an inspector calls characters Flashcards
who is inspector goole?
Inspector Goole is a mysterious figure who investigates Eva Smith’s suicide, exposing the Birling family’s roles in her death and emphasizing social responsibility. His true identity remains unclear.
who is mr birling?
Mr. Birling is a wealthy, self-assured businessman in An Inspector Calls. He is arrogant, dismissive of social responsibility, and believes in individualism and capitalism. He fails to recognize his role in Eva Smith’s death and is focused on his own success and status.
who is sheila?
Sheila Birling is the young, impressionable daughter of the Birling family in An Inspector Calls. Initially, she is shallow and unaware of the consequences of her actions but becomes more self-aware and remorseful as the play progresses, taking responsibility for her role in Eva Smith’s downfall.
who is mrs birling?
Mrs. Birling is a cold, judgmental character in An Inspector Calls. She is socially upper-class, proud of her status, and resistant to accepting responsibility for Eva Smith’s death. She is unsympathetic and blames others, especially Eva, for her misfortune.
who is eric?
Eric Birling is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Birling in An Inspector Calls. He is insecure and troubled, having played a significant role in Eva Smith’s death. Throughout the play, Eric shows guilt and remorse for his actions, contrasting with the denial of responsibility by the rest of his family.
who is gerald croft?
Gerald Croft is Sheila Birling’s fiancé in An Inspector Calls. He comes from an upper-class family and is portrayed as charming and socially aware. Gerald is revealed to have had an affair with Eva Smith, which he tries to downplay. Like the Birlings, he initially denies responsibility for her death but later shows some remorse.
What are Inspector Goole’s various roles in the play?
- dramatic catalyst for guilt/confession, speeds up events through his ‘one line of inquiry at a time’
- moral subconscious
- interrogator
- moral teacher
- voice of JBP
- Goole, ghoul, real?
- omniscient
Mr Birling- arrogant
- He makes long speeches at dinner about things that the audience would know were incorrect. For example, he claims war will never happen and that the Titanic is unsinkable.
- “And I’m talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war. The world’s developing so fast that it’ll make war impossible.”
- Mr Birling is confident that there will not be a war, saying that ‘there isn’t a chance of war’ and then repeating this idea when he considers it ‘impossible’. His arrogance and complacency are made very clear. The audience, knowing that just two years after this speech, World War One will begin, see that Mr Birling is wrong on this point, and on many others, including his prediction that the Titanic is ‘unsinkable’. The audience lose trust in him as a character.
Mr Birling - patronising views about women
- Mr Birling makes some old-fashioned and patronising points about women and how they view clothes and appearance.
- “…clothes mean something quite different to a woman. Not just something to wear - and not only something to make ‘em look prettier.’”
- He shows that he is quite sexist by suggesting that clothes are somehow more important to women than to men. The fact that he thinks clothes ‘make ‘em look prettier’ shows he objectifies women too.
Mr Birling - capitalist
- Mr Birling is a business man whose main concern is making money. This is what is most important to him and he comes across as being greedy.
- “…we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together - for lower costs and higher prices.”
- It is clear here that Mr Birling is driven by money, he is a capitalist. The fact that he sees his daughter’s engagement as a chance to push for ‘lower costs and higher prices’ shows just how greedy he is. He does not consider the impact ‘higher prices’ might have on anyone else, he just wants more money.
Mr Birling - possessive
- On a number of occasions Mr Birling refers to things and people as being ‘his’.
- “Is there any reason why my wife should answer questions from you, Inspector?”
- He emphasises that Sybil is ‘his’ wife suggesting that he sees her as a possession. He does not allow Sybil to talk for herself here.
Mr Birling - social and historical context
When the play was written after World War Two in 1945, there was no form of welfare from the government to help the poor. J B Priestley believed in socialism, the political idea based on common ownership and that we should all look after one another. Mr Birling represents greedy businessmen who only care for themselves. Priestley uses him to show the audience that the Eva Smiths of the world will continue to suffer if people like Birling remain in positions of power.
Mrs Birling - cold
- Mrs Birling is very unsympathetic when describing Eva Smith’s position. Sybil assumes instantly that because Eva is pregnant and single she is a bad person. - “She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position.”
