Preview

Inspector Calls Summary

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
296 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Inspector Calls Summary
An Inspector Calls Summary
Act 1
The Birling family was having celebratory dinner on Sheila(the daughter of Arthur Birling) and Gerald(an aristocrat) while discussing the progress of Arthur Birling’s business and the events that has happened in 1912. Then an Inspector enters the scene and starts questioning the Birling family over the suicide of a pretty girl named “Eva”. During the course of the questioning it is revealed that Sheila and Mr Birling had contributed to the death of Eva Smith(“pretty girl”)
Act 2
The Inspector continues his questioning and more is revealed of the Birling’s family contribution to Eva Smith’s death; Gerald used Eva Smith as a mistress to his desires and Mrs Birling turned Eva Smith out when she was appealing for help. Also Mrs Birling unintentionally condemns her own son’s actions even suggesting that he take up responsibility for his actions in public.
Act 3
Eric confesses his involvement in Eva Smith’s death(by manipulating her into having sex with him which resulted in her becoming pregnant) and he also confessed of the theft he had committed(against Mr Birling) and it is also revealed that Eric is a drunkard. Also during this act The Inspector comments on social responsibility which everybody has and as soon as the Inspector left the Birling Family started to “adjust their family” relationships(and they some of the Birling Family decided to accept the responsibility for their actions; social responsibility). Last of all Gerlad comes up with a theory that the Birling family(and himself were not responsible in Eva Smith’s death in any way and that the Inspector was a fake. But he said this just before a phone call came saying that a girl just died in the infirmary from

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    As soon as they meet in act one, Birling attempts to show his social superiority to the Inspector, boasting about his contacts in the police force, this shows Birlings character and the type of person he is, big headed and boastfull. Within the play Mr and Mrs Birling seems to be the only characters that are unable to accept the fact that they helped in the death of eva smith. In contrast to Mr and Mrs Birling Sheila has total opposite views and realises what she did was wrong, and wishes that she could go back and never get Eva sacked-…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Furthermore, Mr Birling was the employer of Eva Smith and he fired her just because she was taking part in a petition for a pay rise, eventually starting the chain of events that lead to the death of the innocent Eva. It’s evident that Mr Birling is not the main reason of Eva’s suicide, however he passively contributed in it. Plus when questioned by the Inspector, Mr Birling continues to be stubborn and arrogant and argues that he is completely guiltless. This fact is quite obvious when he declares himself that “still” he cannot accept any responsibility.…

    • 340 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Eva died two hours before the inspector came. She died because she drank a lot of “strong disinfectant” which burnt her “inside out”. Inspector Goole goes to the Birling’s house to confront each one of them and place responsibility on them. Though the inspector does not tell us it, it is quite obvious that he is there not to find the “main culprit” but instead he is there to make the Birling’s see through somebodies eyes of the Lower “class” and feel some “responsibility”. Each and every one of them, Mr Birling, Sheila, Gerald, Mrs Birling and Eric, all played a part in Eva’s death and the inspector wants them to realise this and accept responsibility.…

    • 1525 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mrs Birling was the final person who had the chance to give Eva Smith help as she was the last person to see her alive. This means she was the final person to possibly give her help which in no case proves her to be the one to blame it wasn't her 'who had her turned out of her employment which probable began it all.' Eva Smith came to her right before her death ,when she was most desperate, with the name Miss Birling. This 'was naturally one of the things that prejudiced' Mrs Birling about the case because she was most probably ashamed to be linked in with a lower class person and might of felt embaressed with the other members of the charity. This however due to the fact Eva was pregnant left her with not many choices. Mrs Birling however didn't seem to care stating 'In these circumstances I think I was perfectly justified' she never actually admits to anything as she 'did nothing to be ashamed of.' However she does seem very stresses during the exchange which may show a bit of guilty under tone when she snaps at her husband 'Please remember before you start accusing me of anything that it wasn't me who had her turned out of her employment...' This is not a way she would normally talk to her husband during this time and might indicate a small amount of guilt as she didn't want to take responsibility as she can see she might have been in the wrong. One slight difference however when Mrs Birling was being…

