OF MICE AND MEN

George talks about Lennie being annoying, however he says that ‘you get used to goin’ around with a guy,’ suggesting that George loves
him regardless of all the trouble Lennie causes. (p67)
George confirms that Lennie tends to get into trouble a lot and in the past because Lennie is ‘so God damn dumb.’ (p67)
Slim talks about Lennie saying, ‘he ain’t mean,’ even though he was just told what happened in Weed; he understands the way Lennie is.
(p68)
Slim says how Lennie is ‘jus’ like a kid, ain’t he.’ This means that the others apart from George also notice Lennie’s childlike behavior.
(p69)
When Carlson is nagging Candy to get rid of the dog because it stinks, ‘Candy rolled to the edge of his bunk,’ the way he does this
suggests that he is scared of Carlson and may be bullied by him; Candy is unable to stick up for himself because he’s older. (p70)
Carlson carries on nagging Candy to shoot his dog, saying ‘Why’n’t you shoot him?’ which means he is trying to tell Candy what to do
for his own selfish wants. (p71)
Candy attempts to stick up for himself when he says ‘No I couldn’t do that,’ talking about shooting his dog. (p71)
Carlson uses the idea that Candy ‘ain’t bein’ kind to him keepin’ him alive,’ though Carlson does not actually care about this and just wants
the dog dead out of selfishness. (p71)
‘Candy looked helplessly at him, for Slim’s opinions were law.’ This suggests that Candy wanted Slim to put a stop to it because of his
power, which meant that the bunkhouse would therefore agree with him. Slim is also more powerful than Carlson. (p72)
After Candy agrees to have his dog shot after peer pressure from Carlson, there is an awkward atmosphere in the room which means
that ‘silence feel on the room’ at every given point when people weren’t talking to try and change the subject. The silence suggests they
are all waiting to hear the shot noise. – Tension (p75)
Candy ‘rolled slowly over and faced the wall.’ His body language here suggests that he tries to have some privacy after his dog is shot, but
it’s hard for bunkhouse men to have that because they all share a room. (p76)
One of the other bunkhouse men describes Curley’s wife not ‘concealin’ nothing’ when she tries to flirt with the bunkhouse men, which
means she doesn’t care if Curley finds out and about hiding it from him. (p78)
Slim’s authority means that he still has authority over Curley too and Slim is the only person Curley sucks up to. We see this when he
says ‘Well, I didn’t mean nothing, Slim.’(p89)
When Curley picks a fight on Lennie, he ‘looked helplessly at George,’ because he doesn’t know what to do, because he doesn’t want to
get into any trouble. (p90)
When Curley is beating Lennie up, he cries out saying ‘Make ‘um let me alone, George,’ suggesting he doesn’t want to fight back because
he is a nice guy. (p91)
George is seen to have a sense of justice when he tells Lennie to ‘Get him,’ when they are fighting. This shows George doesn’t want to see
Lennie get hurt either, even if it means they get into trouble. (p91)
After Lennie hurts Curley, he says ‘I didn’t wanta hurt him,’ – Lennie doesn’t know his own strength. (p92)
When Curley wakes up, Slim wants to keep Lennie and George out of trouble, so he tells Curley that he got his hand ‘caught in a
machine’ and that if he doesn’t tell anybody, they won’t. Slim uses his power here to help. (p93)
Curley is embarrassed by the fact he lost the fight, so he won’t tell but when he is awake, ‘he avoided looking at Lennie.’ (p93)

