling

  • Young representatives of hope and change.

  • Show emotional growth and acceptance of social duty.

Gerald Croft

  • A conflicted character; his actions reflect capitalist privilege but also some regret.

Key Quotations

  • Arthur Birling: "A man has to make his own way…" (Emphasizes individualism).

  • Inspector Goole: "We are members of one body…" (Highlights social interconnectedness).

  • Sheila Birling: "But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people." (Challenges class prejudice).

Summary

  • Overall message: Priestley champions social responsibility, criticizing capitalist ideologies and advocating for empathetic societal change.