An Inspector Calls — Themes and Key Quotes

GCSE English Literature · An Inspector Calls

One-line summary

A mysterious Inspector visits the wealthy Birling family, exposing how each contributed to a young woman's death — a parable about social responsibility.

Key themes & quotations

Social responsibility – "We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other."
Class – the Birlings' privilege vs Eva Smith's poverty.
Gender – women's powerlessness in 1912.
Age – the young (Sheila, Eric) learn; the old (Mr & Mrs Birling) don't.

Characters

Mr Birling – arrogant capitalist: "a man has to mind his own business"; full of dramatic irony (calls the Titanic "unsinkable").
Sheila – changes the most, becomes the Inspector's voice.
The Inspector (Goole) – Priestley's socialist mouthpiece; mysterious, almost supernatural.

Context

Written 1945, set 1912.
Priestley was a socialist who believed in collective responsibility after two world wars.
Dramatic irony: the 1945 audience knows about the wars and the Titanic, which discredits Birling's confidence.

Exam tip

The gap between 1912 (setting) and 1945 (writing) is central — Priestley urges his post-war audience to build a fairer, more collective society.