AN INSPECTOR CALLS (TIPS AND SUMMARY)
TIPS
Act 1
1. Set in April 1912, Brumley, Midlands, UK. The Birling family and Gerald Croft are
celebrating Sheila Birling's engagement to Gerald with a dinner.
2. Mr. Arthur Birling, Sheila's father, is particular pleased since the marriage means closer
links with Crofts Limited which is run by Gerald's father. Crofts Limited is a rival company
to Mr. Birling's company, Birling and Company, Mr. Birling hopes that these family links
will bring the two competitors together to 'lower costs and higher prices'.
3. When the women leave the room, Mr. Birling lectures his son, Eric Birling, and Gerald
about the importance of every man looking out for himself if he wants to get on in life.
4. The doorbell rings unexpectedly during Mr. Birling's speech to Eric and Gerald, they were
not expecting a visitor. Edna Maid (the maid) announces that an inspector has arrived.
5. Inspector Goole says that he is investigating the death of a young woman who committed
suicide, Eva Smith.
6. Mr. Birling is shown a photograph of Eva, after initially denying recognising the woman in
the photo, he remembers firing her in 1910 for organising a strike over workers’ pay.
Birling feels justified for his actions and does not believe he committed any wrongdoing.
7. Inspector Goole moves the investigation over to Sheila. Sheila recalls also having Eva
sacked (despedida) about her manner when served by her (cuando la atendió a ella en
una tienda departamental en la que trabajaba) in an upmarket department store ,Eva
smirked to another shop assistant about the dress Sheila tried. Sheila regrets her actions
and feels hugely guilty and responsible for Eva's death.
8. The Inspector reveals that Eva Smith changed her name to Daisy Renton. Gerald acts
guilty and Sheila notices his worry, she confronts Gerald when the Inspector leaves the
room. Gerald reveals to Sheila he had an affair with Daisy Renton.
Act 2
1. Gerald explains to The Inspector that he had an affair with Eva, but hasn't seen her
since he ended their relationship back in Autumn 1911.
2. Sheila gives her engagement ring back to Gerald.
3. The Inspector turns his attention to Mrs. Sybil Birling, she confesses that she also had
contact with Eva, but Eva gave herself a different name to Mrs. Birling.
4. Eva approached a charity chaired by Mrs. Birling to ask for help. Eva was desperate
and pregnant but help was refused by Mrs. Birling because she was offended by the girl
calling herself 'Mrs. Birling'. She tells Eva that the baby's father should be made entirely
responsible. She also tells Inspector Goole that the father should be held entirely
responsible and should be made an example of.
Act 3
1. Eric is revealed as the father. He stole money from Mr. Birling's office to provide money
to Eva. Eric is angry at his mother when he learns that she has refused to help Eva.
2. The Inspector tells them that they are all partly to blame for Eva's death and warns them
of the consequences of people not being responsible for each other, "If men will not learn
that lesson, when they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish".
3. After Inspector Goole leaves, the family begin to suspect that he was not a genuine police
inspector. A phone call to the Chief Constable confirms this. Next, they phone the
infirmary to be informed that no suicide case has been brought in.
4. Mr. Birling, Mrs. Birling and Gerald congratulate themselves that it was all a hoax (fue
todo un engaño) and they can continue as before. This attitude upsets Sheila and Eric.
5. The phone rings. Mr. Birling announces to the family that a girl has just died on her way
to the infirmary, a police inspector is coming to question them.
SUMMARY
An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley is a three-act play.
In this play an inspector questions members of a wealthy family about the death of a girl who worked in
a factory.
It opens in April of 1912, at Arthur Birling’s home. The Birling family is celebrating because Arthur’s
daughter, Sheila, has just become engaged to Gerald Croft. The Croft family is a business competitor of
the Birling family’s. Arthur Birling owns a mill; he is also a politician.
In the scene are also Sybil Birling, Eric (Sheila’s brother). Eric is an alcoholic, but the whole family
ignores this, especially in light of the fact that Arthur is soon to be granted a knighthood. He makes a
speech about self-reliance (autosuficiencia).
