An inspector calls

• EVA SMITH/DAISY RENTON'S ROLE IN THE PLAY


  • Exam focus on writing about Eva Smith
• THE INSPECTOR


  • Presents himself to the Birlings and Gerald as an inspector who has come to investigate the suicide of a young woman, Eva Smith
  • Interrupts the celebratory dinner
  • Interrogates each of the other characters in turn
  • Establishes that each had an unwitting part in Eva Smith's death
  • Gradually takes more control of the situation
  • Has little regard for the characters' social class or status
  • Makes a powerful speech about our responsibility to each other
  • Is concerned about honesty and justice for the wider society
• THE INSPECTOR'S IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY AS A WHOLE

  • Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to present his ideas
  • As the Inspector increasingly governs events at the Birling house, he reveals the need for a just society and a communal sense of responsibility
  • The Inspector links all the characters to the chain of events that culminate in Eva Smith's suicide
• EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT THE INSPECTOR

  • The inspector is an imposing figure who will dominate the play and will achieve his aims
  • He likes to do things in an orderly way, allowing Priestley to build the play as a 'chain of events'
  • The inspector has high moral standards, revealing that the other characters have not
  • The inspector's distinctive and mysterious presence sets him apart from the other characters
• The name 'Goole' is a homophone for 'ghoul', suggesting a phantom and also a morbid interest in death, reminding us that his concern is Eva Smith's death
• The Inspector's origins are unknown. Gerald discovers from a police sergeant that there is no Inspector Goole on the force, and this is confirmed by Mr Birling when he rings Chief Constable Colonel Roberts. The audience is therefore bound to ask themselves: who or what is Inspector Goole?
• MR BIRLING


  • A wealthy but self-made man who owns a factory in Brumley
  • Has been the city's lord mayor and a magistrate
  • Hosts a celebratory dinner for Sheila's engagement to Gerald
  • Is keen for the Birlings and Crofts to unite in business as well as marriage
  • Is keen to receive a knighthood
  • Says that a man's responsibility is only to himself and his family, not to the wider community
  • Reveals that he dismissed Eva Smith from her job at his factory years previously
  • Tries to take control when the Inspector arrives, but fails
  • Fears scandal and tries to protect himself and his family from involvement with Eva Smith
  • Takes the final telephone call at the end of the play
• MR BIRLING'S IMPORTANCE TO THE PLAY AS A WHOLE

  • Arthur Birling believes that the individual has responsibilities only to himself and his family, and in business his aim is to make a profit, even at the expense of his workers
  • Although he has gained public office as a mayor and an alderman, he does not feel a responsibility to give anything back to the community
  • His views are the opposite of Inspector Goole's
• EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT MR BIRLING

  • Mr Birling's size helps to give him a threatening appearance
  • He doesn't let sentiment get in the way of whatever needs to be done to succeed
  • Suggests he has a high opinion of his own importance
  • He expects others to acknowledge his importance and show respect
• MRS BIRLING


  • A prominent member of the Brumley Women's Charity Organization
  • Commends Gerald's timing after he presents Sheila with an engagement ring
  • Adopts a superior tone with the Inspector
  • Is disgusted when she learns that Daisy Renton was Gerald's mistress, but forgets about it when she thinks a scandal has been avoided
  • Uses her influence to prevent the pregnant Eva Smith from receiving help from the charity
  • Thinks Eva Smith and the father of the unborn child are to blame for Eva Smith's death, before she realises that Eric is the father
  • Claims she was the only one who stood up to the Inspector's questioning
• EXAM FOCUS: WRITING ABOUT MRS BIRLING

  • Mrs Birling regards most people as beneath her and expects the Inspector to treat her with respect
  • She is used to being listened to and having her opinions accepted as right
  • She is prudish, unforgiving and intolerant of people's mistakes
  • She is able to influence the decisions the charity organisation makes
• Mrs Birling


  • Regards most people as beneath her and expects the Inspector to treat her with respect
  • Is used to being listened to and having her opinions accepted as right
  • Is prudish, unforgiving and intolerant of people's mistakes
  • Is able to influence the decisions the charity organisation makes
• Eric Birling


  • Is treated as an irresponsible child by his father
  • Doesn't discuss his problems or private life with his mother
  • Shows immaturity
• Eric's change is not as profound as Sheila's, but he is greatly affected by the Inspector's words. He is troubled by Eva Smith's suicide and the death of his unborn child, and recognises his guilt. However, he has an attitude to the theft from his father's firm and is unhappy with his parents.
• Sheila Birling


