Story overview

• The play is written by J.B Priestley and set into three acts
• It is a play that revolves around the apparent suicide of a girl named Eva Smith
• The Birling Family are completely unsuspecting when they are visited by the mysterious Inspector Goole
• The Inspector arrives just as the family are celebrating their daughter's engagement to Gerald Croft
• After the inspector reveals that a girl has died by drinking disinfectant, the family are horrified and initially confused at why the inspector has come to visit them first
• A tense investigation follows where the inspector reveals that each member of the play had a part in the death of Eva Smith
• Mr Birling fired Eva from his factory after she and some other workers asked for a pay rise
• Sheila Birling caused the girl to be fired from Milward's after claiming that Eva laughed whilst she was trying on dresses
• The inspector forces Gerald to confess to the affair he had with Eva and this causes Sheila to refuse the engagement ring that had been given to her
• It is revealed the Sybil Birling refused to help pregnant Eva, when she can to the charity for assistance
• We find out that Eric 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.