JB Priestly: An Inspector Calls

An
Inspector
Calls
JB Priestly

Plot Summary
 An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley, is a play that
revolves around the apparent suicide of a young
woman called Eva Smith.
 In the play, the unsuspecting Birling family are
visited by the mysterious Inspector Goole. He
arrives just as they are celebrating the
engagement of Sheila Birling to Gerald Croft.
The Inspector reveals that a girl called Eva
Smith, has taken her own life by drinking
disinfectant. The family are horrified but initially
confused as to why the Inspector has called to
see them. What follows is a tense and
uncomfortable investigation by an all-knowing
Inspector through which the family discover that
they are all in fact caught up in this poor girl's
death.
 Priestley uses dramatic irony to great effect in
the play.

Social and historical context
An Inspector Calls was first performed in
1945 at a time of great change - both World
Wars were fresh in the minds of the people,
women had become more prominent in the
workplace and it was possible to be class
mobile.
It is set in 1912 - this means that the
characters have no knowledge of these
world events. Priestley uses this to make
important points about society and
responsibility.

Key plot points
1. An inspector arrives at the Birling house. He tells them how a
girl called Eva Smith has killed herself by drinking disinfectant
- he wants to ask them some questions.
2. The Inspector reveals that the girl used to work in Arthur
Birling's factory and he had her sacked for going on strike. Mr
Birling refuses to accept any responsibility for her death.
3. The Inspector then reveals that Sheila thought that Eva had
made fun of her, complained and got her sacked. Sheila is
deeply ashamed and feels responsible for the girl’s death.
4. The Inspector forces Gerald to confess to an affair he had
with Eva. Sheila respects Gerald’s honesty but returns the
engagement ring he gave her.
 It is revealed that Sybil Birling had refused to help the
pregnant Eva.
 It turns out that it was Eric who got Eva pregnant, and stole
money from his father to help her.
 The Inspector leaves. The family ring the infirmary and there
is no record of a girl dying from drinking disinfectant.
 Suddenly the phone rings, Mr Birling answers it, to his horror
the phone call reveals that a young woman has just died from
drinking disinfectant and the police are on their way to
question them about it. The curtain falls and the play ends.

Setting the scene and opening the play
 Before the play begins, Priestley gives
detailed instructions on how the play
should be staged. The action takes place
in a single room with few adjustments
needed during the performance. The stage
directions specify that the house is 'not
cosy and homelike' and the lighting needs
to become 'brighter and harder' once the
Inspector arrives. The first of the three acts
opens with the Birling family and Gerald
Croft celebrating the engagement of Sheila
Birling and Gerald.
Mr. Birling makes a speech
 As it is a happy occasion, Mr. Birling takes the
opportunity to make a speech. During the speech he
reveals how happy he is that Sheila is marrying
Gerald because Gerald’s parents are wealthy business
owners. It is clear that Mr. Birling feels this marriage
will be to his advantage, he boasts that he is to be
considered for a knighthood. It is important to
realise that the audience of 1945 would pick up on
the fact that a lot of what Mr. Birling says is
incorrect. He states how war will never happen and
that the Titanic is unsinkable. This would indicate to
the audience that what Mr. Birling says is not to be
trusted. It might also alert them to a few other clues
that Priestley gives in this opening scene that things
are not as positive as they might appear in the Birling
house. Eric Birling is distracted and a little drunk,
while Sheila teases Gerald about him neglecting her
last summer. During the speech, Mr. Birling suggests
that 'a man has to make his own way'. At this precise
moment, Inspector Goole arrives which is significant
and proves a socialist is here to prove him wrong.

The first part that caused Eva's suicide
(Mr. Birling)
 The Inspector tells the family that a girl died in the infirmary two hours ago.
She took her own life by drinking disinfectant. The family are shocked by
this news but don't see how they could be involved. The Inspector has a
picture of the girl and a letter and diary she had written. He only ever shows
one person the picture at a time - this is an important detail for later. He
reveals the girl's name - Eva Smith, and that she used to work in Mr. Birling's
factory. Mr. Birling had Eva sacked as she was the ringleader of a group of
workers who had asked for higher pay. Mr. Birling still can’t see how he has
anything to do with Eva’s death. The Inspector points out that her being
sacked could be the beginning of a chain of events that led to her suicide
but Mr. Birling is still not convinced.

