inspector calls character key points

Setting:

-        Play set in 1912, written in 1945 

-        ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set in the fictional industrial city of Brumley.

-        Takes place in one location

-        Set in the home of a prosperous factory owner

-        Play shows the difference in lifestyle between those who had money and power and those who didn’t and depended on work

ArthurBirling:

·         Represents the sin of avarice (or greed)

·         One dimensional character

·         Capitalist stocktype

·         He has worked his way up in the world and is proud of his achievements. He boasts about having been Mayor and tries (and fails) to impress the Inspector with his local standing and his influential friends

·         He is extremely selfish:

-       He wants to protect himself and his family. He believes that socialist ideas that stress the importance of the community is "nonsense" and that "a man has to make his own way."

Sybil Birling:

·         She represents the sin of pride.

·         She tries to deny things that she doesn't want to believe: Eric's drinking, Gerald's affair with Eva, and the fact that a working class girl would refuse money even if it was stolen, claiming "She was giving herself ridiculous airs."

·         She admits she was "prejudiced" against the girl who applied to her committee for help and saw it as her "duty" to refuse to help her. Her narrow sense of morality dictates that the father of a child should be responsible for its welfare, regardless of circumstances.

·         Dismissive of Eva,saying "Girls of that class." – does not consider Eva/her situation to be worthy of her time

·         Prejudiced– against people of a lower social status; Ignorant- unwilling to accept Eric’s alcoholism + treats Sheila like a child; Self-Indulgent; Class Conscious; Patronizing– talks down to others (treats Eric and Sheila like children); Irresponsible; Unremorseful– feels no guilt for her actions; Cold-Hearted; ‘Snobbish’; Old-fashioned – her perspective on many matters is of a traditional ; Selfish; Oblivious- unaware of what is going on around her (Eric’s alcoholism); Immoral– refused to give Eva help when…