Summary
Summary An Inspector calls revision pack: themes, characters, context, quotes
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List of main themes and characters, full context of play, 10 + quotes per character Annotated Mr Birling quotes
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An Inspector callsThemes:
An equal society/class
Social Responsibility
Love
Age
Capitalism vs Socialism
Exploitation
Gender
Generations Young Vs Old
Wealth and Materialism
Guilt
Hypocrisy
Main Characters:
Inspector Goole
Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton
Mr Arthur Birling
Mrs Sybil Birling
Sheila Birling
Eric Birling
Gerald Croft
Edna
Context:
An Inspector calls was written by J.B Priestley in 1944, ,and is based in 1912.
Priestley was a socialist, and was very concerned over the consequences of the large
social inequality in Britain. He uses the play to convey his ideas over social responsibility
from a socialist perspective, and to shine a bad light on capitalism, and it’s
consequences.
In 1912 ( the Edwardian era), social classes and hierarchy played a big part in the function
of society. The richest, called the upper class, were at the top of this hierarchy, and often
looked down on the poorest and the working class. Priestley paints Mr and Mrs Birling as
power obsessed industrialist, to present them in a foolish and immoral manner to his
1945 audience.
Another main idea through the play is workers rights, and the misuse of power by bosses.
In 1912, workers had little rights, were treated badly, paid poorly and had no support
from the rich or the government. On the other hand, the bosses gain lots of money and
income from the exploitation of their workers, as seen in the Birling family. Eva’s
treatment by the work industry shows the audience how important workers rights and
protection is.
, The discrimination of the poor was continued in institutions such as charities, where
the poor would go and ask for help at the mercy of the rich, which made the poor
seem like inhumane creatures begging for handouts, and therefore gathering much
public dislike.
In AIC, Eva goes to Mrs Birlings charity as a last resort, only to be turned away due
to Mrs Birlings unfair bias towards the lower class and poor.
During the Edwardian era, women had very little rights, and were subservient to men. The
rich and middle class women were expected to get married, and the poor were used as
cheap labour, and often had no choice but to turn to prostitution as they had very little
options for income to survive. In the play, both Sheila and Mrs Birling are treated as
fragile characters, who can’t withstand such shock that comes from the harsh realities of
the world. On the other hand, Eva was used as a prostitute by Eric and objectified by
Gerald and Alderman Meggarty.
In 1912, the suffragette movement had just begun, and Sheila, who goes against the
male oppression surrounding her, acts as a beacon of hope for future gender equality.
The play is set just before the start of World War One, and Mr Birling arrogantly talks of
how no bad will happen and everyone was worried over nothing. When the play was first
played, after World War Two and in the midst of the Great Depression , people saw Mr
Birlings views as foolish, as the 1945 audience had not only experienced two wars, but
also social unrest, strikes and the widening gap between the rich and poor.
In the Inspectors final monologue, he warns the Birlings of what will happen if they do
not change their ways, and a 1945 audience knew that the Inspector was correct.
Priestley was greatly interested in time, and AIC is one of his ‘time plays’ as it follows the
idea that time will continue to repeat itself until individuals learn to change their ways.
This is seen in the cyclical structure of the play, but also in the idea that the inspector is
from the future or a place outside of time, to offer the Birlings a chance to change.
AIC quotes:
Mr Birling:
‘A man has to make his own way- has to look after his business- and his family too.’
Priestly uses Birling here to highlight selfish, capitalist views. Even before the
inspector arrives, we can see his arrogant, overly-confident attitude, that needed no
prompting to be shown.
‘I can’t accept any responsibility.’
Here, Birling shows upper-class pre war attitudes of denial, as he is refusing to
acknowledge the consequences that his actions have had on the lower class, and he is
implying that Eva’s misfortune was her own fault, not his. He also argues that his
involvement was so small and unimportant that it could not have led to her death,
however he started the chain of events that led to her death, making him as guilty as
everyone else.
‘Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.’
Priestley uses dramatic irony here, right at the start of the play to make the first
impressions of Mr Birling foolish and arrogant. Some could argue here that there is a
sense of foreshadowing here, as Mr Birling doesn’t think that the titanic, or capitalism
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