The second
part that
caused Eva's
suicide (Sheila)
 The Inspector explains that Eva Smith had no family to
turn to and was out of work for two months after being
sacked by Mr Birling. He then turns his attention to
Sheila who has been deeply affected by the news of
the girl’s suicide. He asks if she remembers making a
complaint about a worker at the department store,
Milwards. She does and then he shows her the
photograph to confirm the girl’s identity. Sheila is
horrified when she finds out that her complaint led to
Eva being sacked for a second time. Sheila gives a full
and honest account of what happened in the store,
admitting that she thought Eva had smiled when she
tried on a dress that didn’t suit her. Sheila is very
ashamed of her behaviour.

The third
part that
caused Eva's
suicide
(Gerald)
The Inspector says that after being sacked
from Milwards, Eva Smith changed her name
to Daisy Renton. On hearing this, Gerald is
shaken and privately Sheila presses him for
more information. He admits that he was
having an affair with Daisy over the summer
and that was why he didn’t see Sheila. The
first act ends.
Act II begins with Gerald and Sheila
discussing the affair. Gerald is initially
hesitant to come clean but eventually tells
the truth. Although Sheila respects him for
his honesty, she returns his engagement ring.
Gerald had picked up Daisy in a bar and had
looked after her, giving her money and
accommodation. While Gerald was fond of
Daisy, she had much stronger feelings for him
and was devastated when Gerald ended the
relationship.

The fourth part that caused Eva's suicide
(Mrs. Birling)
 The Inspector tells us that after the affair with Gerald, Daisy went to live by the
sea for two months - this was when she kept the diary he had found. Attention
then turns to Mrs Birling who is revealed to be a prominent member of the
Brumley Women's Charity Organisation. She has kept quiet about the fact that
just two weeks earlier Daisy had approached the charity seeking help. Daisy
had called herself Mrs Birling when she introduced herself to the charity, Mrs
Birling did not like this and sent her away. The Inspector continues to question
Mrs Birling and it turns out that Daisy was pregnant. Mrs Birling claims that the
man who got her pregnant should be made an example of. Sheila knows what
has happened by this point and begs her mother to stop talking, Eric enters the
scene and Act II ends.

The fifth and last part that
caused Eva's suicide (Eric)
 Eric confesses; Mrs. Birling looks very stupid after Eric admits that it was he
who got Daisy pregnant. Like Sheila, he is very ashamed of his actions and is
honest about his involvement with Daisy. He tells the Inspector that he drinks
heavily and how, during a night out, he met Daisy. He admits that the first
time they met he walked her home and pressured her into letting him into
her lodgings. He slept with her that evening and on a further evening. When
he next met Daisy, he found out that she was pregnant. They both knew that
they weren't in love and marriage wasn't an option but Eric wanted to help by
giving her money. She refused to accept the money when she found out Eric
had stolen it from his father's business.

Inspector's
leaving
 The family are distraught by this point and are
arguing amongst themselves. The Inspector
interrupts and makes a speech about how if we are
not responsible for each other, there will be
terrible consequences. The Inspector leaves and
Gerald returns after a walk outside. He met a
police officer and found out that there was no
Inspector Goole on the force. They also begin to
wonder if the girl mentioned to each of them could
have been 'four or five different girls', suggesting
that the whole evening could have been a trick.
Gerald rings the local infirmary and discovers that
no girl who had died by drinking disinfectant had
been admitted. Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald are
excited by the idea that they may not be to blame.
Eric and Sheila are aware that it makes no
difference whether or not the Inspector was real,
they still behaved badly.