ESSAY
In John Steinbeck’s Novella of Mice and men he explores and brings up many issues that people would have faced in the 1930’s and
living through the great depression, the setting that he portrays and introduces all his characters of the book is ideal as it shows what life
for people living in that decade had to experience and live like. The issue of sexism is a major theme that is explored throughout
Steinbeck’s work on of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses Curley’s wife who is the only women mentioned in the novella. Steinbeck uses
many ways to diminish the importance and role of Curley’s wife. Steinbeck never gave Curley’s wife a name which shows that she has no
belonging in society and has no identity or position of her own. Having Curley’s wife on the ranch and having no position this
foreshadows how she will be treated in the rest of the story, it shows how women in the 1930s would have had no position in the
working world and how men were in charge and in possession of their wives. Steinbeck uses methods in the introduction to show how
women were treated and shows the reader the hardship that women went through in the 1930’s. The situations of women’s roles are far
from what the working world is like today, Curley’s wife is never introduced by any other name throughout the novella she is always
called “Curley’s wife” I personally feel that Steinbeck does this to show how insignificant she looks and how nobody cares and loves her
on the ranch. However when she meets George and Lennie herself she doesn’t even introduce herself which shows how insignificant she
feels about herself and how society views her. The fact that all the other ranch members call her “Curley’s wife” shows that Steinbeck has
done this to show how her husband is in command and possession of her she is just like an object to all the other migrant workers; this
shows how other women in her situation would have been treated as well. Steinbeck doesn’t just portray Curley’s wife characteristics
but also her actions in every bit of detail. The men on the ranch are not interested in Curley’s wife one little bit apart from
Lennie:”Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body” this shows how much Lennie is in awe of her as he has no social skills and doesn’t
realize what Curley’s wife is like. “Full rouged lipstick and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like
sausages” this shows how flirtatious and how much of an attention seeker she is towards the men.

They fell into a silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true. (3.221)
Candy's money might make the dream farm a reality. It looks like maybe money is the difference between a dream and a plan—and we
also find out here that even Lennie never really believed in the dream. On some level, he also thought it was just a story.

"I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an' that same damn thing in their
heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an' they quit an' go on; an' every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a
God damn one of 'em ever gets it." (4.62)
Crooks is a little too happy to point out that George and Lennie aren't the first ones to have a dream: every itinerant ranch hand just
wants a little plot of land. Are George and Lennie going to make it good—or are they just going to "quit an' go on," like everyone else

[Crooks] hesitated. "… If you … guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I'd come an' lend a hand. I ain't so
crippled I can't work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to." (4.88)
Crooks has a dream, too, and it's a really sad dream: he basically wants to be a slave again. Life in the 1930s was hard for everyone, but it
was particularly hard for poor black men, who were often stuck doing the same work that their ancestors did under slavery but without
even the minimal care of having food and clothing—instead, they got wages so low that they could barely survive. Their American dream
of being free might not be so dream-like, after all. (Note: we're 99.99% sure that Steinbeck wasn't endorsing slavery—he was criticizing
a system that basically amounted to wage slavery.)

George said softly, "—I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we'd never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got
to thinking maybe we would." (5.78)
It turns out that dreams, hopes, and plans aren't worth all that much when you know they'll never come true in the first place. But maybe
George clung to their shared dream because it helped him through a rather tough life.

They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers
and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders.
(1.4)
This is our first introduction to Lennie and George. On the one hand, we know right away that they're not equals: one man is walking
behind another. On the other hand, they're dressed identically. Is this a relationship of equals? Or is inequality always a part of
friendships?

"I was only foolin', George. I don't want no ketchup. I wouldn't eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me."
"If it was here, you could have some."
"But I wouldn't eat none, George. I'd leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn't touch none of it." (1.93-95)
Lennie may not be able to look out for George, but he does what he can for his friend—like give him all the imaginary ketchup.

"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a
ranch an' work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on
some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to." (1.113)
It's hard out there for a ranchhand. Steinbeck seems to be saying that the loneliness is even worse than the poverty: like Lennie and
George, you can bear a lot more if you have a friend.

The mouse had dreamed of a safe, warm winter and is now faced with the harsh reality of cold, loneliness and possible death.
There is a parallel here with George and Lennie's joyful fantasy of a farm of their own, and its all-too-predictable destruction at
the end of the story. Perhaps it is also meant to suggest to us how unpredictable our lives are, and how vulnerable to tragedy.

