An Inspector Calls

How does Priestley present Arthur Birling and his attitudes in An Inspector Calls? Write about:

• how Arthur Birling responds to the Inspector and to his family
• how Priestley presents Arthur Birling by the way he writes

[30 marks] AO4 [4 marks]

Aiming for a Grade 9

Arthur Birling is shown by Priestley as a symbol of a capitalist society, during a time when 'hard-headed' businessmen could build great wealth and social status by exploiting the working class. His desire for power and status is clear through his marriage to Sybil, who is seen as his 'social superior'. Birling's ambition continues with his plans for Sheila to marry Gerald, even though he knows about Gerald's affair with Daisy Renton. He tells Sheila, 'you'd better ask Gerald for that ring you gave back to him,' showing his wish to strengthen his social and business connections.

Birling's pride is also seen in his hopes for a knighthood, which he mentions to Gerald, saying, 'there's a fair chance that I might find my way into the next Honours List.' He uses this to impress Gerald's 'old country family' and boost his own status. What worries him most later on is the possible loss of this social standing if there's a 'public scandal'.

As part of the upper class, Birling holds several important positions in the town, and he proudly tells the Inspector that he was Lord Mayor and is 'still on the Bench'. Ironically, even though he is involved in the justice system as a magistrate and has connections with the Chief Constable, he tries to use these connections to intimidate and threaten the Inspector. When Birling realises he doesn't like how the investigation is going, he feels he 'ought to warn' the Inspector about his connections.

Birling dismisses the Inspector's claims and shows his political views by refusing to take any responsibility for others. His language shows his attitude towards opposing political views, as he suspects the Inspector is 'Probably a Socialist or some sort of crank'. Birling's self-serving attitude is supported by others in his social circle, as he confidently states, 'We employers at last are coming together to see that our interests – and the interests of Capital – are properly protected.'

Priestley uses dramatic irony to highlight Birling's foolishness and arrogance, especially through his comments about the war. Birling's claim that the Titanic is 'unsinkable' can be seen as a metaphor for everything capitalist society represents – a luxurious ship built through the labour of the working class, only to be destroyed in a single night. This suggests that everything Birling and others like him hold dear could be at risk of change, as the world wars will later prove.

Although Birling appears protective of his family on the surface, he becomes angry when his children's perspectives change after the Inspector's visit, referring to 'the famous younger generation who know it all'. He calls his son 'spoilt', but takes no responsibility for his own role as a parent, noting that he is 'not the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble.' Birling is furious with Eric for his dishonesty and theft of money, but when he hears about Eric forcing himself on Eva, his reaction is to protect his wife from the details, telling Eric to 'take your mother along to the drawing-room'.

Birling's own dishonesty is revealed when he tries to cover up the missing money, saying he 'got to cover this up as soon as I can.' Priestley uses Birling as a symbol of the hypocrisy of the ruling class, who protect themselves from scandal and shame while exploiting others to gain their wealth. Priestley uses Birling's attitudes as a warning that those in positions of wealth, power, and influence should take responsibility for others, or they will face consequences in 'fire and blood and anguish.'

Aiming for a Grade 9

Arthur Birling is portrayed as a self-made man who takes great pride in his achievements. He has climbed the social ladder by owning a factory and through his marriage to Mrs Birling, who is described as his 'social superior'. He is very eager for Sheila to marry Gerald Croft, as this marriage will strengthen his business connections and link the family to 'Sir George' and 'Lady Croft'. Priestley reveals Birling's flaws early in the play. Birling dismisses concerns about the world by using phrases like 'silly talk' and referring to 'half-civilized folks in the Balkans' when talking about the events leading up to World War 1. His foolishness is also shown when he confidently talks about the 'unsinkable' Titanic. Priestley uses dramatic irony here, as the audience knows that the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and that two world wars followed.

The Inspector's visit brings out even more of Birling's flaws. Initially, Birling is polite and tries to be helpful, offering the Inspector 'a glass of port', thinking the Inspector is there to ask something of him in his role as a magistrate, as Birling himself says he is 'still on the Bench'. This detail is important because it highlights Birling's responsibility for justice in the town, which Priestley wants the audience to remember before the Inspector's investigation begins.

Birling's attitude shifts when the Inspector starts asking questions. Priestley uses Birling's character to show the audience how factory workers were treated at the time and how little they were paid. Birling talks in business terms, saying he has to 'keep labour costs down' and referring to the strike as 'pitiful' while calling the girls 'ring-leaders' and 'trouble'. Birling tries to use his connections to intimidate the Inspector, mentioning that the Chief Constable is 'an old friend', suggesting that he has friends who look out for each other. However, Birling doesn't see that the girls at the factory were simply trying to earn a decent wage. He shows no sympathy for the girls, including Eva, and quickly assumes the worst about her. When he hears about her next job at Milwards, he immediately says, 'she got herself into trouble there, I suppose?'