The phone
ring/ending/cliff hanger
 Just as Mr Birling is mocking the
Inspector and is celebrating that he is
off the hook, the phone rings. Mr Birling
answers and to his horror it is the
police. They inform him that a girl has
just died after drinking disinfectant and
a police officer is on their way to ask
the family some questions. They're all
left in shock and mix of confusion and
sadness. The curtain falls and the play
ends.

Overview
 An Inspector Calls has six main characters. The Birling family are Arthur, Sybil,
Eric and Sheila. Gerald Croft, Sheila's fiancé, joins the Birlings for dinner.
Inspector Goole arrives to conduct his investigation. This investigation focuses
on the death of Eva Smith, who changes her name to Daisy Renton. She is
significant but we never actually meet her. The Birlings' maid, Edna, may seem
insignificant but she introduces the Inspector and serves as a reminder of the
Birlings’ wealth.

 Main characters
 Mr. Arthur Birling
 Mrs. Sybil Birling
 Sheila Birling
 Eric Birling
 Gerald Croft
 Inspector Goole
 Secondary characters
 Eva Smith/Daisy Renton
 Minor characters
 Edna - the Birlings' maid

Mr. Birling
 Mr. Birling is the head of the Birling household. He has made himself
very wealthy by being a 'hard-headed' business man. He is an active
member of the community in Brumley and thinks that he might be in the
running for a Knighthood. At the start of the play he comes across as being
arrogant, making long speeches about his predictions for the future. He
also makes assertions about how a man should look out for number one and
not waste time helping others. It is at this exact moment that the Inspector
arrives. Sybil, his wife, is his 'social superior' and it is hinted that he is self-
conscious about being from a more working-class background. He is
materialistic and possessive and also has old fashioned views about
women.
 Mr. Birling is shaken by the investigation and is shocked by the behavior
of his son Eric. However, he doesn’t learn any lessons during the course of
the play. When it seems that the Inspector might have been an imposter he
is overjoyed and mocks the others for having been 'tricked' by the
investigation.

(in Birling)
J B Priestley was a socialist
When the play was written after World
War Two in 1945, there was no form of
welfare from the government to help the
poor. J B Priestley believed in socialism,
the political idea based on common
ownership and that we should all look
after one another. Mr. Birling represents
greedy businessmen who only care for
themselves. Priestley uses him to show
the audience that the Eva Smiths of the
world will continue to suffer if people
like Birling remain in positions of power.

Mrs. Birling
 Mrs Sybil Birling is Arthur Birling's wife and
right from the opening of the play she is
cold-hearted and snobbish despite being a
prominent member of local women's charity.
Throughout dinner she tells Sheila and Eric
off for things that she considers impolite
whilst ignorantly turning a blind eye to her
son drinking too much. It is clear that
despite Eric being old enough to drink and
Sheila getting married, she sees them both
as children, not as a young man and
woman.
 Her cold, uncaring nature leads to her
downfall as the Inspector forces her to
unknowingly condemn her own son.

(in Mrs. Birling)
The hardships of wartime challenged the class
structure in Britain. Due to rationing of food and
clothes, people of all classes were eating and
dressing the same. They were also fighting side
by side, and so class barriers came down. Sybil
Birling, like her husband Arthur, represents a type
of middle-class snobbery that existed prior to the
World Wars. Priestley hoped that these sorts of
attitudes would die out, and uses Mrs. Birling to
show how they can lead to cold and thoughtless
behavior.
Food was rationed
during World War Two.

Sheila Birling
Sheila Birling is Arthur and Sybil's daughter and is in her
early twenties. At the start of the play she is celebrating
her engagement to Gerald Croft and she is a giddy, naïve
and childish young lady. The Inspector arrives and she is
very shocked by the news of Eva Smith's death, she is also
very regretful of her own involvement in the suicide.
As the play continues, she matures, admiring Gerald's
honesty, even though he cheated on her. She shows an
assertive side by standing up to her mother and father
and she also shows that she is insightful and intelligent -
she can see where the Inspector's investigation is going
and tries to warn the others.
By the end of the play she has grown up and has realised
that her actions can have grave consequences.

