INSPECTOR CALLS

• “we are responsible for each other“ The inspector acts as priestlys mouthpiece to advocate the ideology of social responsibility
• ”a man has to mind his own business, look after himself and his own” birling embodies the selfish mindset of the capitalists that priestly was keen to criticise
• “i’ll never do it again. i’m desperately sorry“ sheila is apologetic and accepts full responsibility for her roll in evas demise
• “public men mr birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges” priestly believed the wealthy had a duty to support the needs of the poor and vulnerable in society
• “you’re beginning to pretend now that nothing really happened at all“ emotionally affected by eva’s death, Eric is frustrated with his parents refusal to accept their responsibility
• priestly was a socialist who believed that the rich had a duty and responsibility to care for the poor in society
• Capitalism


  Economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit
• Mr Birling is a money driven capitalist who takes no responsibility for his actions
• Mr Birling is a stereotypical capitalist. Even in the stage directions, his wealth is shown through his "pomposity", fatness was a luxury and showed disposable income
• Through dramatic irony, the political view of the wealthy Germans is that they don't have responsibility for the consequences of their actions


  This worked well for their own wellbeing
• Rubbish! If you don't came down sharply on some of these people, they'd soon be asking for the earth: 'Mr Birling cares only about his reputation and business'
• Even after the Inspector's visit, Mr. Birling values his business over his family's emotions, despite Eric's distress of the suicide of Eva and the death of his unborn child, Mr. Birling offers no sympathy, ordering him to work for nothing until the money he stole is repaid
• Instead of apologizing for his treatment of Eva, Mr. Birling tries to bribe the inspector "I'd give a thousand-yer a thousand" His actions show his ignorance, selfishness and hypocrisy as he has no spare for a babe, but wants his workers a fair wage
• Mr. Birling clearly doesn't approve or agree with the concept of socialism. The noun "cranky" shows he disrespect for the inspector and has ideology, the plosive sounds suggest his anger at being interrogated so thoroughly and potentially fooled
• Priestly uses Birling to criticise the selfish attitudes of the era
• Sheila

  • She shows women can be as capable and independent as men
  • She questions the superficial and sexist attitudes of Gerald
• Sheila's clothes mean something quite different to a woman he is objectifying
• Eric's misogynistic and shallow attitude is revealed when he admits the affair with Eva was just a "game"
• Mrs Birling doesn't have a job but volunteers for charity
• In the play, women are portrayed as being delicate, Sheila is protected from the suicide by the men
• When Gerald assumes the engagement can now recommence

  Sheila questions Gerald's involvement with Eva during their relationship
• Priestly wanted to highlight the inequality between the classes. The upper classes looked down on the poor in post-war Britain
• Mrs Birling snobbishly assumes Eva is a bad "sort" because she is a girl and unmarried
• Sheila gains socialist sympathies towards the needs of the lower class
• Priestly is criticising the upper class because they see the working class as cheap labour
• Priestly uses the play to reveal the unfair class system
• The older generation are stubborn obstacles to change, while the younger generations represent hope for a better Britain
• At the end of the play, Sheila shows maturity when she calls her father by the childish term, 'daddy'
• Mrs Birling is ignorant and patronisingly ignorant to the fact that Eric is a young adult
• Birling sarcastically dismisses the moral concerns of his children and mocks the inability of his children to see the joke
• Priestly uses age in the play to show how he believed the younger generations would change society
• Sheila

  • At the start of the play she is described as a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with her life
  • She quickly realises Gerald has something to do with the chain of events
  • She understands the Inspector's little game immediately
  • She matures during the play, this whole suicide story has completely changed her
• Eric


  • At the start of the play he has too much to drink
  • He accepts his guilt and criticises his father's treatment of Eva Smith
  • He tells Mr Birling "why shouldn't they try for higher wages?"
  • At the end he becomes aware of his responsibilities, realising he has played a part in Eva Smith's death
• Mr Birling

  • He is a capitalist who values business above all else
  • He makes his views clear in the early speeches in Act 1 and these do not change
  • He symbolises the selfishness and arrogance of capitalists in Edwardian society
  • By the end of the play he has not changed, he is delighted when he discovers the inspector is fake
• Mrs Birling

  • She is a capitalist and a snob
  • She sees the working class as morally inferior
  • By the end of the play she seems the most resistant to the Inspector's message
• The Inspector

  • He is an imposing figure who dominates the play and will achieve his aims
  • He wants to do things his way and likes to do it in an orderly manner
  • His leaving speech is an impassioned speech about social justice
  • He could be the voice of Priestly or God
• Gerald

  • At the start he echoes Mr Birling's opinions, especially on business matters
  • By the end of the play he seems to have changed very little, his last action is to suggest to Sheila that they should remain engaged