Character Loneliness Dream

George George is not lonely during the novel, as he has Lennie. He will George and Lennie share a dream - to own a little patch of land
be lonely afterwards, without his best friend. and live on it in freedom. He is so set on the idea that he even
knows of some land that he thinks they could buy.
Lennie Lennie is the only character who is innocent enough not to George and Lennie share a dream - to own a little patch of land
fear loneliness, but he is angry when Crooks suggests George and live on it in freedom. Lennie's main desire is to tend the soft-
won't come back to him. haired rabbits they will keep.
Curley’s wife She is married to a man she doesn't love and who doesn't love She dreams of being a movie star. Her hopes were raised by a man
her. There are no other women on the ranch and she has who claimed he would take her to Hollywood, but when she didn't
nothing to do. She tries to befriend the men by hanging round receive a letter from him, she married Curley.
the bunkhouse.
Candy When Candy's ancient, ill dog was shot, Candy has nothing left. Candy joins George and Lennie's plan of owning a piece of land.
He delayed killing the dog, even though he knew deep down His savings make the dream actually possible to achieve.
that it was the best thing, as he dreaded losing his long-time
companion.
Crooks Crooks lives in enforced solitude, away from the other men. Crooks dreams of being seen as equal to everyone else. He knows
He is bitter about being a back-busted nigger. He is thrilled his civil rights. He remembers fondly his childhood, when he
when Lennie and Candy come into his room and are his played with white children who came to his family's chicken
companions for a night. ranch, and longs for a similar relationship with white people
again.

George Milton
He is a small man, but has brains and a quick wit. He has been a good friend to Lennie, ever since he promised Lennie's Aunt Clara that he would care for
him. He looks after all Lennie's affairs, such as carrying his work card, and tries to steer him out of potential trouble. He needs Lennie as a friend, not only
because Lennie's strength helps to get them both jobs, but so as not to be lonely. His threats to leave Lennie are not really serious. He is genuinely proud
of Lennie. He shares a dream with Lennie to own a piece of land and is prepared to work hard to build up the money needed to buy it.
"...with us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin'
in our jack 'jus because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us."
He is honest with people he trusts. For example, he tells Slim that he used to play tricks on Lennie when they were young, but now feels guilty about it as
Lennie nearly drowned.
Lennie small
He is a big man, in contrast to his name. He has limited intelligence, so he relies on George to look after him. He copies George in everything George does
and trusts George completely. "Behind him (George) walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping
shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung
loosely." He shares a dream with George to own a piece of land. Lennie's special job would be to tend the rabbits. He likes to pet soft things, like puppies
and dead mice. We know this got him into trouble in Weed when he tried to feel a girl's soft red dress: she thought he was going to attack her. He can be
forgetful - George continually has to remind him about important things. He is very gentle and kind, and would never harm anyone or anything
deliberately. He is extremely strong: he can work as well as two men at bucking barley. He is often described as a child or an animal - he drinks from
the pool like a horse and his huge hands are described as paws.

Slim
Slim is the jerkline skinner (lead mule-team driver) at the ranch. He is excellent at his job. He is the natural leader at the ranch. Everyone respects his
views and looks up to him. He has a quiet dignity: he doesn't need to assert himself to have authority.
"there was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talked stopped when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was
taken on any subject, be it politics or love." He understands the relationship between George and Lennie. He helps George at the end and reassures
George that he did the right thing. We know little else about him, which gives him a slightly mysterious quality.

Curley
Curley is the boss's son, so he doesn't need to work like the ordinary ranch hands, and he has time to kill. He's little - so he hates big guys. He is a prize-
fighter and looks for opportunities for a fight. "He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his
hands closed into fists. He stiffened and went into a slight crouch. His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious." (Eager or quick to argue,
quarrel, or fight, having the appearance of a willing fighter.) He is newly-married and is very possessive of his wife - but he still visits brothels.
There is a rumour that he wears a glove filled with Vaseline to keep his hand soft for his wife.

Curley’s wife
She is newly married to Curley. We never know her name - she is merely Curley's 'property' with no individual identity. She is young, pretty, wears
attractive clothes and curls her hair. She seems flirtatious and is always hanging around the bunk-house. She is lonely - there are no other women to talk
to and Curley is not really interested in her. "What kinda harm am I doin' to you? Seems like they ain't none of them cares how I gotta live. I tell
you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made somethin' of myself." She doesn't like Curley - she tells Lennie that she only married him when she
didn't receive a letter she'd been promised to get into Hollywood. She is naive. (Showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment OR Natural and
unaffected; innocent)

