Conduct research appropriate to a narrowly specific topic, understanding how to find and evaluate the credibility of sources, incorporating information, concepts and ide

Double Entry Journal Name: Jennifer Dominguez

An Inspector Calls

Directions: In the table below you will conduct a thorough analysis of the text through a double entry journal. In your analysis, you will focus on a combination of the following: the argument that Priestley is making and the strategies for close reading from chapter 4 of the text. You must select at least 10 passages from the play (across all three acts) to analyze. Keep in mind that this play makes up the focus for your second essay, so it is to your benefit to be thorough and thoughtful in your responses.

Quote Analysis

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 (7)

Priestley presents class conflicts specifically with Mr. Birling. At the beginning of the play, he is shown to look down on Edna as a lower class person through his treatment of her.

Mr. Birling is shown a photograph of Eva, after initially denying recognizing the woman in the photo, he remembers firing her in 1910 for organizing a strike over workers pay. Birling feels justified for his actions and does not believe he committed any wrongdoing (9)

Priestly gives hint that Mr. Briling has known Eva since then. He wants to imply that Mr. Birling hides at the back of his own shadow.

Inspector Goole moves the investigation over to Sheila. She recalls also having Eva sacked about her manners by her in an upmarket department store (Eva smiled at another shop assistant about the dress Sheila tried.) Sheila regrets her actions and feels hugely guilty and responsible for Eva’s death. (21)

Priestly shows his hate and disappointment for people who look down on others through the upper class and lower class characters. He presents his own disgust through the character of Inspector Goole. Goole creates conflict by questioning the actions.

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. (26)

Priestly wants his audience to realize how vulnerable a man is when it comes to temptation. He also emphasizes the woman’s instinct.

Eva approached a charity chaired by Mrs. Birling to ask for help. Eva was desperate and pregnant but help was refused by Mr. 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(34).

Priestly conveys that Mrs. Birling has a different moral side. Because she judges Eva Smith and the father of her child immediately without knowing the real story.

Double Entry Journal Name: Jennifer Dominguez

Eric is revealed as the father. He stole money from Mr. Birling’s office to provide money for Eva. Eric is angry at his mother when he learns that she has refused to help Eva.(38 )

Priestley presents the importance of being responsible. That no matter what bad things you did, still you should face and do something about it.

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.”(39)

Priestley gives the people how social status becomes a conflict amongst members of the family. Also, taking responsibility from the results of their actions are being taught.

After inspector Goole leaves, the family begins 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(45)..

Priestley reveals that true identity conscience through Inspector Goole. He wants them to comprehend things and how they should respond to it. Though all words were lies the hidden message still implies.

Mr. Birling, Mrs. Birling, and Gerald congratulate themselves that it was all a hoax and they continue as before. This attitude upsets Sheila and Eric

Sheila and Eric changed as they learned from their mistakes. Unlike their parents and Gerald Croft, they didn't even repent and just turned to their own selves as if nothing happened. .

The phone rings Mr. Birling announces to the family that a girl has died onher to the infirmary, a police inspector is coming to question them (51)

Priestley presents them the reality of life and teaches them to accept it or still denies it.

1

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

CHARACTERS:

Arthur Birling

Sible Birling – His Wife

Sheila Birling – His Daughter

Eric Birling – His Son

Edna – The Maid

Gerald Croft.

Inspector Goole.

All 3 acts which are continuous, take place in the dining room of the Birling's house in Brumley, an

industrial city in the north Midlands.

It is an evening in spring, 1912.

ACT ONE

The dining room is of a fairly large suburban house, belonging to a prosperous manufacturer.

It has a good solid furniture of the period.

The general effect is a substantial and heavily comfortable but not cosy and homelike. (if a realistic set is

used, then it should be swung back, as it was in the production at the new theatre. By doing this, you can have the

dining-table centre downstage during act one, when it is needed there, and then swinging back, can reveal the

fireplace for act two, and then for act three can show a small table with a telephone on it, downstage of the

fireplace; and by this time the dining-table and it chairs have moved well upstage. Producers who wish to avoid

this tricky business, which involves two re-settings of the scene and some very accurate adjustments of the extra

flats necessary would be well advised to dispense with an ordinary realistic set if only because the dining-table

becomes a nuisance. The lighting should be pink and intimate until the INSPECTOR arrives and then it should be

brighter and harder.)

At rise of curtain, the four Birling's and Gerald are seated at the table, with Arthur Birling at one end, his

wife at the other, Eric downstage and Sheila and Gerald seated upstage.

EDNA, the parlourmaid, is just clearing the table, which has no cloth, of the dessert plates and champagne

glasses,etc, and then replacing them with decanter of port, cigar box and cigarettes. Port glasses are already on

the table. All five are in evening dress of the period, the men in tails and white ties, not dinner-jackets. Arthur

Birling is a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in this middle fifties with fairly easy manners but rather

provincial in this speech. His wife is about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior. Sheila is a

pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited. Gerald croft is a attractive chap about

thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the well-bred young man-about-town. Eric is in his early

twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive. At the moment they have all had a good dinner, are celebrating

a special occasion, and are pleased with themselves.

Arthur Birling: Giving us the port, Edna? That’s right.( he pushes it towards Eric..) you ought to like this

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port, Gerald, as a matter of fact, Finchley told me it's exactly the same port your father gets from him.

Gerald: Then it'll be all right. The governor prides himself on being a good judge of port. I don’t pretend to

know much about it.

Sheila: (gaily, possessively) I should jolly well think not, Gerald, I'd hate you to know all about port – like

one of these purple-faced old men.

Arthur Birling: here , I’m not a purple-faced old man.

Sheila Birling: no, not yet. But then you don't know all about port – do you?

Birling: (noticing that his wife has not taken any) N ow then, Sybil, you must a take a little tonight. Special

occasion, y'know, eh?

Sheila: Yes, go on, mummy. You must drink our health.

Mrs Birling : (smiling) Very well, then. Just a little, thank you.(to Edna, who is about to go, with tray.) all

right, Edna. I'll ring from the drawing room when we want coffee. Probably in about half an hour.

Edna: (going) Yes, ma'am.

// Edna goes out. They now have all the glasses filled.Birling beams at them and clearly relaxes.//

Birling: Well, well – this is very nice. Very nice. Good dinner too, Sybil. Tell cook from me.

Gerald: (politely) Absolutely first class.

Mrs Birling: (reproachfully) Arthur, you're not supposed to say such things-

Birling: Oh – come come – I’m treating Gerald like one of the family. And I'm sure he won't object.

Sheila: (with mocking aggressiveness) Go on, Gerald – just you object!

Gerald: (smiling) Wouldn't dream of it. In fact, I insist upon being one of the family now. I've been trying

long enough, haven't I? (as she does not reply, with more insistence.) Haven't I? You know I have.

Mrs Birling: (smiling) Of course she does.

Sheila: (half serious, half playful) Yes – except for all last summer, when you never came near me, and I

wondered what had happened to you.

Gerald: And I’ve told you – I was awfully busy at the works all that time.

Sheila: (same tone as before) Yes,that's what you say.

Mrs Birling: Now, Sheila, don't tease him. When you're married you'll realize that men with important

work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You'll have to get used to

that, just as I had.

Sheila: I don't believe I will. (half playful, half serious, to Gerald.) So you be careful.

Gerald: Oh – I will, I will.

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//Eric suddenly guffaws. His parents look at him.//

Sheila: (severely) Now – what's the joke?

Eric: I don't know – really. Suddenly I felt I just had to laugh.

Sheila: You're squiffy.

Eric: I’m not.

Mrs Birling: What an expression, Sheila! Really the things you girls pick up these days!

Eric: If you think that's the best she can do-

Sheila: Don't be an ass, Eric.

Mrs Birling: Now stop it, you two. Arthur, what about this famous toast of yours?

Birling: Yes, of course. ( clears his throat.) well, Gerald, I know you agreed that we should only have this

quiet little family party. It's a pity sir George and – we – lady croft can't be with us, but they're abroad and so it

can't be helped. As I told you, they sent me a very nice cable – couldn't be nicer. I'm not sorry that we're celebrating

quietly like this-

Mrs Birling: Much nicer really.

Gerald: I agree.

Birling: So do I, but it makes speech-making more difficult-

Eric: (not too rudely) Well . Don't do any. We'll drink their health and have done with it.