(in Sheila)
 Sheila, like Eric, allows Priestley to show his opinions on youth. He felt that
there was hope in the young people of post-war Britain. He saw them as the ones
who would help solve the problems the country had with class, gender and social
responsibility. This is seen in how Sheila is deeply affected by Eva's death, she
accepts responsibility straightaway and promises to never behave in such a way
again. This is not the case with the older characters, Mr and Mrs Birling and even
Gerald do not accept responsibility and we do not get the impression that they
will change.

Eric Birling
 Eric is the Birlings' son and is in his early twenties, he is described as being
'not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive'. In other words, he lacks
confidence. At points he tries to stand up to his father but is talked down. It
becomes clear that he is drunk at the dinner table and later it is revealed that he
has been drinking too much for quite some time.
 It turns out that Eric had an affair with Eva Smith and that she was pregnant
with Eric's baby when she committed suicide. Eric stole money from his father's
business to help Eva. In the final act Eric makes an emotional attack on his
parents and their values and shows that he can be assertive.

Lacking confidence
At the start of the
play Eric is very
unsure of himself. He
tries to speak up but
is often talked down
by his father. His
behaviour is awkward
and stilted.
"I don't know - really.
Suddenly I felt I just
had to laugh."
The stage directions
describe Eric as being
'half shy, half
assertive' and this
comes across in his
dialogue. He is
awkward and unsure
of himself. Here he
cannot explain his
sudden laughter.
Assertive
Like Sheila he can be
assertive as well. Even
early on in the play he
tries to stand up to his
father.
"No, I mean about this
girl - Eva Smith. Why
shouldn't they try for
higher wages? We try
for the highest possible
prices. And I don't see
why she should have
been sacked just
because she'd a bit
more spirit than the
others."
At the start of the
play, Eric shows that
he can be assertive.
Here he questions his
father's decision to
sack Eva Smith. He
backs up his point with
a well-reasoned
argument. His father
quickly shouts him
down though.

Socialist and historical context
(in Eric)
 Priestley uses Eric to suggest that the young people of a post-war Britain would
be the answer to a hopeful future. With Eric he also addresses some concerns
he had about the dangers of immoral behaviour. Through Eric, Priestley shows
that excessive drinking and casual relationships can have consequences.
 He also uses Eric to show that parents need to stop hiding children from the
world and keeping them shut making sure they have to believe and listen to
parents even if they're wrong. Priestly sees that children shouldn't talk too much
or cross the line but, making them the same and not allowing or accepting
they're differences or other beliefs is wrong. This causes children to not speak
up for what's right and stay quiet, not confident and keep away their (socialist)
views like Eric. That's why he has outbursts, over drinking and his parents don't
understand him at all.

Inspector Goole
The Inspector arrives whilst the Birling family are celebrating the
engagement of Sheila and Gerald. The stage directions state that he 'need
not be a big man' but that he must create an 'impression of massiveness,
solidity and purposefulness'. The Inspector investigates each family member
one at a time and in doing so, reveals the consequences of their behavior.
He drives forward the drama, with his questions creating shocking moments
and gripping cliff-hangers for the audience. By the end of the play it is
revealed that he isn’t actually an Inspector. It is not entirely clear who he is,
Priestley leaves it up to the audience to decide. His name 'Goole' suggests a
supernatural or ghost like element, and he seems to know what the
characters will say before they do - is he the conscience of the audience? Is
he the voice of Priestley? Either way he delivers a frightening message when
he leaves, that if people do not take responsibility for each other, the world
is doomed.

(in the inspector)
 Inspector Goole sheds a light on all the concerns that Priestley had at the
time of writing An Inspector Calls around age, gender, class and social
responsibility. Priestley uses the Inspector to make the audience question their
own behavior and morality and hopes that they will learn some lessons as the
Birlings do. The issues the Inspector highlights are just as relevant to a modern
day audience.
 The context effects a character's personality and actions but for inspector
Goole the social and historical context is also the reason and point why the
inspector is in the play
 He uses the inspector as his mouthpiece and as a socialist character to prove
the capitalist's wrong and teach the audience a lesson through the inspector's
'leaving' speech, Eva's suicide and the Birling's consequences.

