An Inspector Calls By J.B Priestley

An Inspector Calls By J.B Priestley

An Inspector calls beings with the Birling family celebrating Shelia's

engagement to Gerald Croft, Mr Birlings friends son. In the beginning

of the play the light is 'pink and intimate' until the unexpected

arrival of the Inspector we find the light change symbolises start of

an investigation put under the spotlight, being brought out of their

own world into reality. The inspectors arrival is unexpected to the

family 'some trouble about a warrant' Mr Birlings first thought to

what the arrival of the inspector might be and shrugs it as if their

could be no greater concern. The inspector explains his reason of why

he is here. The inspector starts to question Mr Birling the head of

the family. The inspector asks how Eva Smith was apart of Mr Birlings

work. Mr Birling explains his involvement with Eva Smith of how she

worked for him and asked for a pay rise and was fired from her job by

Mr Birling. After the questioning of Mr Birling the inspector

questions Shelia who is shown to an innocent girl, we out find after

the questioning that it was Shelia who had Eva Smith fired from her

second job because of her jealousy over Eva Smith. After revealing her

involvement she starts to blame herself. But the inspector tells her

that it wasn't her who made her commit suicide. At the end of act one

we find Gerald in a sign of recognition when he hears the name Daisy

Renton (Eva Smith's second name when she changed it to find herself a

second job). Before the closing of the first act we see Shelia

question Gerald where had he known Eva Smith. Gerald explains that he

had known her from last summer. We see the irony when Shelia says 'I

don't believe I will. (Half playful, half serious, to Gerald.)

So you be careful.' She laughs at the fact that the 'important work'

Gerald was at last summer was probably knows that Gerald was having an

affair. After act one we find the irony of what was said by Gerald

'You seem to be a nice well-behaved family-' and Mr Birlings reply

'Well we think we are'. The exit of Eric shows us that there is more

to Eric's involvement than the others which is hidden in Act one until

the end because of his drunkenness the inspector leaves him last to be

questioned. At the end of act one the audience is left at suspense

when Gerald is approached by the inspector we find a great intensity