Inspector Calls Essay

Imagine tasks you must(prenominal) use language that shows the character and reflect the characters pip at the time. pass judgment to pin point where in the text you ar being asked to comment on. Try to explain your responses in as much detail as possible and try to comment on the effect of specific words on the reader / audience. Dont forget to comment on stage directions, body language and reported clauses wherever possible. Timing and planning. Do both please (plan points, attend quotes, consider paragraphing for all longer tasks)Summary pretend 1- The Birlings fork out incisively finished a dinner party celebrating Sheilas engagement to Gerald Croft, (the son of bingle of Arthur Birlings business rivals). Arthur Birling makes a dialect giving his views on the world and then Gerald, Birling and Eric relieve oneself a chat about occurrent affairs.Their heretoforeing is interrupted by the examiner, who tells them that a young woman (Eva Smith) has died at the Infirmary after swallowing disinfectant. Arthur is the outset to be interrogated and he admits that he sacked Eva as punishment for he having been on strike. Arthur Birlings ruthless business sense is clear here as he fails to see he has do anything wrong and that his sole duty is to keep labour costs down. The Inspector opines that it is non just Arthur who is responsible for Eva and begins to interrogate Sheilawho recalls having a shop missy sacked from Milwards department store. She is horrified and embarrassed that her conceit and jealousy contri just nowed to the girls death. The Inspector mentions that after this, Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton, which shocks Gerald. He admits to Sheila that he too knew the girl and she guesses that he had an affair.Act 2- Gerald explains how he came across Daisy and helped her out, giving her money and accommodation. He had an affair with her, which he stop after the summer. Sheila gives her ring back to Gerald, notwithstanding says she r espects his honesty. He leaves for a walk.The Inspector then begins to hesitancy Mrs Birling, who runs the Brumley Womens Charity Organisation for women in distress. He reminds her of a meeting she chaired two weeks previous. She recalls that she used her act to refuse assistance to Eva, who came giving the name Mrs Birling and was pregnant. Eva said that the ampleher was from a higher ground level and a drinker who had offered her marriage, which she had refused, tinting him too immature. She also said that he had offered her stolen money. Mrs Birling is adamant that she did the right-hand(a) thing and is not responsible for Evas death and that the man who got her pregnant is. Sheila realises it is Eric and tries to silence her mother alone it is too late.Act 3- Eric explains how he met Sheila in a bar and slept with her. He continued to sleep with her, even though he admits that he wasnt in love with her or anything. He says that she refused to marry him when she free-base out she was pregnant and she tough him as if (he) were a kid. He stole money from his fathers office and when she found out, she refused to see him. Sheila tells Eric that their mother turned Eva away and Eric accuses her of killing them both. The Inspector makes a speech about their sh ared responsibility for Evas death and Arthur Birling offers thousands of pounds to atone for the family. The Inspector leaves.The Birlings fence amongst themselves and Mrs Birling and Arthur begin to question whether he was a real Inspector. Gerald returns with the news that the Inspector wasnt authentically an Inspector and rings the infirmary that report that no girl has been admitted. Arthur is relieved that it was a hoax but Eric and Sheila seethat it changes nothing. The tackle ends with Arthur Birling answering a telephone call. It says that a girl has been rushed to hospital after swallowing disinfectant and an Inspector is coming round to talk to them.Key QuotesSettinglarge suburban hou se, heavily comfortable, but not cosy or homelike The maid is removing champagne glasses, confection plates and replacing them with decanter of port, cigar box and cigarettes They are all dressed in evening dress of the designArthur Birlingrather portentous, rather provincial in his speech To Gerald Youre just the chassis of son in law I wanted. Your father and have been friendly rivals in business for few time.. Im talking as a hard headed, practical man of business. And I say on that point isnt a chance of war. On the Titanic absolutely unsinkableTheres a fair chance I might find my way onto the next Honours List. a man has to make his own way has to look after himself The way some of these cranks talk and issue now, youd think e genuinelybody has to took after everybody else. Community and all that nonsense I cant rent any responsibilityIts my duty to keep labour costs downOn button Eva She had a lot to say far too much so she had to goIf you dont bang down sharply o n some of these people, theyd soon be asking for the terra firmaI was quite justifiedThe press might easily take it upMost of this is shore to come out. There will be a public scandal.Mrs (Sybil) Birlinga rather stale woman and her husbands social superior I dont suppose for a moment we can understand why