A Complete Summary of An Inspector Calls

Preparing for your GCSE English Literature exam? An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley is a powerful play that explores themes of responsibility, class, and social injustice. To help you master this text, we’ve broken down each act with a clear summary and key insights—perfect for revision and essay writing.

Why Understanding the Plot Matters

A solid grasp of the play’s structure, characters, and themes is essential for answering exam questions effectively. Whether analysing Priestley’s social message, dramatic irony, or character development, this summary will give you the foundation to excel.

 

Act-by-Act Summary of An Inspector Calls

Act 1: The Birlings’ Celebration and the Inspector’s Arrival

Key Events:

• The Birling family celebrates Sheila’s engagement to Gerald.
• Arthur Birling boasts about his business success and dismisses societal responsibility.
• Inspector Goole arrives, revealing Eva Smith’s suicide and connecting her death to each family member.
• Arthur admits firing Eva; Sheila confesses to getting her dismissed from Milwards.

Themes: Class prejudice, capitalism, and generational divide.

Why It Matters: Introduces the central conflict and the Inspector’s role as a moral guide.

 

Act 2: Unraveling Secrets

Key Events:

• Gerald confesses to his affair with Eva (Daisy Renton); Sheila returns his ring.
• Sybil Birling denies Eva charity, blaming the father of her unborn child.
• The Inspector hints Eric is involved, creating tension.

Themes: Hypocrisy, guilt, and social duty.

Why It Matters: Exposes the family’s moral failures and Sheila’s growth.

 

Act 3: Revelations and Consequences

Key Events:

• Eric confesses to impregnating Eva and stealing money.
• The Inspector delivers a fiery speech about collective responsibility.
• The family discovers the Inspector might be a fraud, but Sheila and Eric remain remorseful.
• A phone call announces a real inspector is coming, leaving the audience in suspense.

Themes: Responsibility, redemption, and dramatic irony.

Why It Matters: The climax challenges the audience to reflect on societal change.

 

How to Use This Summary in Your Exam

Link to Themes: Connect events to Priestley’s messages (e.g., Arthur’s capitalism vs. the Inspector’s socialism).

Analyse Dramatic Techniques: Note dramatic irony (e.g., the fake inspector), symbolism (the doorbell), and structure.

Compare Characters: Contrast Sheila’s growth with her parents’ stubbornness.

 

For deeper analysis, key quotes, and essay-ready notes, explore our An Inspector Calls Cheat Sheet. It’s packed with Grade 9 insights, character profiles, and exam strategies!

 

Final Tip: Practice Active Revision

Summarise each act in your own words and practice linking events to themes. For example:
"Priestley uses the Inspector’s final speech (Act 3) to criticise the Birlings’ refusal to accept responsibility."

Ready to boost your revision? Our GCSE English Literature bundles include resources for An Inspector Calls, Macbeth, and more—all designed to help you achieve top marks.

Happy studying! 📖✨

 

Want Full Analysis, Exemplar Paragraphs & More Quotes?

This is just a snippet of our An Inspector Calls Cheat Sheet, which includes:
✅ Deep character profiles (Birling, Sheila, Inspector, and more)
✅ Grade 9 essay examples with examiner annotations
✅ Theme breakdowns + key context to boost your analysis
✅ 50+ premium quotes with advanced analysis

🚀 Upgrade your revision—download the full guide now!

 

P.S. Struggling with analysis or quotes? Our text-specific cheat sheets break down An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, and more into Grade 9-ready notes.

 

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