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When asked who is to blame) Mrs Birling: ‘First, the girl herself…. Secondly, I blame the young man who was the father of the child she was going to have. If, as she said, he didn’t belong to her class, and was some drunken young idler, then that’s all the more reason why he shouldn’t escape. He should be made an example of. If the girl’s death is due to anybody, then it’s due to him.’ Eva personifies the difficulties faced by young independent women in this time. The attitudes they had to overcome and how society could treat them. Sheila: ‘it was anything but a joke. You knew it then. You began to learn something. And now you’ve stopped. You’re ready to go on in the same old way.’ It is clear here that Mr Birling is driven by money, he is a capitalist. The fact that he sees his daughter's engagement as a chance to push for 'lower costs and higher prices' shows just how greedy he is. He does not consider the impact 'higher prices' might have on anyone else, he just wants more money. Birling: ‘this new liner… the Titanic – she sails next week… New York in five days – and every luxury – and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable. That’s what you’ve got to keep you eye on, facts like that’s progress like that’
Whether you use our An Inspector Calls Revision Guide before, during, or after you’ve covered the play in class, it offers a comprehensive solution for An Inspector Calls revision. Including everything your students need to know, along with a whole host of bonus material, An Inspector Calls revision has never been easier.
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Inspector: ‘ 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 intertwined with our lives, with what we think and say and do. We don’t 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 that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.’ AQA English Language Paper 1 and Paper 2 Knowledge Organisers](http://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12063979)
Gerald has similarly sexist views of women. His treatment of Sheila and Eva does not suggest he sees them as his equals. Even after the truth has been revealed of his affair with Eva, Gerald still assumes Sheila will go ahead and marry him.He also often makes sexist comments about the women working for Mr Birling and the women he meets in bars.
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Inspector (to Mrs Birling): ‘She came to you for help, at a time when no woman could have needed it more. And you not only refused it yourself but saw to it that the others refused it too. She was here alone, friendless, almost penniless, desperate. She needed not only money, but advice, sympathy, friendliness. You’ve had children. You must have known what she was feeling. And you slammed the door in her face.’ Mr Birling is confident that there will not be a war, saying that 'there isn't a chance of war' and then repeating this idea when he considers it 'impossible'. His arrogance and complacency are made very clear. The audience, knowing that just two years after this speech, World War One will begin, see that Mr Birling is wrong on this point, and on many others, including his prediction that the Titanic is 'unsinkable'. The audience lose trust in him as a character. Birling: [rather impatiently]: Yes, yes. Horrible business. But I don’t understand why you should come here, Inspector -‘
To familiarise students with important milestones in character development, our revision guide provides key quotes for each character in An Inspector Calls. Presented thematically, the quotes are accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations of the relevant characters, along with textual analysis to help explore the detail and implications of what Priestley is revealing to his audience. And I'm talking as a hard-headed, practical man of business. And I say there isn’t a chance of war. The world's developing so fast that it'll make war impossible." Birling shows little respect to the younger generation, certainly none for Eva and he even tries to ignore and patronise his own children. He constantly dismisses and belittles Eric and he talks to Sheila as if she is a child. Inspector: ‘This girl killed herself – and died a horrible death. But each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it. But then I don’t think you ever will. Remember what you did, Mrs Birling.’
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Birling: ‘a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too, of course, when he has one – and so long as he does that he won’t come to much harm. But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense.’ To ensure your students can handle anything that an exam or assessment might throw at them, our guide includes a range of An Inspector Calls GCSE exam questions and answers to help hone exam technique. Focusing on the components of a strong answer, with annotated exam responses, as well as both “good” and “great” exemplar material, students will benefit from insider tips and knowledge with our An Inspector Calls GCSE exam questions and answers. In contrast, Sheila and Eric accept responsibility for their actions and then they look to try and change things for the better in future. Both characters are clearly upset when they realise the importance of their actions in what happened to Eva. This emotion is a catalyst for change and by the end of the play Sheila and Eric talk in similar ways to the inspector. They challenge their parents’ views and become more assertive. The audience can see that they’re committed to acting more responsibly in future.
At the start of the play he seems very comfortable - making himself at home and behaving like a member of the Birling family he even makes fun of Eric. Inspector: ‘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.’ Priestley shows a different perspective through the Inspector and later through Sheila and Eric. The Inspector does not behave with the deference that the Birlings expect from someone of his position. He challenges them and is clearly in control from the moment he comes on stage. Look at some of the stage directions describing the Inspector’s manner and appearance. The inspector seems to be above the class system and provides Priestley’s own critique of the problems of inequality. Sheila and Eric begin to stand up to their parents when they see Mr and Mrs Birling will not accept responsibility for their actions. They challenge their old views and won’t ignore things as they had done at the beginning of the play.
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Considering the social and historical context of any text is an essential part of understanding it, especially at GCSE. To make sure your students are familiar with the period of Priestley’s play, our revision guide contains a dedicated section on An Inspector Calls social and historical context, which explores the life of the author throughout the early 20th century. When examining the An Inspector Calls social and historical context, GCSE English Literature students will be able to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the text, meeting the requirements of AO3. You will be asked a question that asks you to analyse and write in detail about an aspect of An Inspector Calls Mr Birling is a business man whose main concern is making money. This is what is most important to him and he comes across as being greedy.
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