Crooks:
Crooks is the black stable hand or buck. He is the only permanent employee at the ranch, since he injured his back in an accident. His back gives him
constant pain. He is the only black man around and is made to be isolated by his colour - he can't go into the bunk-house or socialise with the men.
He is always called the “nigger” by the men, which shows how racism is taken for granted. The men don't mean to insult Crooks every time they call him
this, but they never think to use his name All this has made him proud and aloof. (Not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant OR conspicuously
uninvolved and uninterested, typically through distaste.) He is lonely. "S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house
and play rummy 'cause you were black... A guy needs somebody - to be near him... I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick." The only time he
mixes with the ranch hands socially is when they pitch horseshoes - and then he beats everyone! He has his own room near the stables and has a few
possessions. He has books, which show he is intelligent and an old copy of the California Civil Code, which suggests he is concerned about his rights. He
has seen many men come and go, all dreaming of buying a piece of land, but is now cynical, as no one has ever achieved it.

Candy
Candy is the oldest ranch hand. He lost his right hand in an accident at work. He is the “swamper” - the man who cleans the bunkhouse. He knows he will
be thrown out and put “on the county” when he is too old to work. Because of this, he accepts what goes on and doesn't challenge anything: he can't
afford to lose his job. He has a very old dog, which he has had from a pup. It is his only friend and companion. "The old man came slowly into the room.
He had his broom in his hand. And at his heels there walked a drag-footed sheep dog, gray of muzzle, and with pale, blind old eyes." Carlson
insists on shooting the dog because he claims it is too old and ill to be of any use. Candy is devastated. He is lonely and isolated, but makes friends with
George and Lennie and offers his compensation money to help them all to buy a ranch together and achieve their dream. When he finds Curley's wife
dead, he is furious, as he knows instantly that Lennie was involved and that they have lost their chance of achieving their dream.

Chapter 1
George and Lennie camp in the brush by a pool, the night before starting new jobs as ranch hands. George finds Lennie stroking a dead mouse in his
pocket. He complains that caring for Lennie prevents him from living a freer life. We find out that Lennie's innocent petting of a girl's dress led to them
losing their last jobs in Weed. However, when they talk about their dream of getting a piece of land together, we know they really depend on each other.
Chapter 2
When they arrive at the ranch in the morning, George and Lennie are shown around by old Candy. They meet their boss and, later, his son, Curley - George
is suspicious of Curley's manner and warns Lennie to stay away from him. They see Curley's pretty and apparently flirtatious wife and meet some of their
fellow workers, Slim and Carlson.
Chapter 3
Later that evening, George tells Slim about why he and Lennie travel together and more about what happened in Weed. The men talk about Candy's
ancient dog, which is tired and ill. Carlson shoots it, as an act of kindness. George tells Candy about their dream of getting a piece of land and Candy
eagerly offers to join them - he has capital, so they could make it happen almost immediately. Curley provokes Lennie into a fight, which ends up with
Lennie severely injuring Curley's hand.
Chapter 4
The following night, most men on the ranch go into town. Crooks is alone in his room when Lennie joins him. They talk about land - Crooks is sceptical,
not believing that George and Lennie are going to do what so many other men he's known have failed to do, and get land of their own. Yet when Candy
happens to come in as well, Crooks is convinced and asks to be in on it too. Curley's wife arrives. She threatens Crooks and an argument develops. Crooks
realises he can never really be part of George, Lennie and Candy's plan.
Chapter 5
Next afternoon, Lennie accidentally kills the puppy that Slim had given him by petting it too much. He's sad. Curley's wife finds him and starts talking very
openly about her feelings. She invites Lennie to stroke her soft hair, but he does it so strongly she panics and he ends up killing her too. He runs away to
hide, as George had told him. Candy finds the body and tells George. They tell the other men - Curley wants revenge.
Chapter 6
Lennie hides in the brush by the pool. He dreams of his Aunt Clara and the rabbits he will tend when he and George get their land. George finds Lennie
and talks reassuringly to him about the little place they will have together - then shoots him with Carlson's gun. When the other men find George, they
assume he shot Lennie in self-defence. Only Slim understands what George did and why he did it.
------------------
All of the action is concentrated into only a few days. This makes it much more dramatic: one event follows on from another in rapid succession. There is a
sense of inevitability - we sense that there will be no way out for Lennie. Notice the time of day that various incidents took place, Lennie and George
arrive at the ranch in the morning, early in the day, when possibilities are open; Lennie dies as the sun is setting. Do you think this suggests that Lennie's
death was 'right'? The sun sets when a day is complete, so does Lennie die when his life is 'complete'?