    • 1397 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    If I were to blame one person in particularly I would blame Eric as he got Eva pregnant and left her in a state beyond recovery. Although he offered her money to live, Eva did not except the money. This is because she had reasons to believe that the money was stolen. We later found out that the money was indeed stolen from his dads work. This isn’t the only thing that Eric’s parents find out about him. They also discover that he is an alcoholic and has been drinking heavily for a while. It was this drinking that lead to Eva getting pregnant and ultimately causing her to commit a brutal suicide. Despite all this I have a feeling that there is something the inspector is hiding, I think that he is trying to stir things up in the Birling family. I find it interesting to note that he choosing to visit them on the day that Sheila and ___________ are to celebrate their engagement. It is also interesting that his name “Goole” implies ghosts and monsters. This could have something to do with the death of Eva Smith. So in conclusion I don’t think that individually the Birling family have a lot of input towards Eva’s death but as a group they ultimately caused…

    • 1731 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Timing of entrances and exits is crucial. For example, the Inspector arrives immediately after Birling has told Gerald about his impending knighthood and about how "a man has to look after himself and his own. The sound of the inspector ringing the bell can be seen as a clear division between the peaceful ignorant life the Birlings once knew and the disaster of learning the truth about…

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Inspector arrives, he tells Mr. Birling about Eva Smith and Mr. Birling states his connection with her. He calls the girls ‘cheap…

    • 998 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Birlings are a family of wealth and power, who take pride in their high social position. Mr. Birling is a successful businessman, and the family inhabits a nice home with a maid (and likely other servants). The play begins with the family celebrating and feeling generally pleased with themselves and their fortunate circumstance. Throughout the Inspector’s investigation, however, it comes out that several of the Birlings have used their power and influence immorally, in disempowering and worsening the position of a girl from a lower class: Mr. Birling used his high professional position to force Eva Smith out of his factory when she led a faction of workers in demanding a raise; Sheila, in a bad temper, used her social status and her family’s…

    • 169 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Inspector Goole plays a large role in surfacing the tension in the families differentiating views and beliefs on responsibility for the death of Eva/Daisy. As Shelia and Eric develop a sense of maturity and acceptance for their actions they begin to further undermine their parent’s authority and ideas:-…

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    inspector calls notes

    • 3464 Words
    • 17 Pages

    In birling’s first speech he’s very quick to talk about the Port. He wants to seem on par with Gerald’s dad.…

    • 3464 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Eric birling

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages

    If we look at Eric as a character, we should be able to associate him with a certain conscience, which, when you think about it, is what the Inspector tried to do; get the characters to appeal to their conscience. Now Eric, along with Sheila, both give real, emotional responses to the death of Eva/Daisy, whereas Gerald and Mr/Mrs Birling didn't. Talk about that; surely as responsible, wealthy adults, they should be the mature ones, accepting responsibility and taking the blame. Yet it took the youngest child to accept fault.…

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    fun of the Birling family, a good of example of this is how Mrs Birling decides…

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Desert Blood

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages

    While she is trying to find evidence of what happened to Cecilia, Ivon's younger sister Irene is abducted and disappears in Mexico. Ivon knows that Irene must be found as soon as possible if she's to be found alive. When the Mexican and American police prove less that they will not help, Ivon decides to find her sister by herself. She finds herself confronting corrupt border officials, indifferent people on the lower ranks of society. As well as families and friends of the women who have already disappeared and members of her family who are divided in thinking that Ivon's lifestyle has caused this tragedy to fall on them. Ivon eventually discovers that trying to save her sister's life may cost her own life.…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Inspector Calls

    • 768 Words
    • 2 Pages

    We also realise later on in the play that Sheila is very perceptive, and a lot clever than she may have seemed on the surface, much more so than her parents. We see this when Mrs Birling is blaming the father of Eva Smith’s child (who we soon find out to be Eric Birling himself) for her suicide. Sheila tries to stop her mother from speaking out because she realises before anyone else the horrible situation that her mother is putting the family in. This shows the audience a huge contrast between Sheila and her mother that the Inspector has drawn out, and how she is altogether more perceptive and open than her parents. She understands the consequences of not cooperating with the Inspector and whilst the realisation about Eric exposes her mother as a hypocrite, it shows us that Sheila has intelligence and awareness that we have never seen before, and we, as the readers, warm to her.…

    • 768 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Act 1, Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to arrive unexpectedly at the Birlings household and not only shatter the very foundations of their lives but challenge us all to examine our senses of right and wrong. His use of the Inspector opens the door to explore responsibility in this play as he one by one challenges them to reveal their guilt. I think that the idea of the play and particularly the role of the Inspector are to try to bring the Birling family to understand that they have a moral responsibility for the death of Eva Smith, if not a legal one. Therefore it could be said that Eva Smith was simply a victim of her class and time. This point is very significant and is the basis of the entire play, to grasp it is imperative to the understanding of the play, without this, an analysis of responsibility would be far more difficult.…

    • 1009 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays