Characters of An Inspector Calls Essay -- An Inspector Calls J.B. Prie

Characters of An inspector CallsThe inspector arrives at the Birlings house in the evening, during afamily get-together to celebrate the engagement of their daughter toGerald Croft. The inspector questions every component of the familyindividually, starting with Mr. Birling. Mr & Mrs Birling who do notlike the way the inspector is interrogating them, get angry with him,and accuse him of being rude. However Sheila, Mr & Mrs Birlingsdaughter, and Gerald are honest, and can daring their mistakes. This isone of the reasons why I like Sheila and Gerald, and dislike Mr & MrsBirling.Sheila is a young and pretty girl, who is honest and likes it whenother people are truthful. We know this because when the Inspectorshows her the pic of Eva metalworker, she says, You knew it was meall the time, didnt you? Here she admits straightaway that she had apart to play in the death of Eva Smith. Unlike Mr & Mrs Birling whoput up excuses every time the Inspector catches them out. As I havesaid before she also likes it when other people are sincere. We knowthis because when the Inspector is questioning Gerald about his affairwith Eva Smith he asks him if he was in love with her. At first Geraldhesitates to come out with the truth but when he gets persuaded bySheila to tell the truth he says, All right-I did for a time. Nearlyevery man would have done. Sheilas reply to that is Thats probablyabout the best thing youve said tonight. At least its honest.Sheila objects to her parents attempts to comfort her from unpleasanttruths Im not a child, dont forget. Ive a right to know. At theend of the play she feels that, whilst for a time it had seemed asthough her parents had learnt something ... ..., because the girl was giving herself ridiculousairs and claiming dilate fine feelings. Mrs. Birling tries touse her husbands kindly position to threaten the Inspector, she saysto him, You know of course that my husband was Lord Mayor only twoyears agone and that hes still a magistrate, th e Inspector alreadyknows this and Mrs. Birling is confused when this tactic fails. Whenthe Inspector has left, Mrs. Birling forcefully criticises the othersfor not standing firm against someone who is their social inferior.She argues that if she had been present when the Inspector firstarrived, she would have dealt with his cheekiness severely. It isdifficult to decide whether, at the end of the play, Mrs. Birling haslearned to behave in a merciful or caring way in the future.Perhaps the Inspectors call has only served to harden her attitudes.