Study Mind Map for 'An Inspector Calls'
- Created by: kaci skidmore
- Created on: 24-04-19 11:40
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- Inspector calls
- Mr Birling
- Mr birling is the head of the birling household
- He has made himself very wealthy by being a 'hard-headed business man'
- he is an active member of the brumley community
- Mr birling thinks he is in the running for a knighthood
- At the start of the play he come across as being arrogant
- he makes long speeches about the predictions of the future
- he also make assertions about how a man should look out for number one and not waste any time on anyone else
- His wife is social superior and it is hinted that he is self conscious about being from a more working class background
- he is materialistic and possessive and also has old fashioned views on women
- Mr birling is shaken by the investigation and is shocked by the behaviour of his son eric
- However he doesn't learn any lessons during the course of the play
- when it seems like the inspector must of been an imposter he is overjoyed and mocks the others for having been tricked by the investigation
- Mrs Birling
- Mrs Sybil Birling is Arthur Birling's Wife
- Right from the opening of the play she is cold hearted and snobbish
- Throughout dinner she tells Sheila and Eric of for things she thinks is impolite
- She ignorantly turns a blind eye to her son Eric drinking to much
- Despite being a prominent member of the local women's charity
- It is clear that despite Eric being old enough to drink and Sheila getting married
- she sees them both as children not as young men and women
- It is clear that despite Eric being old enough to drink and Sheila getting married
- her cold uncaring nature leads to her downfall as the inspector forces her to unknowingly condemn her son
- Gerald croft
- Gerald is described as 'an attractive chap about thirty rather to manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well bred young man about town
- at the beginning of the play Gerald comes across as being confident and charming
- This changes after his affair with Eva Smith is revealed
- Gerald gives himself away when he hears that Eva changed her name to daisy Renton
- Mr birling is very pleases that he is getting engaged to Sheila
- His family are upper class business owners, Mr birling hopes they can join forces in business
- He initially is evasive and tries not to talk to much au *** but redeems himself in the eyes of the audience by being more open and honest
- he lets himself down in the final act by trying to get the family out of trouble, he doesn't seems to have learnt from his mistakes
- Gerald is described as 'an attractive chap about thirty rather to manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well bred young man about town
- Inspector Goole
- The inspector arrives whilst the birling family are celebrating the engagement of Gerald and Sheila
- the inspector investigates each family member at a time and in doing so reveals the consequences of their behaviuor
- By the end of the play it is revealed that he isn't in fact an inspector
- It is not entirely clear who he is so JB Priestly leaves it up to the audience to decide
- By the end of the play it is revealed that he isn't in fact an inspector
- He drives forward the drama with his questions creating shocking moments and gripping cliff hangers for the audience
- His name Goole suggest and supernatural or ghost like element
- He also seems to know what the characters will say before they even do
- is he the conscience of the audience? Is he the voice of priestly?
- Either way he delivers a frightening message when he leaves
- That if people do not take responsibility for other people the world is doomed
- Either way he delivers a frightening message when he leaves
- is he the conscience of the audience? Is he the voice of priestly?
- He also seems to know what the characters will say before they even do
- His name Goole suggest and supernatural or ghost like element
- the inspector investigates each family member at a time and in doing so reveals the consequences of their behaviuor
- The stage directions state that he 'need not be a big man' but that he must create an 'impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness
- The inspector arrives whilst the birling family are celebrating the engagement of Gerald and Sheila
- Eva smith/Daisy Renton
- We never meet Eva smith during the play but she is a very important character
- It is her death that is the cause of the inspectors investigation which in turn drives the drama
- a lot of 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 she 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
- a lot of information about her is inferred - from the incident at Mr Birling's factory we can infer that she was strong willed
- 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 in contact with
- Eva is always referred to in a positive light by the characters that met her but the inspector never lets the audience or the birling's and Gerald forget her gruesome death
- the inspectors final speech reveals Priestley's lesson that there are millions of Eva smiths being exploited and this cannot continue
- It is her death that is the cause of the inspectors investigation which in turn drives the drama
- We never meet Eva smith during the play but she is a very important character
- Sheila
- Mr Birling
- She shows an assertive side by standing up to her mother and father
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