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An Inspector Calls. (plot/ summary (1) The Birlings are visited by an…
An Inspector Calls.
characters
Mr Birling- head of the birling house-hold. He is seen to be very arrogant, possessive and has old-fashioned views about women.
"And I say there isn’t a chance of war". This shows that he is confident that there will be no war. he then repeats his idea when he considers war to be 'impossible' the audience know that just after two years this speech was made, world war 1 occurred.
makes the audience lose trust in him and are seeing his arrogance
"..clothes mean something quite different to a woman...". Sexist remark towards women. he says that the clothes make them look prettier shows that he objectifies women as well.
"we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together - for lower costs and higher prices."
he is driven by money (capitalist). he sees his daughters engagement as a chance to earn more money which shows how greedy he actually is.
Sybil birling- cold hearted and snobbish despite being a member of the local woman's charity. Her cold, uncaring nature leads to her downfall as the Inspector forces her to unknowingly condemn her own son.
"She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position". she assumes that a girl who is pregnant and unmarried has 'fine feelings'. this is a very cruel and cold opinion she has. also shows she is unsympathetic towards girls in Eva Smiths situation.
"No, of course not. He's only a boy." And later "(staggered) it isn’t true." shows her ignorance. she defends Eric and claims he's just 'a boy' when he's a young man. Later she is defending Eric and is shocked when she finds out Eric has a drinking problem.
"What an expression, Sheila! Really, the things you girls pick up these days!" Sybil shouts at Sheila for using the word 'squiffy' which means drunk. she has sexist views. she says ' you girls' indicating that Sheila is a 'girl' when, in fact she's a young woman. she has a snobbish opinion and believes that people should speak in an appropriate manner.
Sheila birling- is a giddy, naïve and childish young lady. The Inspector arrives and she is very shocked by the news of Eva Smith's death, she is also very regretful of her own involvement in the suicide.
"I'm sorry Daddy actually I was listening. Sheila shows her naivety and lack of maturity in the way she reacts to her father. She is quick to apologise, it is clear that she is keen to behave well. She also refers to her father as 'Daddy', a childish term. At the opening of the play she appears to be a little immature and easily led. Her behaviour is childish and she very much does what her parents tell her.
"I tell you - whoever that inspector was, it was anything but a joke."The change in Sheila here is clear. She has become more assertive, using phrases such as 'I tell you'. The events of the evening have made her aware of the serious impact one's actions can have.As the play progresses, Sheila’s character develops and she begins to stand up for herself.
"Yes, of course it is. That's what I meant when I talked about building up a wall that's sure to be knocked flat. It makes it all harder to bear." At a number of points, Sheila shows that she can see things that the other characters cannot. Sheila uses the metaphor of a wall that the Inspector will knock down to show her insightful understanding of his methods. She knows that if they try to keep anything from him, it will make things worse. The other characters don’t realise this as quickly as Sheila does.
Eric is the Birlings' son and is in his early twenties, he is described as being 'not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive'. In other words, he lacks confidence.
"I don't know - really. Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh." At the start of the play Eric is very unsure of himself. He tries to speak up but is often talked down by his father. His behaviour is awkward and stilted. The stage directions describe Eric as being 'half shy, half assertive' and this comes across in his dialogue. He is awkward and unsure of himself. Here he cannot explain his sudden laughter
"No, I mean about this girl - Eva Smith. Why shouldn't they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices. And I don't see why she should have been sacked just because she'd a bit more spirit than the others." At the start of the play, Eric shows that he can be assertive. Here he questions his father's decision to sack Eva Smith. He backs up his point with a well-reasoned argument. His father quickly shouts him down though.
"(bursting out) What's the use of talking about behaving sensibly. You're beginning to pretend now that nothing's really happened at all. And I can't see it like that. This girl's still dead, isn't she? Nobody's brought her to life, have they?"Eric suddenly shows how he has been affected emotionally by Eva's death. He asks the stark question 'This girl's still dead, isn't she?' He is clearly distressed and understands the gravity of the situation, he can’t understand why the others don’t.Eric’s experience with the Inspector causes him great emotional turmoil, unlike some of the other characters.
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plot/ summary
1) The Birlings are visited by an inspector named Goole. He is there regarding the death of Eva Smith.
3) Eva found a new job at a shop where Sheila shopped, Sheila saw her and was jealous at how beautiful she is. as a result she got her fired.
4) Gerald (who Is engaged to Sheila) has an affair on her with Eva. He gives her money and in return she had to have sex with him.
5) Sybil Birling refused to help Eva by providing her money for the baby because she used her second name (birling).
2)inspector reveals that Eva used to work for Arthur birling but was fired because she went on strike.
6) we find out that Eric was the one who got her pregnant, and gave her money by stealing from his father.
7) the inspector leaves. they ring the infirmary and find out that no girl committed suicide. straight after that, they get a call which said that they will be visited by an inspector regarding the death of a young girl who drank disinfectant.