Birling is also unsympathetic towards his own son. Eric reveals that Birling isn't 'the kind of father a chap could go to when he's in trouble', suggesting that Birling is an unforgiving and harsh father. Birling talks down to Eric, using words like 'spoilt' and phrases like 'hysterical little fool', but he doesn't really understand his son. Birling also doesn't see the connection between Eva's situation and that of his own daughter, Sheila, whom he tries to protect as his 'young unmarried girl'. This shows the double standards that existed depending on one's social class.

Finally, Birling is outraged by Eric's dishonesty, yet he himself is dishonest. At first, he denies knowing Eva Smith, but later admits, 'I remember her quite well now.' When he learns about Eric stealing money from the company, his first reaction is to say, 'I've got to cover this up as soon as I can.' He blames Eric for the potential damage to the family's reputation, worrying about a 'public scandal'. However, he doesn't reflect on his own actions, and it's Sheila who points out, 'You're ready to go on in the same old way.' Priestley uses this to show that Birling remains just as 'hard-headed' at the end of the play as he was at the beginning.

1. How does Priestley use the character of Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls? Write about:

• The importance and impact of the Inspector and his visit
• How Priestley presents the Inspector by the way he writes

Aiming for a Grade 9

Priestley's Inspector is a mysterious character whose primary role seems to be to deliver a moral message to the Birling family and provoke the audience into considering how others are treated and the repercussions of our actions and beliefs. The Inspector embodies a clear political message, representing the socialist views of Priestley himself. These views stand in stark contrast to those of Birling and the capitalist society he represents, which dismisses ideas of 'community and all that nonsense'. The Inspector's depiction of Eva's life serves to highlight the exploitative nature of capitalism, particularly its reliance on 'cheap labour', and the harm caused by class prejudice. This contrast is most evident in the differing language used by the Inspector, who describes Eva's as 'a nice little promising life', against the Birlings' derogatory comments about 'a girl of that sort'.

The Inspector assumes a moral voice within the play. He is portrayed as a determined character with a formal approach, for whom it is a 'duty to ask questions'. His moral stance is set against the lack of social responsibility shown by Birling, a local magistrate who 'can't accept any responsibility'; the behaviour of the 'notorious womanizer' Alderman Meggarty; and the lack of compassion exhibited by Mrs Birling, who 'slammed the door in her face'. The Inspector serves as a means to expose the double standards and hypocrisy of the ruling and powerful elite.

As a visitor to the Birling household, the Inspector is unfazed by the family's wealth or status. Although he remains polite, he does not allow himself to be intimidated by Birling's attempt to use his connection with the Chief Constable to threaten him. He also disregards any suggestions that he is overstepping his authority by challenging the family. The Inspector continues to press Mrs Birling for answers, even when she is clearly unused to having her authority questioned, firmly telling her, 'You have no hope of not discussing it, Mrs Birling.'

The Inspector's methodical approach gives a clear structure to the play, starting with the shocking revelation of the suicide. His methodical and unemotional questioning, 'one line of inquiry at a time', contrasts with his use of emotive language, which vividly highlights the tragedy of Eva's death, 'in great agony'. Through his questioning, each character is forced to reveal their actions and behaviour, although only Sheila and Eric seem willing to accept their share of blame and responsibility. The lack of impact on Mr and Mrs Birling, and Gerald's quick return to his composed state after learning that his lover was Eva, illustrates how the ruling class could detach themselves from the level of responsibility that Inspector Goole brings to the audience's attention.

The Inspector is portrayed as a ghostly, almost supernatural presence, an all-knowing figure whose name, 'Goole', may be a pun on 'ghoul'. He acts as a spectral conscience in the play, making it clear that the family will 'have to share our guilt'. The suggestion that he might be a 'fake', as proposed by Birling, is rendered irrelevant by Sheila's remark: 'he inspected us all right.' The audience is left with the unsettling notion that the Inspector's visit is one that could recur, indicating that his final warning cannot be easily ignored.

The Inspector's stark warning that the complacent upper class, represented by the Birlings and Gerald, will need to learn in 'blood and anguish' is a chilling prediction of the war and revolution that would soon engulf Europe. His visit serves as a symbolic, timeless reminder to those in positions of authority and power that with privilege comes the duty and responsibility to care for others.