An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley. It provides a thorough exploration of the play’s plot, characters and main themes, including time, social responsibility and class prejudice. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 50-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of J. B. Priestley
• Presentation of An Inspector Calls
• Summary of An Inspector Calls
• Character study
  • Mr Birling
  • Mrs Birling
  • Gerald Croft
  • Sheila Birling
  • Eric Birling
  • Inspector Goole
• Analysis of An Inspector Calls
  • Responsibility
  • Time
  • Dramatic irony

About An Inspector Calls

An Inspector Calls is entirely set in the home of the Birlings, a well-to-do family who are celebrating their daughter Sheila’s engagement to a man named Gerald Croft. However, their evening is interrupted by the arrival of Inspector Goole, who announces that a young woman named Eva Smith has just committed suicide. He then proceeds to question each member of the family individually, revealing that they all had a connection to Eva and were partially responsible for driving her to take her own life.

About J. B. Priestley

J. B. Priestley was an English writer and radio broadcaster who wrote his first play at the age of 38. He served in the army during the First World War, and went on to become a committed socialist, which is reflected in his frequent explorations of the theme of collective responsibility in his work. He is best-known for his play An Inspector Calls, which was written in 1945. Priestley died in 1984 at the age of 90.