Act 1 Summary
English Lit: AQA GCSE An Inspector Calls, topic 1.1.1
Summary of Act 1
Setting the scene, the play opens with an over-the-top dinner at the home of the Birlings. The family are dressed for dinner and the room is highly-decorated. This immediately highlights them as an upper-middle-class family.
Sheila's engagement
- The audience is quickly told that the Birlings are celebrating a ‘special occasion’ – Sheila’s engagement to Gerald.
- Mr Birling gives two speeches:
- In the first, he announces how happy he is about the engagement. He thinks it will advance his business.
- In the second, he discusses what a good time in the world this is. He is confident war won't happen.
Discussion: Mr Birling and Gerald
- Mrs Birling, Sheila and Eric leave the dining room.
- Mr Birling and Gerald discuss the engagement. Mr Birling says he understands if Lady Croft (his mother) disapproves of the engagement because Gerald will be marrying socially beneath him.
- Mr Birling gives a speech about how ‘a man has to make his own way – has to look after himself – and his family too’.
- He is interrupted when the doorbell rings and Inspector Goole arrives.
Interrogation of Mr Birling
- Inspector Goole says that Eva Smith has died because she committed suicide by drinking disinfectant.
- Mr Birling instantly tries to assert his superiority over Inspector Goole.
- Mr Birling reveals Eva Smith worked at his factory and he fired her for leading a group of women asking for a pay rise.
- Gerald is on Mr Birling's side.
- Eric is on Eva's side.
Interrogation of Sheila
- Sheila enters and Inspector Goole proceeds to interrogate her.
- Sheila does not instantly recognise Eva's name. But when Inspector Goole mentions Eva worked at Milward's, she remembers she had Eva fired. She wasn't in a great mood and thought Eva laughed at her.
Gerald's reaction
- Gerald looks 'startled' when Inspector Goole says that Eva had her name changed to Daisy Renton.
- Inspector Goole leaves the room and Sheila quizzes Gerald on his connection to Daisy Renton.
- He admits he knew Daisy, and Sheila works out that Gerald was romantically involved with Daisy Renton the previous summer when he had been ignoring her.
- Gerald begs Sheila not to tell Inspector Goole.
Test yourself on Act 1 Summary
An Inspector Calls: Act 1
An Inspector Calls: Act 1
Which characters does Inspector Goole interrogate on their connection with Eva Smith in Act 1?
Mr Birling's Speeches
Which of these is NOT a key bit of information we learn about Daisy Renton/Eva Smith in Act 1?