Birling: No, we won't. It's one of the happiest nights of my life. And one day, I hope, Eric, when you've a

daughter of your own, you'll understand why. Gerald, I’m going to tell you frankly, without any pretences, that

your engagement to Sheila means a tremendous lot to me. She'll make you happy, and I’m sure you'll make her

happy. You're just the kind of son-in-law I always wanted. Your father and I have been friendly rivals in business

for some time now – though crofts limited are both older and bigger than Birling and company – and now you've

brought us together, and perhaps 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.

Gerald: Hear, hear! And I think my father would agree to that.

Mrs Birling: Now, Arthur, I don't think you ought to talk business on an occasion like this.

Sheila: Neither do I. All wrong.

Birling: Quite so, I agree with you. I only mentioned it in passing. What I did want to say was – that

Sheila’s a lucky girl – and I think you're a pretty fortunate young man too, Gerald.

Gerald: I know I am – this once anyhow.

Birling: ( raising his glass) So here's wishing the pair of you – the very best that life can bring. Gerald and

Sheila.

Mrs Birling: (raising her glass, smiling) Yes, Gerald. Yes, Sheila darling. Our congratulations and very

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best wishes!

Gerald: Thank you.

Mrs Birling: Eric!

Eric: (rather noisily) All the best! She's got a nasty temper sometimes – but she's not bad really. Good old

Sheila!

Sheila: Chump! I can't drink to this, can I? When do I drink?

Gerald: You can drink to me.

Sheila: (quite and serious now) All right then. I drink to you, Gerald.

//for a moment they look at each other//

Gerald: (quietly) Thank you. And I drink to you – and hope I can make you as happy as you deserve to be.

Shelia: (trying to be light and easy) You be careful – or I’ll start weeping.

Gerald: (smiling) Well, perhaps this will help to stop it. (he produces a ring case.)

Sheila: (excited) Oh – Gerald – you’ve got it – is it the one you wanted me to have?

Gerald: (giving the case to her) Yes – the very one.

Sheila: (taking out the ring) Oh – it's wonderful! Look – mummy – isn't it a beauty? Oh – darling –

(she kisses Gerald hastily.)

Eric: steady the buffs!

Sheila: (who has put the ring on, admiringly) I think it's perfect. Now I really feel engaged.

Mrs Birling: So you ought, darling. It's a lovely ring. Be careful with it.

Sheila: careful! I'll never let it go out of my sight for an instant.

Mrs Birling: (smiling) Well, it came just at the right moment. That was clever of you, Gerald. Now, Arthur,

if you've no more to say, I think Sheila and I had better go into the drawing room and leave you men-

Birling: (rather heavily) I just want to say this.(noticing that Sheila is still admiring her ring.) are you

listening, Sheila? This concerns you too. And after all I don't often make speeches at you –

Sheila: I’m sorry, daddy. Actually I was listening.

//she looks attentive, as they all do. He holds them for a moment before continuing.//

Birling: I’m delighted about this engagement and I hope it won't be too long before you're married. And I

want to say this. There's a good deal of silly talk about these days – but – and I speak as a hard-headed business

man, who has to take risks and know what he's about – I say, you can ignore all this silly pessimistic talk. When

you marry, you'll be marrying at a very good time. Yes, a very good time – and soon it'll be an even better time.

Last month, just because the miners came out on strike, there's a lot of wild talk about possible labour trouble in the

near future. Don't worry. We've passed the worst of it. We employers at last are coming together to see that our

5

interests – and the interests of capital – are properly protected. And we're in for a time of steadily increasing

prosperity.

Gerald: I believe you're right, sir.

Eric: What about war?

Birling: Glad you mentioned it, Eric. I'm coming to that. Just because the kaiser makes a speech or two, or

a few german officers have too much to drink and begin taking nonsense, you'll hear some people say that war's

inevitable. And to that I say – fiddlesticks! The germans don't want war. Nobody wants war, except some half-

civilized folks in the Balkans. And why? There's too much at stake these days. Everything to lose and nothing to

gain by war.

