Analysis Of An Inspector Calls By J. B. Priestley

An Inspector Calls, by J.B. Priestley, is set in Brumley, England; ‘an industrial city in the North Midlands’ (p.XIV). The play starts at the dinner table one evening in Spring, 1912. The Birling’ s were celebrating the engagement of their daughter Sheila to Gerald. Their ‘large suburban house’ and ‘good solid furniture’ (p.1) shows the Birling’ s high living standards. At the dinner table, Mr.Birling is sitting 'at one end,' and Mrs.Birling 'at the other' (p.1). This shows that Mrs.Birling has a high rank at the table. The Birling' s also have servants which indicates their wealth.

Mrs.Birling is 'about fifty' (p.1) years old, and a 'rather cold woman' (p.1). Knowing that the play was set in 1912, she grew up in the Victorian era (1837-1901).
Mrs.Birling is very conscious of peoples behavior and social manners. Her husband, Mr.Birling is not familiar with these rules. ‘Arthur, you’re not supposed to say such things.’ (p.2). Mrs.Birling gets frustrated with his lack of etiquette. ‘Now, Arthur. I don’t think you ought to talk business on an occasion like this.’ (p.4). Mrs.Birling is unconsciously embarrassing him by correcting and pointing out his mistakes. Her relationship to her daughter Sheila, is a typical mother daughter relationship. ‘When you’re married you’ll realize that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business. You’ll have to get used to that, just as I had.’ (p.3) Mrs.Birling has difficulties letting her daughter grow up and making her own experiences. Mrs.Birling does not have a close relationship with her son Eric. She is unaware of Eric’s lifestyle and drinking problems. Mrs. Birling is ignorant when it comes to anything that is not acceptable in the upper class. ‘I’m absolutely ashamed of you.’ (p. 57). Eric is not the son that Mrs.Birling wants him to be. Mrs.Birling has a better relationship with Gerald. At the start of the play, she respects him as he is from the same class as her. She approves the marriage of Sheila and Gerald. When Mrs.Birling discovers from the affair, she cannot believe that somebody like him would do something that disgusting. Mrs.Birling feels offended by the inspector. ‘...conducting it in a rather peculiar and offensive manner.’(p.31) She does not cooperate with him and refuses to answer his questions. When Mrs.Birling talks about the relationship she had with Eva Smith she says: ’girls of that class-’ (p.30). By saying that, she