Suddenly, the bell rings and Goole, a man who claims to be an inspector, arrives , and the celebrations
are put on hold (se pone en pausa). The Inspector Gools, whom Arthur does not know despite his
positions in local government, informs the Birling family that Eva Smith committed suicide by drinking a
disinfectant; and that she had a diary that puts the blame on the Birlings. Goole shows Arthur a picture
of Eva, Arthur recognizes her. He tells Goole that Eva worked at his mill, but was dismissed a year and
a half ago (1910) because she was involved in a strike. Arthur firmly says that he had nothing to do with
Eva’s death.
Sheila recognizes Eva as well, but not from her father’s mill. She had met her at Milwards department
store. Eva smirked at her once she was trying a dress, Sheila had been jealous of Eva—a workingclass girl who possessed physical beauty. So, she came up with a scheme to get Eva fired, succeeding
in convincing Eva’s employer that there had been some slight committed by Eva against Sheila. Sheila
tells Inspector Goole all of this.
Goole then tells the Birlings and Gerald that Eva also had another name—Daisy Renton. Gerald
recognizes the name and Sheila realizes, from Gerald’s expression, that Gerald knows this name When
the inspector leaves the room he argued with Sheila about it and admits that he had met Daisy Renton
at a bar where he had given her money and arranged to see her again.
Act Two
Then, Goole tells that Daisy, or Eva, had been Gerald’s mistress, Arthur and Sybil are shocked. Sheila
commends Gerald for coming forward with the truth but hands (pone en la mano de) Gerald her
engagement
ring,
calling
off
(cancelando)
the
wedding.
Gerald
leaves
in
shame.
Eva’s story continues to unfold/ develop (desarrollandose), revealing a more desperate situation.
The Inspector moves on to Sybil, who, on being questioned, says that she, as director of a charity, refused
assistance to a pregnant woman. The Inspector tells them that the girl Sybil turned away was Eva Smith,
or, as Gerald knew her, Daisy Renton. Sybil denied her help by getting the committee to see Eva as a
liar, because Eva had introduced herself as (se present como) 'Mrs. Birling. Then, Sybil declared that the
man who had gotten Eva pregnant, a drunk man, should be there and accept responsibility for Eva and
the child. Sybil says she feels no regret, as Eva had claimed she was pregnant but was not married to
the child’s father. The Inspector also says that Gerald was not the one who got Eva pregnant. To this,
Sybil responded that Eva should ask the child’s father for money. Sybil blames the unnamed father for
the situation, and for Eva’s suicide. Sheila and Arthur tell Sybil to stop talking. In this moment, Sybil
realizes that her son, Eric, must be the father of the child, since Eva/Daisy presented herself to the charity
as “Mrs. Birling.” Eric returns to the room. Act Two ends.
Act three
At this time, Goole turns his questions to Eric, who admits that while drunk, he raped Eva. He admits also
that he met with her more than once after that, and stole fifty pounds from his father’s business to help
her
financially
with
the
baby.
Arthur
and
Sybil
become
even
more
upset.
Goole warns the family, telling them that they are all responsible for Eva’s suicide. He then references
the coming war—World War I—by telling them that if they do not learn to live as a society, then they will
learn it in violence and despair. He leaves the Birling family then. A phone call to the Chief Constable
confirms that Inspector Goole may not be an inspector at all. Arthur discovers that there have been no
recent reports of suicide, and the family rejoices (se alegra). However, Eric and Sheila both decide to try
to change for the better. Gerald still wants to marry Sheila, but she does not want to wed a man who had
an affair.
At the end of the play, Arthur receives a phone call. The real police are on their way over because a local
young woman has perished. The police suspect suicide by disinfectant. The Birlings know it must be Eva,
and they also know that when the truth is revealed (cuando la verdad sea revelada), their reputations will
be ruined (sus reputaciones estarán arruinadas)