Mr Bruff's Guide to 'An Inspector Calls'

November 2019: Fully updated to tie in with Mr Bruff's new animated videos on the play, this second edition contains 78 pages of analysis. Chapters include:

J.B. Priestley

Social and Historical Context: Important Events in Priestley’s Life

Setting

Act 1 – Summary, Quiz and Answers

Act 2 – Summary, Quiz and Answers

Act 3 – Summary, Quiz and Answers

Form

Structure

Character Analysis: Edna

Character Analysis: Eva Smith

Character Analysis: Mr Birling

Character Analysis: Mrs Birling

Character Analysis: Eric Birling

Character Analysis: Sheila Birling

Character Analysis: Gerald Croft

Character Analysis: Inspector Goole

Minor characters: Charlie Brunswick, Joe Meggarty, Leaders of Strike Action at Birling & Co

The End of the Play: Unanswered Questions

The Opening Stage Directions: An analysis

The Inspector’s Final Speech: An analysis

Age: Who accepts responsibility and why?

Key themes: Class, love and relationships, selfishness, social responsibility

Stretch and Challenge: Other Interpretations

Writing about the Play

Example essays: How does Priestley deliver his message of social responsibility in ‘An Inspector Calls’?

Example essays: How does Priestley present the differences between the older and younger generations of the Birling family in ‘An Inspector Calls’?

Key quotations