Inspector Calls Background and overview

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  • An Inspector Calls
    • Background Information
      • The play is about class and social divide
      • Written in 1945
        • So this was during the second world war, and so war clearly influenced J.B Priestley's writing.
      • The play itself is set in 1912, just before the start of the first world war.
      • Message:
        • He wanted his audience to think about the consequences of their actions, especially at a time of war.
        • An Inspector calls is basically asking everyone to unite and improve society.
      • The Play was written by a man named J.B. Priestley, who was very socialist, especially after being wounded in world war one.
    • Setting
      • The play is set in Brumley, a city in the midlands.
      • Brumley would have been quite industrial and busy. With factories and terraced houses for workers.
    • Characters
      • Arthur Birling
        • Successful business- man. Owns a factory. Cares about reputation.
      • Sybil Birling
        • Arthur's wife. Obsessed with etiquette and status.
      • Eric Birling
        • Mr and Mrs Birling's son. Secret alcoholic who has lots of pressure from parents as he will inherit family business.
      • Gerald Croft
        • Upper-class businessman. Engaged to Sheila. Thirty years old. Family competitor of the Birling's.
      • Sheila Birling
        • Mr and Mrs Birling's daughter. Engaged to Gerald. Early twenties. Cares about material things.
      • The inspector
        • Mysterious character who claims to be with the police. Investigating death of Eva Smith.
      • Eva smith/daisy renton
        • Victim of the play, although we never see her.
      • Edna
        • Birling's parlour maid, only a few lines. Only working class woman on stage.
    • What happens?
      • Act One
        • 1.One spring evening, 1912. Celebratory meal for engagement. Birling gives speech to Eric and Gerald about how "A man has to make his own way"
        • 2. Inspector Goole arrives, gives news about Eva. He begins to question members one by one. Audience finds out that Mr Birling had sacked Eva from his factory.
        • 3. Then we discover that Sheila had gotten her fired from her job at Millwards for giving her a funny look.
        • 4. Finally, Inspector says she changed name to Daisy Renton. Gerald is shocked.
      • Act Two
        • Although Gerald tries to hide it, he admit Daisy Renton was his mistress last summer. Sheila gives him back his ring and Gerald goes for a walk.
        • The inspector gets Sybil to confess that she got her group to deny Eva/Daisy help when she was pregnant. Sybil Blames the baby's father.
        • Sheila guesses that Eric is the father of the baby.
      • Act Three
        • 1. Eric returns from his walk. He knows its inevitable the truth will come out. He explains how he met Eva at a bar and drunkenly forced her to have sex.
        • 2. This got her pregnant, and he stole money from his dads company to support her, but Eva/Daisy rejected it and turned to Sybil's charity for help.
        • 3. Eric blames Sybil for killing his child, and the inspector reminds them all that we are all "members of one body"
      • Act Four
        • Goole leaves, and Gerald returns saying he spoke to a policeman and he didn't recognize the name Goole.
        • Gerald calls the hospital to see if anyone had committed suicide and there is no one. Gerald, mr and mrs birling all decide they can relax
        • Sheila and Eric argue that they all still did horribke things but they wont listen.
          • The phone rings. A young woman has killed herself and an inspector is coming to visit.

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