An Inspector calls Flashcards
Description of act 1
Family starts in a warm happy dinner and an unexpected visitor arrives. looking for a girl called Eva smith after much questioning it is found that Mr Birling and Sheila voth caused he to lose her jobs
Mr Birling introductory monologuing
“don’t get the police court involved or start a scandal”- foreshadowing
“I dont want lecture you two young fellows”- sets up divide
“Bees in a hive”- the same- represents capitalism
“community and all that nonsense”
“Hard headed practical business man”
Inspector first impression
he contrasts the originally “pink and intimate lighting”
Uses emotive language “Burnt her inside out of course”
Takes charge quickly “[Cutting through massively]”
Mr Birling being accused
“[somewhat impatiently]” refuses to take any blame for what occurred
“can’t take responsibility”
“[surprised] Did you say ‘Why?’?”
“She’d had a lot to say- far too much- so she had to go”
“they’d soon be asking for the earth”
Sheila first impression
Naive- “What’s this about the streets”
superficial- “pretty?”
selfish “destroying herself so horribly- and I’ve been so happy tonight”
Took out her anger on shop assistant and threatened she’d “never go near the place again”
Sheila character growth
Once Sheila realises her error she tries to emulate the example set by the inspector:
-“we cant leave it at that”
-“allow me Miss Birling”- Inspector understands her better
“I don’t dislike you as I did half an hour ago”
Gerald foreshadowing
“except for all last summer when you never came near me”
reacts to the name Daisy Renton “[startled] What?”
“It’s bound to be unpleasant and disturbing”
signs Gerald genuinely cared for Daisy
“soft brown hair and big dark eyes”
he is “[distressed” when realising “that she’s dead”
“she gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help”
“I didn’t ask for anything in return”
“It wasn’t disgusting”
signs Gerald was only selfish with Daisy
“nearly any man would have done”
“So I broke it off definitely” - when it no longer conveniences him
“she lived very economically on what I allowed her”
Mrs Birling lacking social responsibility
” simply a piece of gross impertinence”
“she only had herself to blame”
“ look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility”
“as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money
Eric clashing with the older Birlings
“You haven’t made it any easier for me, have you mother”
“Because you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble”
B- “you’ve been spoilt”
“Then- you killed her… damn you, damn you”
“You’re the one blame for this”
Inspector key guidance moments
“[cutting through massively]”
“I think you remember Eva Smith now, don’t you Mr Birling”
Ask “why” he refused to raise salary
“Yes, but you can’t. It’s too late. She’s dead$
Main points of conflict for Sheila
- Sheila being treated as a child and not being respected- “please don’t contradict me like that”
Conflict Eric
- Eric constantly having B berate him- “you’ve been spoilt”
coflict MrB
- Mr Birling with the inspector& socialism “its better to ask for the earth than to take it”
conflict Mrs B
- Mrs Birling being so focused on appearances “you’re not supposed to say such things”
disparity between the birlings
- young socialism vs adult capitalism
Social class for each MrB
- Mr Birling likes to be respected for earning his social class and wants to maintain it “a man has to make his own wealth”
social class Mrs b
- Mrs Birling was born rich and wants to keep faces “[after a pause, recovering hersel] If necessary I shall be glad to answer any questions the inspector wishes to ask me”
social class sheila
- Sheila originally has been spoilt by parents and abuses her wealth getting Eva fired because she was “in a furious temper”
social class gerald
- Gerald can share more capitalist views being born into wealth responding when Mr Birling says he had to fire Eva with “You couldn’t have done anything else”
social class Eric
- Eric uses father’s status for selfish reasons but doesn’t have any long term plan in maintaining it
Older Birlings demonstrating how they’re stuck in heir old ways
younger Birlings showing Priestly’s ideologies and hopes for the future