Eva Smith/Daisy
Renton
 We never meet Eva Smith during the course of the play, but she is a very important
character. It is her death that is the cause of the Inspector’s investigation which in turn
drives the drama.
 The audience learns about Eva through the Inspector, who has read a letter and a
diary she kept. They also learn about her through the characters she came into contact
with. A lot of the information about her is inferred - from the incident at Mr. Birling’s factory
we can infer that she was strong willed. From her interaction with Sheila the audience can
see that Eva had a sense of humor. Her relationship with Gerald, when she changed her
name to Daisy Renton, reveals her sensitivity. By the time she reaches Eric and Sybil,
Eva is desperate and resourceful in trying to get herself help.
 Eva is always referred to in a positive light by the characters that met her but the
Inspector never lets the audience or the Birlings and Gerald forget her gruesome death.
The Inspector's final speech reveals Priestley's lesson that there are millions of Eva
Smiths being exploited and this must not continue.

Themes
The four main themes:
social responsibility
age
gender
class

 The consequences of the Birlings' actions highlight
Priestley’s ideas on social responsibility - do we look after
one another in society?
 The difference between the younger and older characters'
reactions to Eva Smith's death shows how Priestley
viewed different generations . He viewed the younger
generation as hope for the future and this is why both
Sheila and Eric learn a lesson from the Inspector.
 How the male characters behave towards the females in
the play highlights important points on gender and
inequality.
 Class issues are also dealt with by having a middle-class
family involved in the death of a working-class girl.
 J B Priestley explored these themes in a lot of his work.
They are political in nature and are still relevant today.

Social
responsibility
 An Inspector Calls was first performed in the UK just after the end of
World War Two, in 1946. It was a time of great change in Britain and
many writers were concerned with the welfare of the poor. At that
time there was no assistance for people who could not afford to look
after themselves. Priestley wanted to address this issue. He also felt
that if people were more considerate of one another, it would
improve quality of life for all. This is why social responsibility is a key
theme of the play. Priestley wanted his audience to be responsible
for their own behaviour and responsible for the welfare of others.
 How is the theme of social responsibility shown in the play?
 In An Inspector Calls, Priestley explores social responsibility
through:
 the treatment of Eva Smith
 how each character does or doesn’t take responsibility for their
behaviour
 the Inspector's lessons

How does Priestley
show this?
Evidence Analysis
Sheila feels socially
responsible
Sheila is shocked
when she learns
that she had a part
to play in Eva’s
death.
"All right Gerald,
you needn't look at
me like that. At
least I'm trying to
tell the truth. I
expect you’ve done
things you’re
ashamed of too."
Sheila takes
responsibility for
her actions and
tells the truth.
Gerald is being
judgemental of her
even though he has
not yet taken
responsibility for
his own actions.
Mr Birling does not
feel socially
responsible
Mr Birling refuses to
take any
responsibility for
Eva Smith’s death.
"If we were all
responsible for
everything that
happened to
everybody we'd had
anything to do
with, it would be
very awkward,
wouldn't it?"
Mr Birling dismisses
the idea that we
should be
responsible for
each other,
suggesting that
such a situation
would be 'awkward'.

Eric feels socially
responsible
Eric shows that he takes
responsibility for his
actions in the final act of
the play.
"I don't see much
nonsense about it when a
girl goes and kills herself.
You lot may be letting
yourselves out nicely, but
I can't. Nor can mother.
We did her in all right."
Eric clearly shows that he
has a sense of social
responsibility. Whilst
Gerald and Eric's parents
are enjoying being in the
clear, Eric still takes the
matter of Eva's death
very seriously. He is even
brave enough to tell his
mother that she should
feel responsible too.
Mrs Birling does not feel
socially responsible
Sybil Birling will not take
any responsibility for the
death of Eva Smith even
after she has been
questioned by the
Inspector.
"I should think not. Eric,
I'm absolutely ashamed of
you."
In telling Eric that she is
ashamed of him she shows
that she has learned
nothing from the
Inspector’s investigation.
The audience would know
that she is in no position
to be questioning the
behaviour of anyone else
given her own treatment
of Eva Smith and lack of
social responsibility.

