An Inspector Calls - Which of the characters (other than the Inspector) has learnt the most by the end of the play?

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Zoë Poulton-Jones 11AK                19/04/2009

English Coursework

An Inspector Calls

Question: Which of the characters – other than the Inspector – has learnt the most by the end of the play?

J.B. Priestley’s production of An Inspector Calls challenges the social ideas of class, age and sex at that time, and the effect these factors have on the perception of a person by others. The play also talks about responsibility, and how the things we do and say nearly always come back on us one way or another. It is a good example of didactic theatre in which the play teaches the audience a lesson (hopefully a valuable one!).

The play focuses on six main characters:

  • Mr. Arthur Birling: a wealthy middle-aged business man, owner of Birling & Co.
  • Mrs. Sybil Birling: Mr. Birling’s wife, chairwoman of Brumley Women’s Charitable Organization
  • Sheila Birling: daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Birling, in her early twenties
  • Eric Birling: son of Mr. and Mrs. Birling, also in his early twenties
  • Gerald Croft: son of Sir George Croft who is the owner of Croft’s Ltd., a rival company to Birling & Co.
  • Inspector Goole: a mysterious visitor to the Birling household one fateful evening; he has come to make enquiries about the death of a young girl

Set in the spring of 1912, the play opens on a seemingly happy scene. The Birling family and Gerald are just finishing dinner in celebration of Croft’s engagement to Sheila. However after the meal ends, a police Inspector pays a visit to the Birling residence. He informs everyone that a woman by the name of Eva Smith has died earlier that day as a result of suicide, and that he’s come to make enquiries.

Questioning them each in turn, it is revealed by Inspector Goole that they all had a part to play in driving Eva to suicide, thanks mainly to their individual selfishness in one way or another; Mr. Birling sacked her because she was a ringleader in a strike demanding slightly higher wages, Sheila then got her fired from her new job because Eva’s beauty made her feel jealous. Gerald met and had an affair with Eva, which he then ended when it suited him. Eric met her and drunkenly forced himself on her, getting her pregnant and stealing money from his father’s office to give to her. The final straw for the wretched woman is when she turns to a women’s charity organization, of which Mrs. Birling is chairwoman, for help. Mrs. Birling’s prejudice towards Eva due mostly to the fact that Mrs. Birling believed that ‘girls of that class’ would not turn down stolen money and Eva was therefore lying about her situation, and that she used the name Mrs. Birling (which since she is carrying Eric Birling’s child she has every right to) causes Mrs. Birling to reject Eva Smith any assistance.

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Mrs. Birling exclaims that the Inspector has had a great impression on Sheila he replies, “We often do on the young ones. They’re more impressionable.” This statement is underlined more and more as the play progresses; Mr. and Mrs. Birling in particular refuse to acknowledge that their actions were wrong and believe they do not have any responsibility for Eva Smith’s demise, passing the blame onto others. When Mrs. Birling learns about the womanizing habits of Alderman Meggarty (an associate of Mr. Birling’s) she remarks, “Well we are learning something tonight aren’t we?” which is ironic as she has ...

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