An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly - plot

An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly - plot

1. Act 1: -The Birling's and Gerald are celebrating the engagement of Gerald to Shelia. - Mr Birling makes a very pompous speech outlining his views on the advances in science new inventions and relationships between bosses and workers. - The evening is interrupted by the arrival of a police inspector named Goole asking about the death of Eva Smith. - After seeing a photo of the girl, Mr Birling admits he employed her to his factory, but fired her for being a leader of a strike for higher wages. - Shelia and Eric both feel their father acted harshly while Gerald supports Mr Birling's claim. - Shelia is shown the phot and realises that driven by jealousy and ill temper, she later had the girl sacked as a shop assistant. - When Gerald hears she changed her name to Daisy Renton his reaction shows he knew the girl. -The inspector suggests many people share responsibility of the death of the girl. - Left alone Shelia warms Gerald not to hide anything from the Inspector.

2. Act 2: - Gerald admits that he met Daisy in spring the previous year and that she was his mistress for 6 months. - Shelia is hurt and angry for his involvement with the girl yet she respects for his openness. - Mrs birling tries to bully the inspector and control events. - Shelia realises that the inspectors equalities are well founded and that her mm might have dealings with the girl. - While Eric is out of the room, Mrs Birling is forced o admit that the girl asked for help from the charity Mrs Birling works for, but she refused her. - It is realised that the girl was pregnant and Mrs Birling blames the father for the death. - There is then suspicion that Eric might have been the father of the unborn child.

3. Act 3: - Eric confesses that he got the girl pregnant and that he stole money from his fathers firm to support her. - Learning that the girl appealed for help and that Mrs Birling rejected her Eric blames her for her death. - The Inspector makes a dramatic speech about the consequences of this kind of irresponsibility that Mr birling was preaching at the end of dinner. - The inspector having shown that each person had a part in ending the girls life, leaves. - Between them Gerald and Mr Birling prove that Inspector Goole was not a real police inspector. - A telephone call to the chief constable reveals that there was no Inspector Goole on the police force. - A telephone call to the infirmary reveals that there was no recent suicide. - Eric and Shelia continue to feel guilty about what they have done where as the others shrug off any guilt. - Mr Birling answers the telephone: a young girl has died in the infirmary a police officer is on his way...