An Inspector Calls

A detailed Summary of An Inspector Calls

"But each of you helped to kill her." Do you agree with the Inspector's words or do you think some of the characters are more responsible for Eva's suicide than others? Discuss.

The play "An Inspector Calls" was written in 1945 within a week of World War Two ending but set in the year 1912. The author, J B Priestley set the play in a large suburban house. In 1912 there was a big division between the social classes; a poor working girl such as Eva Smith would have a hard life. There was no Welfare State to support those who could not work. This meant that f you could not work then you would starve or went to the workhouse. At the other end of the social scale if you had wealth then you had a relatively easy life.

Mr Birling is a successful factory owner, ex Lord Mayor of Brumley and a local magistrate. He believed he was a fair employer paying only what he had to and no more. "They were averaging neither more or less than is paid generally in our industry." If asked for a raise he would say it was his duty to keep cost low and prices high. "...lower costs and higher prices." Eva Smith an employee was sacked with other colleagues, seen as a ring leader for going on strike. Mr Birling wasn't concerned in what will h

Unlike Eric, Gerald did make Eva genuinely happy for a short time. "...at least had some affection for her and made her happy for a time."

It is quite clear that each member of the family reacts differently to the news that the Inspector brought. Mr and Mrs Birling are only interested in them selves and don't want a scandal to get out. "Look - there's nothing mysterious - about this business - at least not so far as I'm concerned." They seem to be relived when they find out that it seen to have been a hoax. It does not matter to them that a girl has died and they are just as blind to the consequences of "others" actions as before. Gerald hopes that every thing will just go away and make no difference to his life, pick up were he left of. "Everything's all right now, Sheila. What about this ring?"

"I went to the manger at Milwards and I told him to get rid of the girl, I'd never go near the place again and I'd persuade mother to close our account with them."]

Gerald seems to have the clearest head and keep relatively calm in the situation. He shows initiative in telephoning the infirmary to check if a dead girl had been brought in. He suggests that there; may have be more than one girl involved. This is significant as it means that the girl he knew was not dead and could still be alive.

Maybe this was Priestley's message that the future lies with the younger generation who realise that we are responsible not just for our own actions but for each other.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sybil Birling, Gerald Eva, Eva Smith, Arthur Birling, Millwards Eva, Sheila Birling's, Mayor Brumley, Alderman Meggarty's, Birling Gerald, World War, eva's suicide, eva smith, girl died, blind consequences actions, there's mysterious, consequences actions, lower class, blind consequences, social status, treated eva, i'm concerned, business i'm concerned,

Approximate Word count = 1229
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English