  • Feels shock at the death of a young woman, revealing that she can't imagine someone not having a lot to live for
  • Although bitter, her curiosity needs to be satisfied and she is strong enough to hear the full story
  • Is strong enough to accept responsibility for what she has done and to feel regret
  • Believes that it doesn't matter whether the Inspector is a real police officer or not, she is only concerned that they all harmed someone
• Sheila changes the most of all the characters. She is greatly troubled when she realises that her petty jealousy at Milwards meant such hardship for Eva Smith. She respects Gerald's honesty about his affair, but also has the courage to break off her engagement to him. Most importantly, she is the most affected by the Inspector's words, and supports the need for social justice.
• Mr Arthur Birling Key quotes:

  • “Heavy looking, rather portentous man”
  • “A hard-headed practical man of business”
  • “Just a knighthood, of course.”
  • “A man has to mind his own business and look after himself....”
  • “Look - there’s nothing mysterious – or scandalous – about this business...”
• Mrs Sybil Birling Key quotes:

  • “Rather cold woman... her husband’s social superior.”
  • “Please don’t contradict me like that”
  • “It’s disgusting to me.”
  • “Unlike the other three, I did nothing I’m ashamed of or that won’t bear investigation.”
  • “He didn’t make me confess – as you call it.”
• • Miss Sheila Birling Key quotes:
  • “But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people”
  • “I had her turned out of a job”
  • “At least I’m trying to tell the truth. I expect you’ve done things you’re ashamed of.”
  • “Why – you fool – he knows!”
  • “The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything.”
• Master Eric Birling Key quotes:

  • “Not quite at ease half shy, half assertive.”
  • “I wasn’t in love with her or anything – but I liked her – she was pretty and a good sport. ”
  • “In a way, she treated me – as if I were a kid”
  • “You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.”
  • “You’re beginning to pretend that nothing’s really happened at all. And I can’t see it like that.”
• Mr Gerald Croft Key Quotes:

  • “Easy, well-bred young man-about-town.”
  • “You seem to be a nice well-behaved family”
  • “You’re just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted.”
  • “The hero... the wonderful Fairy prince.”
  • “I’m rather more upset – by this business than I probably appear to be."
• Miss Eva Smith Key Quotes:

  • “A lively good-looking girl – country bred... and a good worker too.”
  • “She had a lot to say – far too much – so she had to go.”
  • “She was very pretty and looked as if she could take care of herself.”
  • “Now she had to try something else.”
  • She went away “to be alone, to be quiet, to remember all that had
  • happened.”
• Inspector Goole Key quotes:

  • “Massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.”
  • “But after all it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.”
  • “It’s my duty to ask questions.”
  • “A nice promising life there, I thought, and a nasty mess somebody’s made of it.”
  • “You see, we have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt.”
  • “One Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us.”
  • “Fire and blood and anguish”
• Priestly


  Presents the audience with a powerful social and political message
• Inspector


  Priestly's mouthpiece who highlights the inequalities
• The comfortable life of the middle class Birlings


  Compared with the lives of their working class employees
• The inspector highlights the inequalities and injustices


  1. Makes his point more forcefully as the play progresses

  2. In his final monologue he says that if injustice is allowed it will lead to dreadful consequences to "Fire, blood and anguish"
• Sheila and Eric


  Affected by the Inspector's words and are fearful of what the future will bring if society doesn't change
• Priestly says that hope for a more just society lies with the younger generation
• Theme 2: Responsibility

  • The theme of responsibility is closely related to the theme of equality and occurs in different ways throughout the play.
  • Mr Birling feels his responsibility is to make as large profit as he can from his business, whether or not this means treating his workers unfairly.
  • Mrs Birling has responsibilities as a chair of Brumley Women's Charity organization, but believes that help should only be given to those who deserve it.
• Theme 2 Responsibility:

  • Sheila realises too late that her social standing as a valued 'Milwards customer' brings responsibilities with it too.
  • Eric has little sense of responsibility at all, until he is moved by the Inspector's words.
  • Gerald showed some responsibility by helping Daisy renton escape from the palace theatre bar. He provided for her to a limited extent, but he also disregarded his responsibilities to Sheila.
• Theme 2: Responsibility

  The main focus of responsibility in the play is that witch the Birlings and Gerald had to Eva Smith, and how their failure to take responsibility decided her fate:

  • Mr Birling dismissed her from his factory
  • Sheila had her dismissed for Milwards
  • Eric and Gerald took advantage of her vulnerability
  • Mrs Birling Refused to help her when she needed it most