- She assumes that just because Eva is unmarried and pregnant that she is unable to have ‘fine feelings’, a very cruel and cold opinion to have.
Mrs Birling - ignorant
- When the Inspector suggests that Eric is used to drinking, Mrs Birling jumps quickly to Eric’s defence.
- “No, of course not. He’s only a boy.” And later “(staggered) it isn’t true.”
- She shows her ignorance in two ways, first by defending Eric ‘of course not’ when the Inspector suggests that he is used to drinking. Secondly by stating that Eric is only ‘a boy’. He is not a boy but a young man, Sybil refuses to see this. Her shock at this revelation ‘(staggered)’ is further evidence of this.
Mrs Birling - snobbish
- Sybil shows that she is snobbish when she criticises members of her family for their behaviour.
- “What an expression, Sheila! Really, the things you girls pick up these days!”
- Sybil shouts at Sheila for using the word ‘squiffy’ - meaning drunk. Sybil has snobbish opinions that people should speak and behave ‘properly’, not doing so would make her look down upon them.
Mrs Birling - social and historical context
The hardships of wartime challenged the class structure in Britain. Due to rationing of food and clothes, people of all classes were eating and dressing the same. They were also fighting side by side, and so class barriers came down. Sybil Birling, like her husband Arthur, represents a type of middle-class snobbery that existed prior to the World Wars. Priestley hoped that these sorts of attitudes would die out, and uses Mrs Birling to show how they can lead to cold and thoughtless behaviour.
Sheila Birling - naive
- At the opening of the play she appears to be a little immature and easily led. Her behaviour is childish and she very much does what her parents tell her.
- “I’m sorry Daddy actually I was listening.”
- Sheila shows her naivety and lack of maturity in the way she reacts to her father. She is quick to apologise, it is clear that she is keen to behave well. She also refers to her father as ‘Daddy’, a childish term.
Sheila Birling - assertive
- As the play progresses, Sheila’s character develops and she begins to stand up for herself.
- “I tell you - whoever that inspector was, it was anything but a joke.”
- The change in Sheila here is clear. She has become more assertive, using phrases such as ‘I tell you’. The events of the evening have made her aware of the serious impact one’s actions can have.
Sheila Birling - insightful
- At a number of points, Sheila shows that she can see things that the other characters cannot.
- “Yes, of course it is. That’s what I meant when I talked about building up a wall that’s sure to be knocked flat. It makes it all harder to bear.”
- Sheila uses the metaphor of a wall that the Inspector will knock down to show her insightful understanding of his methods. She knows that if they try to keep anything from him, it will make things worse. The other characters don’t realise this as quickly as Sheila does.
Sheila Birling - social and historical context
Sheila, like Eric, allows Priestley to show his opinions on youth. He felt that there was hope in the young people of post-war Britain. He saw them as the ones who would help solve the problems the country had with class, gender and social responsibility. This is seen in how Sheila is deeply affected by Eva’s death, she accepts responsibility straightaway and promises to never behave in such a way again. This is not the case with the older characters, Mr and Mrs Birling and even Gerald do not accept responsibility and we do not get the impression that they will change.
Eric Birling - lacking confidence
- At the start of the play Eric is very unsure of himself. He tries to speak up but is often talked down by his father. His behaviour is awkward and stilted.
- “I don’t know - really. Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh.”
- The stage directions describe Eric as being ‘half shy, half assertive’ and this comes across in his dialogue. He is awkward and unsure of himself. Here he cannot explain his sudden laughter.
Eric Birling - assertive
- Like Sheila he can be assertive as well. Even early on in the play he tries to stand up to his father.
- “No, I mean about this girl - Eva Smith. Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices. And I don’t see why she should have been sacked just because she’d a bit more spirit than the others.”
- At the start of the play, Eric shows that he can be assertive. Here he questions his father’s decision to sack Eva Smith. He backs up his point with a well-reasoned argument. His father quickly shouts him down though.
Eric Birling - emotional
- Eric’s experience with the Inspector causes him great emotional turmoil, unlike some of the other characters.
- “(bursting out) What’s the use of talking about behaving sensibly. You’re beginning to pretend now that nothing’s really happened at all. And I can’t see it like that. This girl’s still dead, isn’t she? Nobody’s brought her to life, have they?”
