J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls

English Coursework - An Inspector Calls.

After the inspector leaves, The Birling’s discuss the night’s events.

They go into a stage of blaming each-other for Eva Smith’s death,

pushing the guilt onto one-another. Mr. Birling still does not have

his priorities straight as the first thing that initially springs to

his mind is that fact that the families reputation will go down the

drain if any of the information they gave out will be found out by the

public. He claimed that ‘There’ll be a public scandal.’ He was certain

that he was going to get a ‘knighthood in the next honours list’. In

response to his father’s attitude, Eric is unconcerned about what the

public will think, but more concerned about what went on that night.

Mister and Mrs Birling don’t want to admit to themselves that they

played any part in the girl’s death, and keep twisting the subject to

point the blame back to Eric. Eric informed his parents ‘Well, I don’t

blame you. But don’t forget I’m ashamed of you as well- yes both of

you.’ He is openly admitting that he has done wrong, but thinks that

it is unfair to take all the responsibility for the death of the girl.

Here again, his Father was steering the blame away from them by saying

‘There's every excuse for what both your mother and I did- it turned

out unfortunately, that’s all’. This is a gutless attitude for them to

have considering how they were feeling before the inspector left them.

Sheila was quiet up until this.

Sheila is on Eric’s side and openly admitted that she behaved badly,

but she then pointed out that they were pretending that nothing much

has happened. It is here when Eric reminds his father of what he had

told himself and Gerald earlier that evening just before the inspector

had arrived- ‘A man has to make his own way, look after himself and

mind his own business, and that we weren’t to take any notice of these

cranks who tells us that everybody has to look after everybody else,

as if we were all mixed up together’. Thinking about this, the

Birling’s begin to have doubts as to whether the inspector is in fact,

an inspector. It seemed too ironic that an inspector would walk in at

that moment. Sheila described it as being ‘very queer’. She then

quoted ‘it doesn’t much matter now’ how ever mister Birling disagrees

as it matters ‘a devil of a lot to him’. He is relieved that there is

still hope that his reputation is not at stake, and let off the hook