The
Inspector's
lessons
When the
Inspector is
questioning
the Birlings.
"It's better to
ask for the
earth than to
take it."
Here the
Inspector is
suggesting
that it is
socially
irresponsible
to be greedy
and 'take'
things
without
permission.
This is a
practice the
privileged
Birlings
would be
used to.

Age
 Age is an important theme in An
Inspector Calls. Priestley uses it to
show how he believed that there was
hope in the younger generation's ability
to learn and change.
 The older characters' opinions and
behaviors are stubbornly fixed. Mr. Birling
refuses to learn and Mrs. Birling cannot
see the obvious about herself and her
children. Eric and Sheila however are
younger - they accept their mistakes and
offer the chance for a brighter future.

How does Priestley explore the theme of social
responsibility in An Inspector Calls?
Eva Smith dies because no one takes responsibility for their actions against her.
Sheila and Eric develop a sense of social responsibility during the course of the
play.
Mr and Mrs Birling do not develop any sense of responsibility and are made to
look even more foolish at the end of the play.
The Inspector teaches a number of lessons about how we should be
responsible for each other.
Priestley uses the events of the play to suggest that if we do not take
responsibility for each other the world will become a terrible place.

How is the theme of
age shown in the
play?
 In An Inspector Calls, Priestley explores
the theme of age through:
 Sheila and Eric's response to Eva's death
 Mr. and Mrs. Birling's response to Eva's
death
 how the older characters perceive the
younger ones
 Priestly hopes younger generation are
to be more open to society and caring
(socialism) to make the world better

How does Priestley show
this?
Evidence Analysis
Sheila and Eric
Eric stands up to his parents
when it becomes clear that
they will not take
responsibility.
"You’re beginning to pretend
now that nothing’s really
happened at all."
Eric sees that his parents
are trying to 'pretend' that
nothing happened when it is
suggested that the Inspector
was not real. He and Sheila,
the younger characters, still
feel responsible.
Mr and Mrs Birling
Mrs Birling explains her
decision to turn away Eva
when she came to her for
help.
"So I was perfectly justified
in advising my committee
not to allow her claim for
assistance."
Despite hearing about all
the misfortune that Eva
Smith has suffered, Mrs
Birling is unmoved and
stubbornly stands by her
decision to turn Eva away.
Older Vs younger
Mr Birling turns on his son
Eric and nearly attacks him
physically.
"Why, you hysterical young
fool - get back - or I'll -"
Mr Birling implies here that
Eric is a 'fool' because he is
young. Ironically, it is the
older Arthur who nearly
resorts to physical violence.

How are the
younger Birling’s,
Sheila and Eric,
different to their
parents in An
Inspector Calls?
 Mr and Mrs Birling are both unrepentant about
their involvement in Eva's death.
 Sheila and Eric develop a sense of social
responsibility during the course of the play.
 Sheila and Eric are ashamed about their
involvement in the death and are desperate to
make amends.
 When Gerald suggests that the Inspector was
not real, Mr and Mrs Birling are over the moon
that they could be 'off the hook'. However, Sheila
and Eric are convinced that even if the Inspector
was not real and a girl didn’t die, they still
behaved badly and should change their ways.
 The older characters are painted in a more
negative light and they don't learn from their
mistakes. The younger characters admit they were
wrong and try to make things better.

Gender
During World War Two women had a more prominent role in the work
place
An Inspector Calls was written after World War Two. As many British
men went away to fight during the war, their positions in work had to
be filled by women. This helped change existing perceptions. Men had
to acknowledge the fact that women were just as capable as them. As
a result of this, many women enjoyed a newfound freedom that
working and earning money allowed them.
Not all men saw this change in attitude as a good thing and stayed
stuck in the past. Priestley explores the impact of these new gender
roles through the independence of Eva Smith and the sexist attitudes
of Mr Birling.

