AN INSPECTOR CALLS BY J. B. PRIESTLEY - Contextual Questions 1
Read the passage printed below and answer all parts of the question that follows. Spend half your time on part B.
INSPECTOR: We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. [He walks straight out, leaving them staring, subdued and wondering.]
[SHEILA is still quietly crying. MRS. BIRLING has collapsed into a chair. ERIC is brooding desperately. BIRLING, the only active one, hears the front door slam, moves hesitatingly towards the door, stops, looks gloomily at the other three, then pours himself out a drink, which he hastily swallows.]
BIRLING [angrily to ERIC]: You’re the one I blame for this.
ERIC: I’ll bet I am.
BIRLING [angrily]: Yes, and you don’t realise yet all you’ve done. Most of this is bound to come out. There’ll be public scandal.
ERIC: Well, I don’t care now.
BIRLING: You! You don’t seem to care about anything. But I care. I was almost certain for a knighthood in the next Honours List [ERIC laughs rather hysterically, pointing at him.]
BIRLING [stormily]: It doesn’t matter to you. Apparently nothing matters to you. But it may interest you to know that until every penny of that money you stole is repaid, you’ll work for nothing. And there is going to be no more of this drinking around the town - and picking up women in the Palace bar.
MRS. BIRLING [coming to life]: I should think not Eric, I’m absolutely ashamed of you.
ERIC: Well, I don’t blame you. But don’t forget I’m ashamed of you as well - yes, both of you.
BIRLING [angrily]: Drop that. There’s every excuse for what both your mother and I did - it turned out unfortunately, that’s all.
SHEILA [scornfully]: That’s all.
BIRLING: Well, what have you to say?
SHEILA: I don’t know where to begin.
BIRLING: Then don’t begin. Nobody wants you to.
SHEILA: I behaved badly too. I know I did. I’m ashamed of it. But now you’re beginning all over again to pretend that nothing much has happened
BIRLING: Nothing much has happened! Haven’t I already said there’ll be a public scandal - unless we’re lucky - and who here will suffer from that more than I will?
SHEILA: But that’s not what I’m talking about. I don’t care about that. The point is, you don’t seem to have learnt anything.
BIRLING: Don’t I? Well, you’re quite wrong there. I’ve learnt plenty tonight.
A. In the extract, the members of the family react differently when the Inspector calls. Explain what the stage directions shown in the extract tell you about the feel each of the following:
- Birling
- Mrs. Birling
- Eric
- Sheila.
B. What do you feel about the different members of the Birling family at this point in the play, remembering what has happened already?