J.B.Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls :: English Literature

English Coursework - An Inspector Calls. After the inspector leaves, The Birling’s discuss the night’s events. They go into a stage of blaming each-other for Eva Smith’s death, pushing the guilt onto one-another. Mr. Birling still does not have his priorities straight as the first thing that initially springs to his mind is that fact that the families reputation will go down the drain if any of the information they gave out will be found out by the public. He claimed that ‘There’ll be a public scandal.’ He was certain that he was going to get a ‘knighthood in the next honours list’. In response to his father’s attitude, Eric is unconcerned about what the public will think, but more concerned about what went on that night. Mister and Mrs Birling don’t want to admit to themselves that they played any part in the girl’s death, and keep twisting the subject to point the blame back to Eric. Eric informed his parents ‘Well, I don’t blame you. But don’t forget I’m ashamed of you as well- yes both of you.’ He is openly admitting that he has done wrong, but thinks that it is unfair to take all the responsibility for the death of the girl. Here again, his Father was steering the blame away from them by saying ‘There's every excuse for what both your mother and I did- it turned out unfortunately, that’s all’. This is a gutless attitude for them to have considering how they were feeling before the inspector left them. Sheila was quiet up until this. Sheila is on Eric’s side and openly admitted that she behaved badly, but she then pointed out that they were pretending that nothing much has happened. It is here when Eric reminds his father of what he had told himself and Gerald earlier that evening just before the inspector had arrived- ‘A man has to make his own way, look after himself and mind his own business, and that we weren’t to take any notice of these cranks who tells us that everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together’. Thinking about this, the Birling’s begin to have doubts as to whether the inspector is in fact, an inspector. It seemed too ironic that an inspector would walk in at that moment. Sheila described it as being ‘very queer’. She then quoted ‘it doesn’t much matter now’ how ever mister Birling disagrees as it matters ‘a devil of a lot to him’. He is relieved that there is still hope that his reputation is not at stake, and let off the hook