How is the theme of gender shown in the
play?
In An Inspector Calls Priestley explores the
theme of gender through:
how Mr Birling and Gerald Croft view women
how Mrs Birling treats Eva Smith
how Eva Smith is portrayed as independent
and outspoken before her death

this?
Evidence Analysis
How Mr Birling refers to
women
When Mr Birling is telling
Eric and Gerald about
women's attitudes towards
the clothes they wear.
"...not only something to
make 'em look prettier - but
- well, a sort of sign or
token of their self-respect."
Mr Birling shows that he has
a patronising view of
women, making the
suggestion that clothes are a
sign of self-respect for
them. He has a stereotypical
view of women here and
does not see them as
individuals but suggests that
all women think in the same
way.
How Gerald refers to women
Gerald makes sexist and
superficial comments about
the women in the bar he
visits.
"I hate those hard-eyed
dough-faced women."
Gerald shows that he can be
very superficial in his view
of women. If they don’t
meet his standard of how
they 'should' look, he
dislikes them.

How Mrs Birling treats Eva
Smith
When Mrs Birling suggests
that Eva is incapable of
having feelings.
"She was claiming
elaborate fine feelings and
scruples that were simply
absurd in a girl in her
position."
Priestley shows that even
women like Mrs Birling can
be just as cruel and old
fashioned as the men are.
She does not try to
empathise with a member
of her own gender. This
also highlights her
negative attitude towards
the working class

How does Priestley explore
ideas about gender in An
Inspector Calls?
A
•Eva Smith is a modern woman - she is independent and fights for
her own rights and those of others.
•Mr. Birling is very patronising about women, claiming that they
couldn’t organise a proper strike and makes sweeping statements
about how they love clothes.
•Mrs. Birling fulfils old-fashioned female roles. She thinks that
women should support their husbands and not speak against them.
She also turns against Eva Smith because she is going to be a single
mother.
•Priestley would have hoped that by the end of the play the audience
have questioned their views of stereotypical gender roles.

Class
Priestley highlighted the inequality between upper,
middle and working- classes.
Before World War Two, Britain was divided by class. Two
such classes were the wealthy land and factory owners
and the poor workers. The war helped bring these two
classes closer together and rationing meant that people
of all classes were eating and even dressing the same.
The war effort also meant that people from all classes
were mixing together. This was certainly not the case
before.
Priestley wanted to highlight that inequality between
the classes still existed and that the upper-classes
looked down upon the working-class in post-war
Britain.

How is Class shown in the
play?
In An Inspector Calls, Priestley explores the theme of
class through the treatment of working-class Eva Smith by
the wealthy Birlings and Gerald Croft when she is in the
following situations:
•when she is a factory worker
•when she works in a shop
•when she is effectively homeless
•when she is potentially a single mother

this?
Evidence Analysis
Mr Birling's opinion of the
working class.
When Mr Birling discusses
how he sacked Eva Smith
after she had gone on
strike.
"If you don’t come down
sharply on some of these
people, they’d soon be
asking for the earth."
Mr Birling feels that it is his
responsibility to come down
'sharply' on 'these people'.
Priestley wanted the
audience to realise that this
is the wrong attitude to
have, we should be looking
after 'these people' not
punishing them.
The behaviour of the
Birlings' friends.
When Gerald tells the
Birlings about the behaviour
of Joe Meggarty.
"He's a notorious womaniser
as well as being one of the
worst sots and rogues in
Brumley."
Joe Meggarty is an
'Alderman' or a council
member. The rest of the
family is shocked to hear
that he is a 'sot' (another
word for a drunk), and a
womaniser. Much to the
Birlings' surprise, their
upper-class friends can
behave badly.

