Characters

Question 1

Birling: “Look Inspector, I’d give thousands…”

What themes does this link to?

Answer 1

Birling refused Eva Smith a little money, but now offers thousands. He thinks money can solve anything, and wants to appear charitable.

Question 2

Birling: “I must say, Sybil, that when this comes out at the inquest, it isn’t going to do us much good.”

Answer 2

Birling is now frightened of the Inspector and thinks his reputation and public appearance could be ruined.

Question 3

Birling: “But the whole thing’s different now.”

Answer 3

Birling is dismissive of the Inspector, doesn’t believe anything will change and no longer sees it as scandalous once it seems private.

Question 4

How does Priestley want us to view Birling?

Answer 4

He is the typical upper-class capitalist, who doesn’t believe in social responsibility and thinks he has authority over most others.

Question 5

Mrs B: “Girls of that class…”

Answer 5

Disgusted by working class. Sees herself as morally and socially superior.

Question 6

Mrs B: “…so I used my influence to have it shut down.”

Answer 6

Prejudiced against Eva Smith. Uses her authority as a form of censorship.

Question 7

Mrs B: “ Really, from the way you children talk, you might be wanting to help him instead of us. Now just be quiet so that your father can decide what we ought to do.”

Answer 7

Shows how she accepts stereotypical gender roles of 1912. Still views Sheila and Eric as children, bosses them around.

Question 8

How does Priestley want us to view Mrs B?

Answer 8

She is a dominant, controlling woman who belittles those who differ from her in terms of class/beliefs. Can’t let go of the past (still refers to Eric and Sheila as children).

Question 9

Gerald: “All right - I did for a time.”

Answer 9

Reluctant to admit his errors. Willing to lie to Sheila, suggests he is only marrying for business.

Question 10

Gerald: “How do we know any girl killed herself today?”

Answer 10

He is in denial. Refuses to accept his part in her death.

Question 11

Gerald: “Everything’s alright now, Sheila.”

Answer 11

Complacently refuses to understand the message. Cannot see how anyone else has changed.

Question 12

How does Priestley want us to view Gerald?

Answer 12

He is in the middle in terms of age, but chooses too side with the older generation and consistently dismisses the entire case. He is focused on money and women, and doesn’t own up to his actions.

Question 13

Sheila: “We really must stop these silly pretences.”

Answer 13

Shows Sheila is maturing and separating herself from her mother. Knows the Inspector will find out, so behaves with honesty and acceptance in contrast to her fiancé Gerald.

Question 14

Sheila: “And I hate to think how much he knows that we don’t know yet.”
“No, because I remember what he said, how he looked, and what he made me feel.
Fire and blood and anguish.”

Answer 14

Shows she dreads the Inspector’s actions in fear of how it will change the family and how they will react.

Question 15

Sheila: “But don’t you see, if all that’s come out

tonight is true, then it doesn’t much matter who it was who made us confess.”

Answer 15

Realises that they have all changed for the better that night, implying she saw more in the inspector than the others.

Question 16

How does Priestley want us to view Sheila?

Answer 16

Sheila represents the younger generation who would shape the future Priestley wanted. Matures over the course of the play, finding her own feet to stand up to her parents’ demeaning attitudes.

Question 17

Eric: “ Well, I’m old enough to be married, aren’t I…”

“You don’t understand anything. You never did.”

Answer 17

Stands up to Mr Birling, who still treats him like a child, suggesting he isn’t proud of his upbringing. Thinks Mrs B was a bad parent.

Question 18

Eric: “Yes – and then one of those cranks walked in – the Inspector. (laughs
bitterly.) I didn’t notice you told him that it’s every man for himself.”

Answer 18

Sees coincidence and irony in the Inspector’s arrival. Sees his father as hypocritical, and thinks he should have changed like Sheila and him have.

Question 19

How does Priestley want us to view Eric?

Answer 19

Again representing the younger generation, Eric does feel bad about his actions, and rebels against his parents’ controlling attitudes throughout the play. Tries to distance himself from the upper-class, suggesting he is against class divide.

Question 20

Inspector: “Each of you helped to kill her.”

Answer 20

Sums up the neglectful actions of the family, insisting that none of them are without blame.

Question 21

Inspector: “We are responsible for each other.”

Answer 21

Stresses that it is not enough just to keep a set of accepted manners, but that we must also look out for each other and that we must all behave morally. Relates to Second World War (the Allies acted on seeing the actions of the Nazis and joined forces.)

Question 22

Inspector: “We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”

Answer 22

The core message of the Inspector and the play. Directly contrasts with Birling’s message of “Every man for himself.” Applies to all the characters and the audience.

Question 23

How does Priestley want us to view the Inspector?

Answer 23

He is the socialist viewpoint who warns the characters to reflect on their actions and change their ways before it costs them any more loss of human life. Contrasts many characteristics of the characters, showing the negative flaws in them and at times trying to mould them into better people. He is there to change their lives and give them a vision of the injustice of their actions before they themselves are brought to justice in a time of change in the United Kingdom. He is the embodiment of the ways in which J.B. Priestley saw his country change for the better from that point on, and the way in which he hoped he would convince others to keep making those changes until the society in which he lived in was a social paradise, as is the point of socialism.