An Inspector Calls: Birling Family

• An Inspector Calls revolves around the Birling family and their involvement in the events leading to Eva Smith's death
• The play is set in 1912 in the fictional town of Brumley, England
• The play was written by J.B. Priestley and first performed in 1945
• The play explores themes of social responsibility, guilt, and the abuse of power

Arthur Birling

• Arthur Birling is a prosperous factory owner, self-centered and overly concerned with his social status
• He is presented as pompous and arrogant, eager to impress Gerald Croft, who is of a higher social class
• Birling is capitalist, prioritizing profit over the welfare of his workers
• He shows little remorse for firing Eva Smith, viewing it as a sound business decision
• He is primarily concerned with protecting his reputation and avoiding scandal
• At the end of the play, he dismisses the Inspector's visit as a hoax, showing his inability to accept responsibility

Sybil Birling

• Sybil Birling is Arthur Birling's wife, a woman of high social standing and strong conventional beliefs
• She is presented as cold, unsympathetic, and prejudiced against those of lower social classes
• She is a leading member of the Brumley Women's Charity Organization
• She uses her position to deny Eva Smith assistance when Eva, pregnant and desperate, seeks help
• Sybil refuses to accept responsibility for her role in Eva's death, claiming she did nothing wrong
• Her arrogance and moral high ground make her one of the least sympathetic characters

Sheila Birling

• Sheila Birling is the daughter of Arthur and Sybil Birling, initially portrayed as a spoiled and superficial young woman
• She is engaged to Gerald Croft at the start of the play but breaks off the engagement due to his affair with Eva Smith
• Sheila is the first member of the family to acknowledge her responsibility in Eva's death
• Throughout the play, she demonstrates empathy and remorse for her actions
• Sheila is critical of her parents' unwillingness to accept responsibility and becomes a strong advocate for social justice
• She represents the younger generation's capacity for change and acceptance of social responsibility

Eric Birling

• Eric Birling is the son of Arthur and Sybil Birling, portrayed as an uneasy and immature young man
• He is revealed to have had a drunken encounter with Eva Smith, which led to her pregnancy
• Eric admits to using Eva and feels guilt and remorse for his actions
• He is critical of his parents' selfish behavior and supports the Inspector's message of social responsibility
• Eric is perhaps the most emotionally affected by the events of the play

Gerald Croft

• Gerald Croft is a young man from an upper-class family, engaged to Sheila Birling
• He is presented as respectable and well-mannered but is revealed to have had an affair with Eva Smith (under the name Daisy Renton)
• Gerald initially tries to conceal his involvement with Eva but eventually admits to it
• He claims his intentions were honorable, but his actions contributed to Eva's suffering
• At the end of the play, Gerald is skeptical about the Inspector's true identity and tries to disprove the story
• He represents the privileged class's attempts to maintain the status quo and avoid responsibility

Inspector Goole

• Inspector Goole is a mysterious figure who investigates the involvement of the Birling family and Gerald Croft in the death of Eva Smith
• He serves as the moral compass of the play, challenging the characters' consciences and forcing them to confront their actions
• He is authoritative and relentless in his questioning, revealing the interconnectedness of their deeds
• The Inspector's identity is deliberately ambiguous, leading to questions about his true nature and purpose
• He leaves the family with a warning about the consequences of their actions and the importance of social responsibility
• His final speech emphasizes the message that people are interconnected and responsible for one another