An Inspector Calls Flashcards
(19 cards)
Analysis of Act one
The Birlings are having an engagement party
- Everyone is content and saying the right things
- The Birlings are Priestlys idea of a ‘perfect middle class family’
• the father is a successful businessman
• mother works hard to keep up the Birlings reputation in the community
• son works for the father in the family business
• daughter engaged to son of their competitor - should improve business as 2 companies could merge in the future
Who is Arthur Birling
A successful businessman who is well respected in Brumley. He owns a factory and is head of the Birling family
Who is Sybil Birling?
Arthur’s wife.
She’s obsessed with her status in society
Who is Gerald Croft?
A upper- class businessman. About 30 and engaged to Shelia
Who is Eric Birling?
Is the Birlings son
He’s a secret alcoholic who going to inherit into his fathers business
Who is Eva smith/ daisy Renton?
Is the victim of the play. We never see her she might be lots of different girls. She might not even be dead
Who is Edna?
Birlings maid Doesn’t have many lines but she welcomes in the inspector into the house and she’s the only working class woman on stage
Analysis of act one
There are hints of conflict under the surface
- Gerald’s family, the Croft’s are more established and socially superior. This makes Arthur Birling anxious
- Gerald says he was busy with work last summer. Shelia is not really satisfied with this answer, “yes, that’s what you say”
- There are big differences between what expected of men and women. In this society, men are supposed to be busy with work. Women are supposed to be interested in family, clothes and social etiquette
Who is Shelia Birling?
Is the Birlings daughter
Is in her early 20s and engaged to Gerald
Who is the inspector?
A mysterious man who claims to be a police inspector. He’s investigating the death of Eva Smith
The inspector “massively” takes charge
- The inspector arrives unexpectedly. He just says he’s here to ask some questions
- He’s an outsider.”the rude way he spoke to me Birling and me - it was quite extraordinary”
He seems to not much in common with the birlings - The inspector leaves after delivering a speech about social responsibility. When Gerald finds out that the inspector is probably a fake the older characters forget his speech and try to avoid the blame
- He is described as authoritative “all in good time” and imposing. He’s not a bad man - but his presence fills the room
Birling lectures the young man about war and business
- Arthur birling is confident about the future for his family and business. He gives a speech with his predictions for the future. But the audience of 1946 know what’s coming, and it’s not what mr Birling thinks:
• he says conflicts between workers and bosses will come to nothing. But they were many strikes between 1912 and 1945, including the general strike in 1926, which saw the country’s grind to a halt for nine days.
•he says a technological progress will continue and gives the recently competed titanic and an example he says it’s “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”
• eric asks whether there’ll be a war with Germany. Arthur says no way. But 2 years later alone comes world war 1 - war with Germany - Priestley used dramatic irony to make Birling look over confident. It makes the audience think that Birling might be wrong about lots of things, such as the belief in the motto “every man for himself”
Arthur Birling seems to be pretty pleased with himself
- Arthur Birling seems very confident. He is head of his family and the boss of his own business
- He likes to be in control and he keeps reminding everyone that he’s in charge e.g Birling doesn’t want to be told what to do and “angrily” tells the inspector “well-if you don’t mind- I’ll find out first”
- Over the course of the play Birling authority is undermined. The inspector reveals birling as an ambitious, anxious man who ignore the needs of others to keep up profits and a good reputation
Ambitious: “ there’s a very good chance of Knighthood”
Anxious:“ there’ll be a public scandal -unless we’re lucky”
Sybil Birling is proud of her social status
- She has a strong set of beliefs, about people’s social status, which makes her prejudiced.
Prejudiced : “as if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money - To persevere her own status, she prepared to be cruel such as when she rejects Eva’s appeal
Cruel: “ I used my influence to have it refused”
Shelia seems to be different from the rest of her family
- Sheila’s quick-witted and strong-minded.
Strong minded: “I don’t believe I will. So you be careful”
She hands Gerald’s ring back when she finds out he has been unfaithful and is wise enough to suspect Eric might be the father of Eva’s child - However Shelia was more selfish years before.
“You used the power you had to punish the girl”
She abused her status as a wealthy customer as milwards when she Insisted they dismiss Eva - Shelia is now seem to be sensitive and moral.
Moral: “but these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people”
By the end of the play, Shelia has changed for the good
Where do the birlings live
The Birling family live in a “fairly large surburan house”
Birling remarks awkwardly that …
“Its a pity sir george and - er- lady Croft can’t be with us”
Shelia feels deeply guilty about using her influence to get Eva saked and she says that
“It I could help her now I would”
Gerald tells her the inspector he met the
“Quite different” and “young and pretty” fussy in the disreputable palace bar
