An Inspector Calls plot summary

Question 1

How does the play open?

Answer 1

With an over the top dinner, the family are dressed for dinner and the room is highly decorated

Question 2

What is Mr Birling’s first speech about?

Answer 2

How happy he is about the engagement, he thinks it will advance his business

Question 3

What is Mr Birling’s second speech about?

Answer 3

What a good time the world is, how confident he is that war will not happen

Question 4

What does Mr Birling give Gerald a speech about?

Answer 4

How ‘a man has to make his own way - has to look after himself, and his family too’

Question 5

How did Eva Smith die?

Answer 5

Drinking disinfectant

Question 6

Why did Mr Birling fire Eva?

Answer 6

For going on strike

Question 7

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 1 ‘Is it the one you wanted me to have… now I really feel engaged’

Answer 7

Upper class women got a fancy ring to show that someone new owns them.
Now that she has a ring, she starts to feel the new ownership too.

Question 8

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 1 ‘Why - you fool- he knows’

Answer 8

Sheila has quickly understood that Google is smart
She knows they cannot hide anything
This shows maturity and intelligence

Question 9

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 1 ‘So I’m really responsible?’

Answer 9

First reaction is to accept responsibility
Contrasts to Mr Birling’s complete denial

Question 10

Expand the quote said by Mr Birling in Act 1 ‘A man has to make his own way…’

Answer 10

Highlights selfish capitalist views
Encourages Gerald to only think about himself
Thinks if people fail that it is there own fault

Question 11

Expand the quote said by Mr Birling in Act 1 ‘I can’t accept any responsibility’

Answer 11

Implies that Eva’s misfortune was her own fault
Upper-class pre-war attitudes of denial

Question 12

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 1 ‘Arthur you’re not supposed to say such things’

Answer 12

She has strong views about appropriate conversation topics
She scolds Mr Birling multiple times, showing she has little power

Question 13

Why does Mr Birling encourage Sheila to rethink calling of the marriage?

Answer 13

He is motivated by the benefits the marriage could bring him

Question 14

Why did Mrs Birling reject Eva!

Answer 14

The girl was ‘impudent’ and introduced herself as Mrs Birling

Question 15

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 2 ‘You and I aren’t the same people who sat down to dinner here’

Answer 15

Shows emotional maturity
She does not hate him but feels she can’t spend her life with a man she doesn’t know

Question 16

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 2 ‘We really must stop these silly pretences’

Answer 16

She knows that the inspector already knows how every family member was involved
Tells upper class people that they need to care less about social appearances

Question 17

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 2 ‘I’m afraid you’ll say something’

Answer 17

She attempts to warn her mother about the inspector
Inspector Goole is giving each character the rope to hang themselves with

Question 18

Expand the quote said by Inspector Goole in Act 2 ‘Public men, Mr Birling, have their responsibilities as well as their privileges’

Answer 18

Although upper class men are free to enjoy the benefits of their lifestyle, they should be responsible members of society who care for lower class
Stems from the war and upper class generals and and leaders protecting themselves

Question 19

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 2 ‘It’s you - and not the inspector’

Answer 19

The family members have begun to separate
They verbally attack one another suggesting their perfect family is not so perfect after all

Question 20

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 2 ‘She had only herself to blame’

Answer 20

She also blames the man who got her pregnant
She doesn’t understand that she should think about other people
Only cares about her own family

Question 21

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 2 ‘You know, of course, that my husband ..’

Answer 21

Mr and Mrs Birling find it unacceptable that Inspector Goole refuses to worship them

Question 22

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 2 ‘Go and look for the father of the child. It’s his responsibility’

Answer 22

Irony when she finds out the father is her son
As long as the man is anonymous she doesn’t care what happens to him
When she realises it may be her son she stutters and stops talking

Question 23

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 2 ‘You seem to have made a great impression on this child’

Answer 23

She doesn’t respect Sheila as a young adult
She belittles the effects the inspector has had

Question 24

What does Goole give a speech about before he leaves?

Answer 24

They can’t undo what they’ve done
They should think before they act

Question 25

Expand the quote said by Inspector Goole in Act 3 ‘There’ll be plenty of time, when i’m gone for you all to adjust your family relationships’

Answer 25

His interrogations have changed the dynamics of the family
They will have to change their relationships as they get to know each other again

Question 26

Expand the quote said by Inspector Goole in Act 3 ‘One Eva Smith has gone’

Answer 26

Priestly uses Inspector Goole as the socialist conscious
Expresses how everyone should look after each other
Directly contrasts to Mr Birling in Act 1

Question 27

Expand the quote said by Inspector Goole in Act 3 ‘Each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it.’

Answer 27

Speaks very plainly to the family
Does not soften it for them
Wants to make them rethink their actions

Question 28

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 3 ‘Everything we said had had happened really happened’

Answer 28

Sheila’s emotional maturity and intelligence develops
She knows her actions will have consequences

Question 29

Expand the quote said by Sheila in Act 3 ‘You don’t seem to have learnt anything’

Answer 29

Sheila is annoyed that Mr and Mrs Birling do not seem to have learnt anything
They continue to dodge why responsibility

Question 30

Expand the quote said by Mr Birling in Act 3 ‘I’ve got to cover this up as soon as i can’

Answer 30

Wants to cover up what he did so it doesn’t affect his social status, or reputations
Selfish self-centred attitude

Question 31

Expand the quote said by Mr Birling in Act 3 ‘This makes a difference y’know in fact, it makes all the difference’

Answer 31

The most important factor in the story is that inspector Goole is not actually an inspector
He knows it is now unlikely to end in scandal for him
He doesn’t care about his actions in the girls life

Question 32

Expand the quote said by Mrs Birling in Act 3 ‘But i didn’t know it was you’

Answer 32

She only regrets the comments about the man that got Eva pregnant when she finds out it’s her son who is at fault
Social pre-war capitalist attitudes, people looked after their self and their families

Question 33

Expand the quote said by Eric in Act 3 ‘I wasn’t in love with her or anything’

Answer 33

he highlights his upper-middle class upbringing, used to having everything he wanted
He sleeps with Eva because she is good looking

Question 34

Expand the quote said by Eric in Act 3 ‘She told me she didn’t want me to go in, but… I threatened to make a row’

Answer 34

He forced himself on Eva
He used his power as a son of an influential man

Question 35

Expand the quote said by Eric in Act 3 ‘You killed her’

Answer 35

We see a furious Eric verbally attack his mother
He wants her to understand that her actions have consequences