- Eric suddenly shows how he has been affected emotionally by Eva’s death. He asks the stark question ‘This girl’s still dead, isn’t she?’ He is clearly distressed and understands the gravity of the situation, he can’t understand why the others don’t.
Eric Birling - social and historical context
J B Priestley uses Eric as he does Sheila - to suggest that the young people of a post-war Britain would be the answer to a hopeful future. With Eric he also addresses some concerns he had about the dangers of immoral behaviour. Through Eric, Priestley shows that excessive drinking and casual relationships can have consequences.
Gerald Croft - confident
- At the start of the play he seems very comfortable - making himself at home and behaving like a member of the Birling family he even makes fun of Eric.
- “Sure to be, unless Eric’s been up to something.”
- Mr Birling suggests that he is in line for a knighthood so long as the family have behaved themselves. Gerald confidently makes a joke at Eric’s expense which is full of irony.
Gerald Croft - evasive
- At first, when the truth comes out about his affair with Eva Smith he tries to avoid the subject.
- “All right. I knew her. Let’s leave it at that.”
- This abrupt line of dialogue shows how initially Gerald is very evasive about his involvement with Eva Smith and wants to close down the topic as soon as possible.
Gerald Croft - honest
- Eventually Gerald gains some respect from Sheila and the audience for being honest about his affair.
- “The girl saw me looking at her and then gave me a glance that was nothing less than a cry for help.”
- Gerald honestly tells the story of how he met Eva. He was in the wrong to have an affair and then abandon Eva but, his use of emotive language ‘cry for help’ makes us realise that he genuinely felt sorry for her and wanted to help her.
Gerald Croft - social and historical context
Priestley uses Gerald to attack the upper-classes of post-war Britain. He shows that despite outward appearances, Gerald is described as an ‘attractive chap’ and ‘well-bred’. This class of people were still capable of questionable behaviour. Gerald has an affair and initially tries to avoid telling the truth. Priestley also suggests that they saw themselves above the problems of the working-classes - Gerald tries to get himself and the Birlings out of trouble.
Inspector Goole - imposing
- The stage directions that describe the Inspector give the impression that he is an imposing figure. His tendency to interrupt and control the conversation adds to this impression too.
- …he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.
- The fact that his presence combines ‘massiveness’ with ‘purposefulness’ suggests that the Inspector would be a very imposing figure.
Inspector Goole - emotive
- When he tells the others about Eva Smith’s death he leaves in the gruesome details.
- “Her position now is that she lies with a burnt out inside on a slab.”
- This is such a shocking image presented in plain language, it is not surprising that it impacts upon the emotions of the other characters and the audience. The Inspector uses this language intentionally to make the family more likely to confess.
Inspector Goole - prophetic
- As the Inspector delivers his closing speech, he prophesises a terrible future.
- “And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night.”
- The Inspector predicts a hell like future, filled with a nightmarish vision of ‘fire’ and ‘blood’. Priestley experienced war first hand, so some suspect that what he saw in wartime influenced the Inspector’s final speech.
Inspector Goole - social and historical context
Inspector Goole sheds a light on all the concerns that Priestley had at the time of writing An Inspector Calls around age, gender, class and social responsibility. Priestley uses the Inspector to make the audience question their own behaviour and morality and hopes that they will learn some lessons as the Birlings do. The issues the Inspector highlights are just as relevant to a modern day audience.
Who was Eva Smith/Daisy Renton?
- We never meet Eva Smith during the course of the play, but she is a very important character. It is her death that is the cause of the Inspector’s investigation which in turn drives the drama.
- The audience learns about Eva through the Inspector, who has read a letter and a diary she kept. They also learn about her through the characters she came into contact with. A lot of the information about her is inferred - from the incident at Mr Birling’s factory we can infer that she was strong willed. From her interaction with Sheila the audience can see that Eva had a sense of humour. Her relationship with Gerald, when she changed her name to Daisy Renton, reveals her sensitivity. By the time she reaches Eric and Sybil, Eva is desperate and resourceful in trying to get herself help.
- Eva is always referred to in a positive light by the characters that met her but the Inspector never lets the audience or the Birlings and Gerald forget her gruesome death. The Inspector’s final speech reveals Priestley’s lesson that there are millions of Eva Smiths being exploited and this must not continue.