Eric: Yes, I know – but still –

Birling: Just let me finish, Eric. You've a lot to learn yet. And I’m taking 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. Look

at the progress we're making. In a year or two we'll have aeroplanes that will be able to go anywhere. And look at

the way the auto-mobile's making headway – bigger and faster all the time. And then ships. Why, a friend of mine

went over this new liner last week – the titanic – she sails next week – forty-six thousand eight hundred tons – new

york in five days – and every luxury – and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable. That's what you've got to keep your

eye on, facts like that, progress like that – and not a few german officers taking nonsense and a few scaremongers

here making a fuss about nothing. Now you three young people, just listen to this – and remember what I’m telling

you now. In twenty or thirty year's time – let's say, in 1940 – you may be giving a little party like this – your son or

daughter might be getting engaged – and I tell you, by that time you'll be living in a world that'll have forgotten all

these capital versus labour agitations and all these silly little war scares. There'll be peace and prosperity and rapid

progress everywhere – except of course in russia, which will always be behindhand naturally.

Mrs Birling: Arthur!

// has Mrs Birling shows signs of interrupting.//

Birling: Yes, my dear, I know – I’m talking too much. But you youngsters just remember what I Said. We

can't let these Bernard Shaws and H.G.Wellses do all the talking. We hard-headed practical business men must say

something sometime. And we don't guess – we've had experience – and we know.

Mrs Birling. (rising. The others rise) Yes, of course, dear. Well don't keep Gerald in here too long. Eric – I

want you a minute.

// she and Sheila and Eric go out. Birling and Gerald sit down again.//

Birling: Cigar?

Gerald: No, thanks. Can't really enjoy them.

Birling: (taking one himself) Ah, you don't know what you're missing. I like a good cigar. (indicating

decanter.) help yourself.

Gerald: Thank you.

// Birling lights his cigar and Gerald, who had lit a cigarette, helps himself to port, then pushes the

decanter to Birling.//

Birling: Thanks. (confidentially.) by the way, there's something I’d like to mention – in strict confidence –

6

while we're by ourselves. I have an idea that your mother – lady croft – while she doesn't object to my girl – feels

you might have done better for yourself socially –

// Gerald, rather embarrassed, begins to murmur some dissent, but Birling checks him.//

no, Gerald, that's all right. Don't blame her. She comes from an old country family – landed people and so

forth – and so it's only natural. But what I wanted to say is – there's a fair chance that I might find my way into the

next honours list. Just a knighthood, of course.

Gerald: Oh – I say – congratulations!

Birling: Thanks, but it's a bit too early for that. So don't say anything. But I’ve had a hint or two. You see, I

was lord mayor here two years ago when royalty visited us. And I’ve always been regarded as a sound useful party

man. So – well – I gather there's a very good chance of a knighthood – so long as we behave ourselfs, don't get into

the police court or start a scandal – eh? ( laughs complacently.)

Gerald: (laughs) You seem to be a nice well-behaved family –

Birling: We think we are –

Gerald: So if that's the only obstacle, sir , I think you might as well accept my congratulations now.

Birling: No, no, I couldn't do that. And don't say anything yet.

Gerald: Not even to my mother? I know she'd be delighted.

Birling: Well, when she comes back, you might drop a hint to her. And you can promise her that we'll try to

keep out of trouble during the next few months.

//they both laugh. Eric enters//

Eric: What's the joke? Started telling stories?

Birling: No. want another glass of port?

Eric: (sitting down) Yes, please. (takes decanter and helps himself.) mother says we mustn't stay too long.

But I don't think it matters. I left'em talking about clothes again. You'd think a girl had never any clothes before she

gets married. Women are potty about 'em.

Birling: Yes, but you've got to remember, my boy, that clothes mean something quite different to a woman.

Not just something to wear – and not only something to make 'em look prettier – but – well, a sort of sign or token

of their self-respect.

Gerald: That's true.

Eric: (eagerly) Yes, I remember – (but he checks himself.)

Birling: Well, what do you remember?

Eric: (confused) Nothing.

Birling: Nothing?

Gerald: (amused) Sounds a bit fishy to me.

7

Birling: (taking it in the same manner) Yes, you don't know what some of these boys get up to nowadays.

More money to spend and time to spare than I had when I was Eric’s age. They worked us hard in those days and

kept us short of cash. Thought even then – we broke out and had a bit of fun sometimes.

Gerald: I’ll bet you did.