Sample question:
Re-read the end of Chapter One, from: 'George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said
them many times before.' to the end. What does this tell us about the relationship between George and Lennie and why is it important
to the novel?
Paragraph 1 - Introduction
Locate the extract in the story.
Mention where George and Lennie are, and why.
Paragraph 2 - Ranch hands' loneliness
Comment on George's idea that ranch hands are 'the loneliest guys in the world.'
How does this prepare us to meet other characters in the novel?
Paragraph 3 - George and Lennie's dream
Describe George and Lennie's dream
Most of the characters in the story have a dream of some kind - a reaction to their loneliness
Paragraph 4 - George's rabbits
Why is it important to the plot that Lennie wants to tend the rabbits and likes to pet soft things?
Paragraph 5 - The new job
Describe George's instructions to Lennie about how to behave in the new farm.
What does this show about George and Lennie's relationship?
How it prepares us for what unfolds in the story.
Paragraph 6 - Conclusion
Look carefully at the closing paragraphs of the chapter that describe the sunset. Is this symbolic?
What have we learnt about George and Lennie's friendship and about what might happen in the rest of the novel?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN INSPECTOR CALLS
J B Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls after the First World War and like much of his work contains controversial, politically charged
messages.

An Inspector Calls is set in 1912 An Inspector Calls was written in 1945.

The First World War would start in two years. Birling's The Second World War ended in Europe on 8 May 1945.
optimistic view that there would not be a war is completely People were recovering from nearly six years of warfare,
wrong. danger and uncertainty.
There were strong distinctions between the upper and lower Class distinctions had been greatly reduced as a result of two
classes. world wars.
Women were subservient to men. All a well off women could As a result of the wars, women had earned a more valued
do was get married; a poor woman was seen as cheap labour. place in society.
The ruling classes saw no need to change the status quo There was a great desire for social change. Immediately after
Define: The existing state of affairs, esp. regarding social The Second World War, Clement Attlee's Labour Party won a
or political issues: "they have a vested interest in landslide victory over Winston Churchill and the
maintaining the status quo". Conservatives.

Priestley deliberately set his play in 1912 because the date represented an era when all was very different from the time he was writing. In 1912, rigid class and gender
boundaries seemed to ensure that nothing would change. Yet by 1945, most of those class and gender divisions had been breached. Priestley wanted to make the most of these
changes. Through this play, he encourages people to seize the opportunity the end of the war had given them to build a better, more caring society.

