How does J. B. Priestly ensure that the audience has formed an opinion of Mr. Birling before the Inspector enters?

Authors Avatar

Saturday 26th November

An Inspector Calls

How does J. B. Priestly ensure that the audience has formed an opinion of Mr. Birling before the Inspector enters?

An Inspector calls is a play set in spring 1912. The writer, J. B. Priestly, tries to build up a view of Mr Birling through the set, stage directions and in his speeches. The production starts with the four Birlings and Gerald sitting around a table.

The table is laid out with fine china and champagne. This shows that Mr Birling is trying very hard to impress Gerald and that they are having a celebration of some kind. The table has no cloth because the Birlings are trying to show off their fine furniture. Their maid, Edna, is replacing these items with cigars, cigarettes and a decanter of Port. This shows that Mr Birling is wealthy and can afford luxuries and does not hesitate to show off. In the stage directions we are told that their room ‘has good solid furniture…but is not cosy and homelike.’ It has no antique furniture that shows that Mr Birling has only recently acquired his money and has not inherited any family heirlooms.

Join now!

Mr Birling sees himself as a ‘hard-headed businessman’ and ‘I speak a s a hard-headed practical man of business’  whose opinion is important and that he is always right. Arthur Birling is very self centred man and only thinks of what he will get out of events. When his daughter ,Shelia, is getting married the only thing he can think of is how ‘when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but working together for lower costs and higher prices.’ The only reason he lets Gerald marry Shelia is that he hopes that their companies may unite and he ...

This is a preview of the whole essay