Who is to Blame in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

Who is to Blame in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

Set in 1912 before World War 1, J.B Priestley’s “An Inspector Calls”

exploits the difference between classes in that era. It also shows how

the Upper class can completely change the lives of the lower working

class. Written in 1945 when World War 2 was coming to an end,” An

Inspector Calls” expresses Priestley’s thoughts and dreams through an

upper class family and the death of a working class girl.

The play opens with the engagement party of Sheila Birling and Gerald

Croft (son of a wealthy businessman)in the dining room of a house in

the imaginary city of Brumley. Into these celebrations enters

Inspector Goole, who announces an unpleasant suicide: a young woman

named Eva Smith swallowed disinfectant and died. The connection of Eva

Smith to the Birling family dates back two years when she worked in

the Birling factory and was dismissed for being one of the ringleaders

on strike for a pay rise.

The story is complicated by the Inspector's questions concerning Eva

Smith's suicide. It is revealed that all the Birlings bear some

responsibility as to her death. Mr. Birling sacked her, Gerald Croft

had an affair with her, Mrs. Birling's son Eric made Eva pregnant and

Mrs. Birling's charity committee refused to help her when she asked

for help. She refused to marry him, as she considered him too immature

at that time. So the Inspector forced on each of the Birlings the

knowledge that they all played a part in bringing Eva Smith to her

death.

The Inspector leaves and it dawns on the Birlings that he might have

not been a real police officer. Both the calls to the hospital where

Eva Smith was supposed to have died, and to the local police station

establish that there was neither a suicide reported nor a police

officer called Inspector Goole. The Birlings immediately reject all

accusations, but Sheila and Gerald maintain that they all have made

themselves guilty. At the end of the play there is a final telephone