Priestley's Use of Dramatic Form to Stimulate His Audience's Thoughts in An Inspector Calls

Priestley's Use of Dramatic Form to Stimulate His Audience's Thoughts in An Inspector Calls

The play "An Inspector Calls" was written by a man called J.B.

Priestly in 1944. He was a scientist as well as a writer. The play is

set in Brumley, an Industrial town, in 1910 - 1912. The family in the

play, the Birlings and Gerald Croft are investigated by a so called

police inspector for things they have done leading up to a young girl

called Eva Smith's death, the play has a twist towards the end.

Eva Smith, or Daisy Renton as she is later known never actually

appears in the play but she commits suicide as a result of things that

the other characters in the play have done. Eva is in her early 20s

and is described by the other characters as a pretty girl.

Inspector Goole is a police inspector, or so the Birlings think think.

When he leaves after investigating each Character. They discover he

may not have been a genuine inspector and panic. The inspector is in

his 50s and is a plain man.

Arthur Birling is the father of the family. He is a broad man and he

is manager of a factory, he is in his middle fifties and his speech is

unpolished. He defends himself from the inspector by saying "I was an

alderman for years - and lord mayor two years ago - and I'm on the

bench - so I know the Brumley police officers pretty well." He makes

himself important by pointing out to Gerald that he drinks the same

port as Gerald's father.

Sheila Birling is the only daughter of the family. Sheila is in her

early twenties, pretty, content and is engaged to Gerald Croft. She is

naive and slightly spoiled.

Gerald Croft is a rich businessman and lord. He is engaged to Sheila

and is about 30 years old. Gerald has a rich father and is very sure

of his self.

Sybil Birling, the mother of the family is about fifty, stern and

stuck up.