Characters in "An Inspector Calls"

Characters in "An Inspector Calls"

1. Eva Smith/Daisy Renton

   • Described as "pretty" despite of what class she is
   • Of Working class
     • She is poor & her parents are dead
   • From just outside of Brumley
     • Described as "country-bred" by Birling

2. Eric Birling

   • He is not as concerned about social class
     • He is embarrassed about the way his parent treat those of a lower class
       • "I'm ashamed of you"
     • He supports the workers cause when he hears about his fathers treatment of them
       • "Why shoudnt they try for higher wages?"
     • He supported Eva by giving her money
     • He was happy to have a relationship with a working class girl
       • he doesn't care about Eva's class
         • He feels guilty regardless of who she is
   • He was born into the higher class

3. Gerald Croft

   • Did not care about Daisy's social class
     • He seems to have genuinely cared about Daisy in spite of who she was
       • He arranged for her to live in a friends flat & he gave her some money
     • He pitied her when he first met her
       • He helped when she was being harassed by Alderman Meggarty
   • High class (Aristocrat)
     • Son of Lord and Lady Croft
       • they are not overly impressed by his engagement to Sheila
         • Perhaps because the Birling's are lower in social circles
         • Perhaps because they are rvals of Birling's business
     • Wealthy
       • Works with his father for "Croft's Limited"
   • Conflict
     • Feels for Eva
       • "I was sorry for her"
     • Attempts to rid his responsibility
       • Tries desperately to prove Inspectors non-existence

4. Sybil Birling

   • She was born into a Higher class family
   • She is a snob
     • She's very aware of the difference in social class
       • She is very dismissive of Eva
         • She claimed it was her "duty" to refuse help to a working class girl
         • Shes refuses to believe tht a working class girl would refuse (stolen) money
           • "She was giving herself ridiculous airs"
         • "Girls of that class"
       • She is irritated when Birling wishes to praise the cook in front of Gerald
     • Narrow-minded
   • Mr Birling social superior
   • Denial
     • Her own actions
       • Claims she does not recognise the photograph
       • "I did nothing i'm ashamed of"
     • Actions of other
       • "There must be some mistake" (On Eric)
       • "Scruples that were absurd in a girl in her position"

5. Sheila Birling

   • She begins to realise that social class isn't important
     • She's embarrassed about the way her parents treated Eva because of her class
       • "It frightens me the way you talk"
         • "How can you Pretend that nothing much has happened?"
     • She feels guilty about how she acted to Eva
       • she feels "fully Responsible"
     • She considers the conditions of her father's workers
       • she show compassion when she hears of Birling's treatment of them
         • "But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people"
   • She is snobby and shallow about working class people at the start
     • Jealousy of Eva
   • Born into a high class family

6. Auther Birling

   • He is aware of his social superiors
     • He shows of his ort to Gerald
       • "It's exactly the same port your father gets"
   • Worked his way up in class
     • He was originally 2nd class
       • Slips into old habits: thanks the chef.
   • Pround of his achievents
     • Rich & in first class. He owns his own business
     • He is likely to be knighted
       • "Just a knighthood of course."
   • Lack of Change
     • Refuses to accept change.
       • "But the whole thing's different now!
   • Capitalist
     • Has an antithetical view to Priestly
     • "A man has to mind his own business."
   • Greed
     • "Working together...for lower costs and higher prices"