1. The Birling family are spending a happy evening celebrating the engagement of Sheila Birling to Gerald Croft - a marriage that will result in the
merging of two successful local businesses. Yet, just when everything seems to be going so well, they receive a surprise visit from an Inspector
Goole who is investigating the suicide of a young girl.
2. Inspector Goole announces that he has come to investigate the suicide of a young working-class girl who died that afternoon. Her name was Eva
Smith. After seeing a photograph of her, Birling admits that she used to be one of his employees: he discharged her when she became one of the
ring-leaders of a strike asking for slightly higher wages. Birling justifies sacking her by saying he paid his workers the usual rates; he cannot see
that he has any responsibility for what happened to her afterwards.
3. When Sheila enters, the Inspector reveals that he would also like to question her about Eva Smith's death. He tells Sheila that Eva's next job was at
a big shop called Milwards, but that she was sacked after a customer complained about her. When she too is shown a photograph of the girl, Sheila
is very affected. She admits that it was her fault that Eva was sacked: when Sheila had gone in to try on a dress that didn't suit her, she had caught
Eva smirking to another shop assistant - in her anger, Sheila had told the manager that if Eva wasn't fired, Mrs Birling would close their account.
Sheila is hugely guilty and feels responsible for Eva's death.When the Inspector then states that Eva, in despair, changed her name to Daisy Renton,
Gerald Croft's involuntary reaction reveals that he knew her too. When the act ends, the audience is poised to find out what part Gerald had to play
in her death.
 4. After some tense words between Sheila and Gerald, an attempt by Mrs Birling to usher the Inspector away and the revelation that Eric Birling is a
hardened drinker, Gerald admits that he too had known Daisy Renton. He had met her at the local Variety Theatre - known to be the haunt of
prostitutes - and had 'rescued' her from the unwelcome attentions of Alderman Meggarty, a local dignitary. When he found out that Daisy was
almost penniless, Gerald let her stay in the flat of a friend of his and she became his mistress. He ended the affair when he had to go away on
business, giving her some money to see her through for a few months.
5. Sheila is glad to have heard this confession from her fiancé, although Mrs Birling is scandalised. Once Gerald has left to go for a walk and get over
the news of Daisy's death, Inspector Goole shows a photograph to Mrs Birling. She grudgingly admits that she had seen the girl two weeks
previously, when the girl - now pregnant - had come to ask for financial assistance from the Brumley Women's Charity Organisation.Mrs Birling
was the chairwoman and persuaded the committee to turn down the girl's appeal on the grounds that she had the impudence to call herself Mrs
Birling and because she believed that the father of the child should bear the responsibility. She says the girl refused to let the father of the child
support her because she believed money he had given her previously to be stolen, yet Mrs Birling is proud of refusing the girl aid. She claims that
she did her duty and sees no reason at all why she should take any blame for the girl's death.
6. Right at the end of the scene, as Mrs Birling denounces the father of the child and claims he needs to be made an example of, Sheila (and the
audience) realise that Eric is involved. When Eric comes into the room, the act ends.
7. There is a bitter meeting between Eric and his parents, which the Inspector interrupts so that he can question Eric. Eric tells the story of his own
involvement with the girl. He had met her in the same theatre bar as Gerald, had got drunk and had accompanied her back to her lodgings. He
almost turned violent when she didn't let him in, so she relented and they made love. When he met her two weeks later they slept together again
and soon afterwards she discovered that she was pregnant. She did not want to marry Eric because she knew he didn't love her, but she did accept
gifts of money from him until she realised it was stolen. Eric admits that he had taken about £50 from Mr Birling's office - at which Mr and Mrs
Birling are furious.
8. All the Birlings now know they played a part in the girl's death. Mr and Mrs Birling are concerned about covering up their involvement, whereas
Sheila and Eric are more aware of the personal tragedy and feel guilty. The Inspector leaves, after delivering a strong message about how we all
should be responsible for each other.
9. After he has left, and the family has begun to consider the consequences of what has been revealed, they gradually begin to wonder about the
Inspector. Was he real? When Gerald returns from his walk he explains that he also had suspicions about the Inspector and had found out that
there is no Inspector Goole on the force, which Birling confirms with a phone call. They gradually realise that perhaps the Inspector conned them -
he could have showed each person a different photograph - and when they telephone the infirmary, they realise that there hasn't been a suicide
case for months. Birling is delighted, assuming they are now all off the hook, while Sheila and Eric maintain that nothing has changed - each of
them still committed the acts that the Inspector had accused them of, even if they did turn out to be against five different girls.
10. Then the telephone rings. Mr Birling answers it, and after hanging up tells the family that it was the police on the line: an inspector is on his way to
ask questions about the suicide of a young girl...

All of the characters represent at least one of the deadly sins, some representing more than one.
Mr. Birling represents greed because he sacked one of his employees, Eva Smith, just to save a few shillings. He also represents pride because he
didn't want his name and business being tarnished because of one girl.
Mrs. Birling represents wrath as she is angry at Eva Smith for using her name, in what she thinks is a spiteful way. She could also represent pride as
she is proud of her name and does not want anyone else using her name without good reason.
Sheila represents envy as she is angry at Eva Smith for laughing at her, and she represents wrath for the same reason.
Eric represents gluttony as he has become an alcoholic; he is drinking far too much. He also represents sloth as he does not work for the money he
gives to Eva Smith, and instead resorts to stealing it from his father's business.
Gerald represents lust as he fancies Eva Smith, and although he is in a relationship with Sheila, he still embarks on a sexual relationship with another
woman, being Eva Smith.
Therefore you can see the connection between the characters in An Inspector Calls and the Seven Deadly Sins.
PRIDE: those who look down on others
LUST: to have strong sexual desires
GLUTTONY: eating/drinking to excess
GREED: intense and selfish desire for something
SLOTH: reluctance to work/laziness
WRATH: extreme anger
ENVY: jealousy