Birling: (solemnly) But this is the point. I don't want to lecture you two young fellows again. But what so

many of you don't seem to understand now, when things are so much easier, is that 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. But take

my word for it, you youngsters – and I’ve learnt in the good hard school of experience – that a man has to mind his

own business and look after himself and his own – and –

// we hear the sharp ring of a door bell. Birling stops to listen.//

Eric: Somebody at the front door.

Birling: Edna'll answer it. Well, have another glass of port, Gerald – and then we'll join the ladies. That'll

stop me giving you good advice.

Eric: Yes, you've piled it on a bit tonight, father.

Birling: Special occasion. And feeling contented, for once, I wanted you to have the benefit of my

experience.

// Edna enters//

Edna: Please, sir, an inspector's called.

Birling: An inspector? What kind of inspector?

Edna: A police inspector. He says his name's inspector Goole.

Birling: Don't know him. Does he want to see me?

Edna: Yes, sir. He says it's important.

Birling: All right, Edna. Show him in here. Give us some more light.

// Edna does, then goes out.//

I’m still on the bench. It may be something about a warrant.

Gerald: (lightly) Sure to be. Unless Eric’s been up to something. (nodding confidentially to Birling.) and

that would be awkward, wouldn't it?

Birling: ( humorously ) Very.

Eric: (who is uneasy, sharply) Here, what do you mean?

Gerald: (lightly) Only something we were talking about when you were out. A joke really.

8

Eric: (still uneasy) Well, I don't think it's very funny.

Birling: (sharply, staring at him) what's the matter with you?

Eric: (defiantly) Nothing.

Edna: (opening door, and announcing) Inspector Goole.

// the inspector enters, and Edna goes, closing door after her. The inspector need not be a big man but he

creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a

plain darkish suit of the period. He speaks carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the

person he addresses before actually speaking.//

Inspector: Mr Birling?

Birling: Yes. Sit down inspector.

Inspector: (sitting) Thank you, sir.

Birling: Have a glass of port – or a little whisky?

Inspector: No, thank you, Mr Birling. I'm on duty.

Birling: You're new, aren't you?

Inspector: Yes, sir. Only recently transferred.

Birling: I thought you must be. I was an alderman for years – and lord mayor two years ago – and I’m still

on the bench – so I know the brumley police offices pretty well – and I thought I’d never seen you before.

Inspector: Quite so.

Birling: Well, what can I do for you? Some trouble about a warrant?

Inspector: No, Mr Birling.

Birling: (after a pause, with a touch of impatience) Well, what is it then?

Inspector: I’d like some information, if you don't mind, Mr Birling. Two hours ago a young woman died on

the infirmary. She'd been taken there this afternoon because she'd swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her

inside out, of course.

Eric: (involuntarily) My god!

Inspector: Yes, she was in great agony. They did everything they could for her at the infirmary, but she

died. Suicide, of course.

Birling: (rather impatiently) Yes, yes. Horrid business. But I don't understand why you should come here,

inspector –

inspector: (cutting through, massively) I’ve been round to the room she had, and she'd left a letter there and

a sort of diary. Like a lot of these young women who get into various kinds of trouble, she'd used more than one

name. But her original name – her real name – was Eva Smith.

9

Birling: (thoughtfully) Eva Smith?

Inspector: Do you remember her, Mr Birling?

Birling: (slowly) No – I seem to remember hearing that name – Eva Smith – somewhere. But it doesn't

convey anything to me. And I don't see where I come into this.

Inspector: She was employed in your works at one time.

Birling: Oh – that's it, is it? Well, we've several hundred young women there, y'know, and they keep

changing.

Inspector: This young women, Eva Smith, was out of the ordinary. I found a photograph of her in her

lodgings. Perhaps you'd remember her from that.

// inspector takes a photograph, about postcard size, out of his pocket and goes to Birling. Both Gerald and

Eric rise to have a look at the photograph, but the inspector interposes himself between them and the photograph.

They are surprised and rather annoyed. Birling stares hard, and with recognition, at the photograph, which the

inspector then replaces in his pocket.//

Gerald: (showing annoyance) Any particular reason why I shouldn't see this girl's photograph, inspector?

Inspector: (coolly, looking hard at him) There might be.

Eric: And the same applies to me, I suppose?

Inspector: Yes.

Gerald: I can't imagine what it could be.

Eric: Neither can I.

Birling: And I must say, I agree with them, inspector.

Inspector: It's the way I like to go to work.

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