An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

An Inspector Calls is set in 1912 and was written in 1945 by J. B.

Priestley. It contains many of Priestley's views on socialism and the

overall point of the play is that he thinks you should learn from it.

The play is set in the Birling household on an evening in 1912 and

uses flashbacks to tell the story.

In my opinion, I think that the inspector acts as the other

characters' conscience. He gradually builds up the story in a specific

way to make the characters feel guilty and to make them think about

what they have done.

It is a spring evening in 1912 in an industrial city in the North

Midlands called Brumley. Mr. Arthur Birling and his family: Mrs. Sybil

Birling his wife, his daughter Sheila Birling and his son Eric

Birling. They are joined by Sheila's fiancée Gerald Croft. They are

all celebrating the engagement with drinks and cigars when an

Inspector Goole calls by.

Throughout the play there are several examples of how the Inspector

acts as their conscience. An example of this is shown by the way he

makes them think about what they have done. He asks them the

questions, although he already seems to know the answer. An example of

this is shown when the Inspector first questions Mr. Birling about Eva

Smith:

INSPECTOR "Do you remember her, Mr. Birling?

BIRLING No- I seem to remember hearing that name…

INSPECTOR She was employed in your works at one time."

By asking Mr. Birling the questions, he allows him to explain what he

did. He also does this with the other characters and pieces each of

their stories together to make them feel guilty for what their actions

have led to.

After questioning all of them, the story has been fully told and the

Inspector begins to show more examples of how he acts as their

conscience. He mentions morals and tries to change the way they act

towards other people by showing them how their actions affect other