Responsibility
The sequence of questioning makes apparently separate choices part of a collective problem.
THE LITERATURE STASH · J. B. Priestley
An Inspector Calls
One family. A chain of choices. No easy escape.
The story in four moves
- An engagement dinner is interrupted by Inspector Goole, who investigates the death of a young woman.
- Questioning links Birling’s factory, Sheila’s shopping and Gerald’s relationship with Daisy Renton to the investigation.
- Mrs Birling’s charity decision and Eric’s conduct expose further abuses of power. The younger Birlings accept responsibility.
- After Goole leaves, doubts about his identity encourage some characters to dismiss the lesson. A final telephone call announces a death and a police visit.
Themes worth connecting
Class and power
Employment, retail, money and charity all give the privileged power over someone with few protections.
Gender
Consider sexual exploitation, expectations of marriage and the unequal consequences of men’s actions.
Generational conflict
Sheila and Eric are more willing to change, but youth alone does not guarantee moral insight.
Appearance and reality
Respectability and reputation do not establish ethical behaviour.
The character stash
Lead characters, supporting roles and ensemble groups. Open a card, learn the journey, then close it and answer the recall question. Role labels can vary between editions.
Inspector GooleControls the questioning and insists on consequences beyond the dining room.
Why they matter
Entrances, interruptions and the sequence of revelations shift authority away from the host. His identity remains uncertain; his moral challenge does not depend on a simple solution.
Evidence to stash
Opening stage directions, his questioning and final speech: select evidence from your own copy.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
Why can the lesson survive uncertainty about who he is?
Arthur BirlingA manufacturer who defends business decisions and fears scandal.
Why they matter
Dramatic irony undermines his confidence. His speeches link personal certainty to an inadequate understanding of society.
Evidence to stash
His predictions at dinner; his account of the strike; his reaction after Goole leaves.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
How does his response to the investigation expose his priorities?
Sybil BirlingA socially powerful charity committee member who refuses the young woman help.
Why they matter
Her certainty about blame becomes self-incriminating as the audience learns more. Charity can preserve hierarchy when it depends on judgement rather than need.
Evidence to stash
The charity interview and her comments about the father of the child.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
How does the order of revelations undermine her authority?
Sheila BirlingMoves from excitement about engagement to accepting her own responsibility.
Why they matter
Her growing insight changes her speech and relationship with her parents. Refusal to resume the engagement immediately gives moral learning a practical consequence.
Evidence to stash
Her account of the shop incident; her warnings to her parents; the ring near the end.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
What shows that her remorse becomes independent judgement?
Eric BirlingInitially uneasy; later acknowledges serious harm and his responsibility.
Why they matter
Delayed disclosure makes earlier behaviour significant in retrospect. Acceptance of guilt should not erase the gravity of his conduct.
Evidence to stash
His absence, return and account of the relationship and stolen money.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
How does Priestley distinguish admitting harm from undoing it?
Gerald CroftReveals his relationship with Daisy and later investigates Goole’s identity.
Why they matter
His mixture of apparent care and unequal power invites a qualified judgement. His late detective work can divert attention from ethical responsibility.
Evidence to stash
His description of the relationship; his departure and return; his offer of the ring.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
Does solving the mystery mean he has learned the lesson?
Eva Smith / Daisy RentonThe young woman is known through other people’s accounts and never appears on stage.
Why they matter
Absence exposes how the powerful control her story. The investigation’s uncertainty should be recognised rather than treating every account as independently verified.
Evidence to stash
Compare the different descriptions given by Birling, Sheila and Gerald.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
What is the effect of never letting the audience hear her directly?
EdnaThe maid announces visitors and serves the household.
Why they matter
Her brief presence makes service labour visible inside a celebration of prosperity. She is present in the household but excluded from its decision-making.
Evidence to stash
The dinner service and announcement of the Inspector.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
What does the setting reveal about whose labour supports comfort?
Offstage employers, officials and the AldermanFigures such as Milwards’ manager and Alderman Meggarty extend the social world beyond the dining room.
Why they matter
References show that power operates through networks of work, status and influence, not only individual personalities.
Evidence to stash
The shop account and Gerald’s account of the Palace bar.
Close the card. Can you explain…?
How do offstage figures widen the play’s criticism?
Have a go
How does Priestley present the difference between regret and responsibility? Compare two characters and use the ending to test your argument.
- Write a one-sentence argument that answers the question.
- Select three moments across the text. Add a short quotation from your copy to each.
- Explain one deliberate language, form or structural choice for each moment.
- Return to the question: what develops, and why does that matter?
Original Exam Stash practice task. Use your teacher’s guidance for your exam board.
The 10-minute stash
- 2 minutes: retell the story without looking.
- 3 minutes: choose a character and connect three moments.
- 3 minutes: select a short quotation from your copy and analyse one word or method.
- 2 minutes: explain how your example answers a theme question.
Read and explore
Use your own edition alongside these original revision notes. Interpretations are starting points to test against the text.