An Inspector Calls

An Inspector Calls is set in 1912 in an industrial city in the north Midlands in England. Arthur and Sybil Birling, their daughter Sheila, and their son Eric have gathered at the Birling family home to celebrate the recent engagement of Sheila to Gerald Croft. Arthur makes a toast and Sheila jokes with her fiancé about his behavior “all last summer” (162). He seemed very distant, she remarks. When Eric laughs, Sheila accuses him of being drunk. Gerald claims that he was distracted by work. He works for a manufacturing company that is owned by his father. Arthur also owns a manufacturing company and, for many years, he and Gerald’s father have been business rivals. Now, Arthur hopes that the engagement symbolizes a brighter future for both companies.

Gerald and Sheila are happy to be engaged, and Gerald shows off the ring he bought for Sheila. Contrary to many negative stories in the news, Arthur insists that the world is heading in the right direction; the reports of aggressive posturing from Germany on the national stage can be ignored and business will boom in the future, rather than slow down. He also mentions the building of an “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable” ship that will soon travel from Great Britain to the United States in just five days (166). Even reports of labor disruption and strikes can be safely ignored, Arthur says, as the issue will soon be settled. He accepts that this may not be the case in Russia, however, claiming that country is always “behind-hand.”

Once the dinner is finished, Arthur and Gerald talk in private. They sip port as Arthur explains his recent political experience. He served as lord mayor to the town of Brumley and, due to his good work, he believes that he may soon receive a knighthood. This knighthood will put to rest any fears that Gerald “might have done better for [himself] socially” since his family has a higher social standing than the recently moneyed Birling family (167). The only possible threat to this elevation in social standing, Arthur jokes, would be a “scandal” involving the Birling family, but he dismisses this as a near-impossibility. The news of the potential knighthood visibly relieves Gerald. He will tell his mother when the news is confirmed.

The two men are interrupted by the arrival of Eric. Arthur lectures the two young men about the importance of self-sufficiency, encouraging them to support themselves and their families at all times. He warns them against recent political movements that encourage every person to look after every other person. Arthur dislikes socialism. He tells Eric and Gerald that people should mind their own business, as this will lead to success in all walks of life. Gerald remains silent. Eric sarcastically notes that his father seems full of advice. Edna, the Birling family’s maid, enters the room. She announces that a man has arrived who wishes to speak to Arthur. The man claims to be a police inspector.

A man enters the room and Edna introduces him as Inspector Goole. Arthur claims to have never heard of him while he worked in the local government. Declining an offer of a drink since he is on duty, Goole says that he has never met Arthur before. He wants to talk about a young woman named Eva Smith. Earlier in the evening, Eva Smith was found dead; she took her life by swallowing disinfectant. Eric is horrified while Arthur says that the news is a “horrible business.” Goole mentions that Eva left behind a diary and asks whether Arthur knows the name Eva Smith. Arthur admits it sounds familiar, but he cannot place it. Goole shows Arthur a photograph of Eva, hiding it from Eric, as he wishes to pursue “one person and one line of inquiry at a time” (171). Arthur is taken aback by the photo and says that Eva once worked in his factory but was fired in September 1910. On hearing this news, Gerald tries to leave. Goole, learning about Gerald’s engagement to Sheila, asks the man to stay. Gerald agrees, sitting uncomfortably.

Arthur insists that his actions did not lead to Eva’s death. Goole disagrees. He believes that Arthur set in motion “a chain of events” that led to her death by suicide (172). Eric interrupts to reiterate Arthur’s earlier point about the need to look out for oneself and one’s family, rather than everyone. Arthur explains that he fired Eva because she and the other workers pushed for a raise to three shillings per week. Arthur refused their demands, and they organized a strike. After two weeks, they agreed to continue working on the old wage. However, Arthur refused to rehire Eva, as he blamed her for the incident. Gerald defends Arthur’s course of action as good business practice.

When Eric sticks up for the strikers, Arthur claims that, were he to concede to them in any way, they would “soon be asking for the earth” (173). Goole suggests that asking for the earth is better than simply taking it. In response, Arthur pointedly mentions his good relationship with the local chief constable, but Goole waves away his comment, saying he rarely interacts with the chief constable. Eric speaks up, asking Arthur why he did not give his workers a raise. Arthur dismisses his son as lazy, and Eric is offended that his father would talk in such a manner in front of a guest. Sheila enters the room to find out what is happening. Goole explains Eva’s death to Sheila, who is distressed. She is especially horrified to hear about Eva’s connection to her father.

Goole turns his attention to Sheila. Though Sheila claims not to have heard of Eva, Goole explains that the orphaned Eva found work in a clothing store, where she enjoyed being among the “pretty clothes.” Goole shows Sheila the picture of Eva, and she runs out of the room, shocked. Arthur is angry at Goole for upsetting his daughter; Goole retorts that he felt similarly angered when he has “looking at what was left of Eva Smith” (178). Arthur leaves to fetch Sheila and tell his wife what is happening. Eric, feeling drunk, wishes to go to bed but Goole insists that he remain. Gerald protests that he and the Birlings are “respectable citizens and not criminals” (179), and Goole observes that there is sometimes little difference between the two. Sheila returns, evidently in distress. She wants to know whether the inspector knew about her existing relationship with Eva. Sheila admits that she visited the clothing store in January 1911. While trying an unflattering outfit, she convinced herself that Eva was mocking her. Jealous of Eva’s natural beauty, she talked to the manager and refused to return to the store unless Eva was fired. Sheila is horrified that her complaint may have had something to do Eva’s death by suicide. Goole reveals that Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton after she was fired.

Sheila asks Eric to go find their father and take the inspector with him. When she and Gerald are alone, Sheila mentions that Gerald was surprised by the name Daisy Renton. She wants to know whether he was meeting with her during the previous summer, when he claimed to be busy with his work. Gerald confesses that he had a brief affair with a woman named Daisy Renton and asks Sheila not to mention this to Goole. Sheila believes that Goole already knows about the affair, and much more. The inspector returns.