Mr Arthur Birling
"Heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties but rather provincial in his speech." worked his way up in the world & is proud of his
achievements. He boasts about having been Mayor and tries (and fails) to impress the Inspector with his local standing and his influential friends.
However, he is aware of people who are his social superiors, which is why he shows off about the port to Gerald, "it's exactly the same port your father
gets." He is proud that he is likely to be knighted, as that would move him even higher in social circles. He claims the party "is one of the happiest nights
of my life." This is not only because Sheila will be happy, but because a merger with Crofts Limited will be good for his business. He is optimistic for the
future and confident that there will not be a war. As the audience knows there will be a war, we begin to doubt Mr Birling's judgement. (If he is wrong
about the war, what else will he be wrong about?) He is extremely selfish: He wants to protect himself and his family. He believes that socialist ideas that
stress the importance of the community are "nonsense" and that "a man has to make his own way." He wants to protect Birling and Co. He cannot
see that he did anything wrong when he fired Eva Smith - he was just looking after his business interests. He wants to protect his reputation. As the
Inspector's investigations continue, his selfishness gets the better of him: he is worried about how the press will view the story in Act II, and accuses
Sheila of disloyalty at the start of Act III. He wants to hide the fact that Eric stole money: "I've got to cover this up as soon as I can." At the end of the
play, he knows he has lost the chance of his knighthood, his reputation in Brumley and the chance of Birling and Co. merging with their rivals. Yet he hasn't
learnt the lesson of the play: he is unable to admit his responsibility for his part in Eva's death.

Mrs Sybil Birling

"about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior." She is a snob, very aware of the differences between social classes. She is
irritated when Mr Birling makes the social gaffe of praising the cook in front of Gerald and later is very dismissive of Eva, saying "Girls of that class." She
has the least respect for the Inspector of all the characters. She tries - unsuccessfully - to intimidate him and force him to leave, then lies to him when she
claims that she does not recognise the photograph that he shows her. She sees Sheila and Eric still as "children" and speaks patronisingly to them. She
tries to deny things that she doesn't want to believe: Eric's drinking, Gerald's affair with Eva, and the fact that a working class girl would refuse money
even if it was stolen, claiming "She was giving herself ridiculous airs." She admits she was "prejudiced" against the girl who applied to her committee
for help and saw it as her "duty" to refuse to help her. Her narrow sense of morality dictates that the father of a child should be responsible for its welfare,
regardless of circumstances. At the end of the play, she has had to come to terms that her son is a heavy drinker who got a girl pregnant and stole money
 to support her, her daughter will not marry a good social 'catch' and that her own reputation within the town will be sullied. Yet, like her husband, she
refuses to believe that she did anything wrong and doesn't accept responsibility for her part in Eva's death.

Sheila Birling
"a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited." Even though she seems very playful at the opening, we know that she
has had suspicions about Gerald when she mentions "last summer, when you never came near me." Does this suggest that she is not as naive and
shallow as she first appears?
Although she has probably never in her life before considered the conditions of the workers, she shows her compassion immediately she hears of her
father's treatment of Eva Smith: "But these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people." Already, she is starting to change. She is horrified by her own
part in Eva's story. She feels full of guilt for her jealous actions and blames herself as "really responsible." She is very perceptive: she realises that
Gerald knew Daisy Renton from his reaction, the moment the Inspector mentioned her name. At the end of Act II, she is the first to realise Eric's part in
the story. Significantly, she is the first to wonder who the Inspector really is, saying to him, 'wonderingly', "I don't understand about you." She warns
the others "he's giving us the rope - so that we'll hang ourselves" (Act II) and, near the end, is the first to consider whether the Inspector may not be
real. She is curious. She genuinely wants to know about Gerald's part in the story. It's interesting that she is not angry with him when she hears about the
affair: she says that she respects his honesty. She is becoming more mature. She is angry with her parents in Act 3 for trying to "pretend that nothing
much has happened." Sheila says "It frightens me the way you talk:" she cannot understand how they cannot have learnt from the evening in the same
way that she has. She is seeing her parents in a new, unfavourable light. At the end of the play, Sheila is much wiser. She can now judge her parents and
Gerald from a new perspective, but the greatest change has been in herself: her social conscience has been awakened and she is aware of her
responsibilities.

