An Inspector Calls

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  • Created by: KateStoc
  • Created on: 07-05-17 17:00

Mr Birling-Act 1

  • Opening stage directions: 'heavy-looking', 'in his middle fifties', 'fairly easy mannered but rather provincial in his speech' Priestly wants to show him as large and powerful
  • 'a hard-headed, practical man of business' He thinks highly of himself, and put business before family
  • 'unsinkable, absolutly unsinkable' Dramatic Ironey to make the audience dislike Birling
  • 'Just a knighthood, of course' The pause (comma) makes it seem like bragging, he tells Gerald this to get his powerful family on his side.
  • 'community and all that nonsense' Mimics what the inspector says at the end. Clearly shows his Capitalist views.
  • 'I was... Lord Mayor two years ago' Feels superior to the Inspector, this is one of the first things he says.
  • '(surprised) Did you say 'Why?'?' Stage direction shows he is not used to being questioned, also suggests his actions are very common.
  • 'she had to go' He gave no effort to assisting Eva and making things better
  • '(marked change of tone)' He is relieved on hearing that it is not just him the Inspector came to question
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Mr Birling-Act 2 & 3

  • 'I'm not defending him' (Act 2) He doesn't want the engadement to break up as he had business ties involved.
  • 'I am a public man' (Act 2) He expects others to acknowlage his importance and show respect.
  • '(explosively)' (Act 3) He is extremely angry at Eric, but had previously disregarded Shelia, suggesting he is more invested in Eric as his heir to the business.
  • 'I've got to cover this up' (Act 3) His largest concern is his public image, and no-one else.
  • 'There's every excuse for what... I did' (Act 3) He does not feel remorse or guilt
  • 'You'll have a good laugh over it yet' (Act 3) Solidifies that he was not moved by the events.
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Mrs Birling- All Acts

  • Opening stage direction: 'a rather cold woman, and her husband's social superior' suggests she is from a higher class than Birling. Immeaditly, Priestly wants us to dislike her.
  • 'When you're married' (Act 1) Mrs Birling exspects Sheila to grow up to be just like her.
  • 'Girls of that class' (Act 2) biased from the beginning, views herself as higher than Eva.
  • 'He's only boy' (Act 2) Doesn't view Eric as a man, tries to protect him, ignorant to the facts he's an alcoholic.
  • 'It's disgusting to me' (Act 2) She is unforgiving of peoples mistakes, and also views her own opinion highly.
  • 'not a good case' (Act 2) She is admittedly prejudice against Eva, and looks at her only as a 'case' and not a girl.
  • 'It's his responsibilty' (Act 2) she passes on the blame, unknowingly, to her son, but then does not want to believe it. It never is her responsibility.
  • 'the way you children talk' (Act 3) she always refrences her grown up daughter and son as children, so that their point of view is dismissed.
  • 'In the morning they'll be as amused as we are' (Act 3) solidifies that she never felt any guilt.
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Sheila Birling- Act 1

  • Opening stage directions: 'a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited' Makes her seem immature and unaware.
  • 'except last summer where you never came near me' (Act 1) Foreshadowing of both Gerald's wrong doing and of Sheila's change, Suggests she's inquisitive.
  • '(put ring on, admiringly)... Now I really feel engaged' (Act 1) shows she's materialistic.
  • 'But these girls aren't cheap labour- they're people' (Act 1) Shows the younger, femenist generation and highlights who inhumane Birling was.
  • 'I felt rotten about it at the time' (Act 1) suggests that she has morals, which makes her actions forgivable.
  • '(laughs rather hysteriacally) Why -you fool- he knows' (Act 1) shows Shiela has figured it out, and that she wants answers, shows her intelligence.
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Sheila Birling- Act 2

  • Then I'm staying' (Act 2) She is couragous and the audience admire her for that. She wants to know the whole story.
  • '(wonderingly) I don't understand about you' (Act 2) suggests she admires the Inspector and wants to know more about him.
  • 'build up a wall between them and us' (Act 2) she is aware of what prejudice can do, and wants to soften the hurt for the others.
  • 'You wait mother' (Act 2) The fact Mrs Birling is silenced by this shows that Sheila has become more powerful then her, probably due to her knowlage and acceptance.
  • 'And I'm not a child' (Act 2) She is standing up for herself and making a point about her intelligence.
  • '(She hands him the ring)' (Act 2) this is also couragous as it goes against her family and tradition, but it shows she's taking matters into her own hands.
  • 'You and I aren't the same people who sat down to dinner here' (Act 2) She acknowlages her change, and the reasons why she shouldn't be forced to stay with Gerald.
  • '(with sudden alarm) Mother - stop - stop!' (Act 2) the urgancey at which this line is said breaks the atmosphere and we know that Sheila is smart, so leads us to believe something is very wrong.
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Sheila Birling- Act 3

  • 'but of course I didnt.' (Act 3) This shows that she and Eric are close.
  • 'protesting' (Act 3) stage direction, shows that she doesn't want to leave, also that she is more incontrol.
  • 'you don't seemed to have learnt anything' (Act 3) shows that she feels she has learnt a lesson, and that she is upset her family haven't done the same.
  • 'he inspected us alright' (Act 3) regardless of whether he was real or not, Sheila believes the Inspector has made a noteable difference.
  • 'It frightens me the way you talk' (Act 3) Sheila understands the consequences of what has happened which makes her uneasy around her parents, but also show her vunerablility, much like Eva.
  • 'same old way' (Act 3) this could be Sheila, and Priestly, critizising the way society was in early 1900's.
  • 'It's too soon. I must think' (Act 3) short sentences show she is blunt, likihood is Gerald's change of tone has put her off marrying him even more.
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Eric - All Acts

  • Opening stage directions: 'not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive'
  • 'she's not bad really', there is a closeness between Eric and Sheila.
  • 'What about war?' worried, also possibly looks up to his father.
  • '(involuntary) My God!' shock and sets him up to be tender.
  • 'I'd have let her stay' For early on, Eric is set up to be a nice character, that highlights his bad deeds later
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  • 'a chap easily turns nasty' threatening 
  • 'you're not the kind of father a chap would go to when he's in trouble' show the divide between you and old; doesn't want to follow his father.
  • 'And I say the girls dead and we all helped to kill her - and that's what matters' Eric is becoming more strong and standing up to his parents/Gerald's views.
  • 'I'm ashamed of you as well' understands what has happened and feels bad about his parents 
  • 'and I agree with sheila' shows that he has accepted he is guilty.
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Inspector Goole- All Acts

  • Stage Directions: 'creates an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness' Set the Inspector up to be a powerful man.
  • 'Why?' questions Mr Birling
  • 'cooly' He is not phased or put off by the men's protesting.
  • 'Yes, I'm afraid it did.' He is softer towards Sheila, possibly from experience or that he feels she will change.
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  • 'you think young women ought to be protected' Stands up for Sheila and overall equality.
  • 'offence' Dual meaning: a breach of a law or insulting. 
  • 'you're daughter isn't living on the moon' Sheila is old enough to know better.
  • 'public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilites as well as privileges' outright tells Mr Birling
  • 'To do my duty' He is clever in how he gets information and never says what he is doing, adds some mystery and respect from the characters and audience.
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  • 'One Eva Smith has gone...' Perspective
  • 'We are responsible for each other' Plainly put
  • 'taught it in fire, blood and anguish' hinting at what the war has done.
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