1. An Inspector Calls – The
Opening Scene
LO: To be able to gather a perspective of each character
06/03/2016
2. Look at the pictures of Mr. Birling –
what do they tell us about his
character?
Any similarities or differences?
3. Who’s Who?
MR BIRLING
MRS BIRLING
SHEILA
GERALD
EDNA
ERIC
About 30 – a wealthy man – his family own
a rival company to Birling’s. He is recently
engaged to Sheila
In his early twenties – the Birling’s son
The family maid
Head of the family. A wealthy
businessman and factory owner
Early twenties – the Birling’s daughter –
recently engaged to Gerald Croft
An upper class woman (superior in
status to her husband)
MR BIRLING
Head of the family. A wealthy
businessman and factory owner
MRS BIRLING
An upper class woman (superior in
status to her husband)
SHEILA
About 30 – a wealthy man – his family own
a rival company to Birling’s. He is recently
engaged to Sheila
GERALD
Early twenties – the Birling’s daughter –
recently engaged to Gerald Croft
EDNA
The family maid
ERIC
In his early twenties – the Birling’s son
5. What are your first impressions of each
character?
• Next to each character, write down a sentence or two, explaining why
Challenge –
find quotes to
back up your
impressions.
6. PG.4: ‘…your engagement to
Sheila means a tremendous lot to me.
She’ll make you happy and I’m sure
you’ll make her happy…Your father
and I have been friendly rivals in
business for some time now – though
Crofts Limited are both older and
bigger than Birling and Company – and
now you’ve brought us together and
perhaps we may look forward to the
time when Crofts and Birlings are no
longer competing but are working
together – for lower costs and higher
prices.’
7. PG.6: ‘…I speak as a hard-
headed businessman, who has to take
risks and know what he’s about.’
PG.6: ‘We employers at last are
coming together to see that our
interests – and then interests of
Capital – are properly protected. And
we’re in for a time of steadily
increasing prosperity.’