Mrs Birling’s
opinion of the
working class
When Mrs Birling
is discussing the
moment when
Eva approached
her charity.
"As if a girl of that
sort would ever
refuse money!"
Mrs Birling refers
to Eva Smith as a
'girl of that sort'.
She clearly has
preconceptions
about working-
class girls
suggesting that
they lack morals
and will always
take money.
How does Priestley use Eva Smith to explore ideas about
class?
•As a factory worker Eva asks for higher wages and is
sacked by Mr Birling.
•When Eva works as a shop assistant she is sacked
following an unnecessary complaint from Sheila.
•Gerald looks after her when she has nowhere to stay, but
dumps her when he no longer wants her.
Overall, working-class Eva is treated very badly by the
wealthy middle and upper-classes. Priestley wanted the
audience to see the injustice in this.

Use of Form
The form is the type of text and genre that the writer chooses to
write in. An Inspector Calls is written in the form of a play and so
it is meant to be heard and seen in performance. There are stage
directions to help guide actors and it is written in lines of
dialogue. All productions of An Inspector Calls will be different,
some might focus on a particular theme or could use staging in
different ways which will give the performance a slightly different
feel.
An Inspector Calls fits into three possible genres:
well-made play
morality play
crime thriller

Well-made play
 A well-made play is a popular dramatic genre from the 19th-century. In a well-made play the
plot is intricate and complex and the action builds to a climax. This is often concerned with
events that happened before the events of the play. A well-made play usually ends with a return
to order but Priestley moves away from this genre with the revelation at the end.
 An Inspector Calls is a well-made play because the events are all influenced by what
happened to Eva Smith before the play takes place
 What is the effect of this?
 This structure allows J B Priestley to manipulate the audience. They do not know what
happened to Eva Smith and so each revelation about her treatment by the Birlings and Gerald
Croft adds to the drama. Each revelation is more shocking than the last and so Priestley cleverly
builds to the climax. In An Inspector Calls there is a twist at the end of the plot - the characters
are unsure if the Inspector existed at all. This gives the audience time to reflect on the events of
the play. When it is revealed that another inspector is on their way and the curtain falls, the
audience would be stunned.

Morality play
 Morality plays were popular during the 15th and 16th-centuries. Historically they sought to
teach the audience lessons that focused on the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth,
wrath, envy and pride. Whilst characters who committed these sins were punished, morality
plays showed that if a character repented then they could redeem themselves.
 An Inspector Calls is a morality play because all of the Birlings and Gerald Croft commit crimes
which are similar to the seven deadly sins. Mr Birling is greedy because he wants more money,
Sheila is guilty of wrath and envy when she spitefully complains about Eva Smith and so on.
Not all of the characters manage to redeem themselves.
 What is the effect of this?
 Priestley uses the morality play structure to teach a 20th-century audience a series of lessons
that relate to his beliefs about social responsibility, age, gender and class. The audience is
invited to enjoy judging these characters - they are also forced to question their own behaviour.
Priestley would have hoped that people watching the play would have left the theatre as better
people.

Crime
Thriller
A crime thriller is a genre that tells a gripping tale based around a crime. The
audience receives clues on who has committed the crime and will enjoy trying
to guess what happened before the end of the action.
An Inspector Calls is a crime thriller because the action centres around the
suicide of Eva Smith. Initially, as this is a suicide and not a murder
investigation, it would seem that there is no clear suspect. It soon turns out
that all the characters are potential suspects for different reasons.
What is the effect of this?
The crime thriller genre encourages the audience to become involved in the
events of the play. In this case they would be considering who is 'more' to
blame for the death of Eva Smith. Ultimately, Priestley makes the audience
suspects, their behaviour is questioned and they are left wondering if they had
committed any 'crimes' like the Birlings had.

How to
analyse
form
To analyse
the form of
An Inspector
Calls you
should:
remember
that An
Inspector
Calls is a
play and so
it is meant
to be seen
in
performance
consider
how the
events that
happened
before the
action on
stage keep
the
audience
guessing
as it is a
morality
play, think
about how
the
audience
judges the
characters
and
themselves
remember
that the
audience
would be
trying to
work out if
any one
person was
to blame for
Eva Smith's
death

JB Priestly: An Inspector Calls

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JB Priestly: An Inspector Calls