that girl committed suicide. Girls of thatclass I did nothing Im ashamed of. I consider I did my duty I accept no strike at allSheila Birlingpretty, very pleased with life and rather excited On getting Eva sacked I felt rotten about it at the time, and now I feel a lot worse To Gerald about the Inspector Why you fool he realises. O f couse he knows. And I hate to think how much he knows that we dont know yet. I know Im to blame and Im desperately sorryWe really must stop these silly pretences.He (the Inspector) is giving us the rope, so that we hang ourselves. (Sarcastically, to Gerald about Eva) You were the wonderful fagot prince. You must have adored it Gerald On Ger alds confession In some odd way, I rather respect you to a greater extent than Ive ever done ahead.You and I arent the alike(p) people who sat down to dinner here. To her father I remember what he said, how he looked and what it make me feel. Fire and blood and anguish. And it frightens me the way you talk and I cant listen to any more of it.Eric Birlingnot quite at ease, half shy, half assertiveOn Arthur sacking Eva I call it tough luckOn the night he met Eva Im not very clear about it, but afterwards she told me she didnt want me to go in, but that well, I was in that state where a chap easily turns nasty and I threatened to make a row. I wasnt in love with her or anything. But she was pretty, and a good sport. I hate these fat old tarts I see around the town. The ones I see your (Birlings) respectable friends with. In a way, she treated me like a kid.(To Birling) Youre not the kind of father a chap could go to when hes in trouble.Gerald Croftattractive, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy, well bred young man-about-town (On Eva) She was pretty and warm hearted andintensely gratefulInspector Goolecreates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness speaks carefully, weightily and looks hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking What happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events. Looking at the dead body A nice bright life there, I thought, and a nasty mess somebodys made of it One pedigree of enquiry at a time(Gerald were respectable citizens, not criminalsInspector Sometimes there isnt as much difference as you think. Often ,if it was left to me, I wouldnt know where to draw the line. You see, we have to share something. And if theres nothing else, we have to share our guilt. Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges. this girl killed herself, and died a horrib le death. But each of you helped kill her. find that. Never forget it. But remember this. One Eva Smith has gone but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness, all entwined with our lives. We dont live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. understate / Cultural ContextJohn Priestley was born in Bradford born in 1894 and died in 1984. He served as a soldier in WW1 and was a socialist he recalld that the British community (people living together) should not be dominated by the rich and powerful (capitalists) Priestley wanted the poor to have a stronger place within the community The play is set before the war.ThemesSocial responsibility / community / accountabilityFamily / hypocrisy (lies ) /Guilt /Abuse of power / Rich vs poorResponsibilitySin and moralityPossible questions / revisal tasks1What impression of the Birling family does the deliverr want the audience to have in the opening scene?2 We dont live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. In Act 1, how does the writer try to get this message across to the audience?3. How is the theme of social awareness explored through and through different characters?4. How does Sheilas reaction to key events create tension in the play?5. To what extent do you feel sympathy towards Mrs Birling?6. To what extent do you feel sympathy for Eric?7. What do you think is the splendor of Eva Smith to the play as a whole?8. You are Inspector Goole before your visit to the Birlings. You write in your notebook what you plan to do during the visit why you are doing it and what you expect to happen.9. How does the presentation of Arthur Birling, before the arrival of the Inspector, add to the dramatic imp act of the whole play?10. You are Sheila and you have kept a diary. Write two of the entries onefor the day when you got Eva Smith sacked from Milwards, and one for the night on which the play takes place.11. What changes occur in the relationship between Sheila and Gerald?12. Describe the way in which the Birling family begin to believe that the Inspector is not a genuine policeman.13. The action of the play takes place on just one evening, and in just one room of the Birling house. What do you think the play gains, or loses, as a result?14. Explore the theme of deception in the play?15. How is the idea of sin explored in the play?16. Is An inspector Calls a play about morality?17. In the play, it becomes clear that the responsibility is divided amongst the characters. How far do you agree with this statement?18. By the end of the play, lessons have been learnt. Explore this statement in regards to the play.19. Discuss the role of Inspector Goole in the play.20. The responsibilit y lies with the older generation. Discuss.