Eric Birling
"in his early twenties, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive." Eric seems embarrassed and awkward right from the start. The first mention of
him in the script is "Eric suddenly guffaws," and then he is unable to explain his laughter, as if he is nervous about something. (It is not until the final act
that we realise this must be because of his having stolen some money.) There is another awkward moment when Gerald, Birling and Eric are chatting
about women's love of clothes before the Inspector arrives. Do you feel that there is tension in Eric's relationship with his father? It soon becomes clear to
us (although it takes his parents longer) that he is a hardened drinker. Gerald admits, "I have gathered that he does drink pretty hard." When he
hears how his father sacked Eva Smith, he supports the worker's cause, like Sheila. "Why shouldn't they try for higher wages?" He feels guilt and
frustration with himself over his relationship with the girl. He cries, "Oh - my God! - how stupid it all is!" as he tells his story. He is horrified that his
thoughtless actions had such consequences. He had some innate sense of responsibility, though, because although he got a woman pregnant, he was
concerned enough to give her money. He was obviously less worried about stealing (or 'borrowing' from his father's office) than he was about the girl's
future.
So, was Eric, initially, the most socially aware member of the Birling family? He is appalled by his parents' inability to admit their own responsibility. He
tells them forcefully, "I'm ashamed of you." When Birling tries to threaten him in Act III, Eric is aggressive in return: "I don't give a damn now." Do you
think Eric has ever stood up to his father in this way before? At the end of the play, like Sheila, he is fully aware of his social responsibility. He is not
interested in his parents' efforts to cover everything up: as far as he is concerned, the important thing is that a girl is dead. "We did her in all right."

Gerald Croft
"an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred man-about-town." He is an aristocrat - the son
of Lord and Lady Croft. We realise that they are not over-impressed by Gerald's engagement to Sheila because they declined the invitation to the dinner.
He is not as willing as Sheila to admit his part in the girl's death to the Inspector and initially pretends that he never knew her. Is he a bit like Mr Birling,
wanting to protect his own interests? He did have some genuine feeling for Daisy Renton, however: he is very moved when he hears of her death. He tells
Inspector Goole that he arranged for her to live in his friend's flat "because I was sorry for her;" she became his mistress because "She was young and
pretty and warm-hearted - and intensely grateful." Despite this, in Act 3 he tries to come up with as much evidence as possible to prove that the
Inspector is a fake - because that would get him off the hook. It is Gerald who confirms that the local force has no officer by the name of Goole, he who
realises it may not have been the same girl and he who finds out from the infirmary that there has not been a suicide case in months. He seems to throw
his energies into "protecting" himself rather than "changing" himself (unlike Sheila). At the end of the play, he has not changed. He has not gained a new
sense of social responsibility, which is why Sheila (who has) is unsure whether to take back the engagement ring.

Inspector Goole
"an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. He is a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish suit. He speaks carefully,
weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking.” He works very systematically; he
likes to deal with "one person and one line of enquiry at a time." His method is to confront a suspect with a piece of information and then make them
talk - or, as Sheila puts it, "he's giving us the rope - so that we'll hang ourselves." He is a figure of authority. He deals with each member of the family
very firmly and several times we see him "massively taking charge as disputes erupt between them." He is not impressed when he hears about Mr
Birling's influential friends and he cuts through Mrs Birling's obstructiveness.
He seems to know and understand an extraordinary amount: He knows the history of Eva Smith and the Birlings' involvement in it, even though she
died only hours ago. Sheila tells Gerald, "Of course he knows." He knows things are going to happen - He says "I'm waiting... To do my duty" just before
Eric's return, as if he expected Eric to reappear at exactly that moment. He is obviously in a great hurry towards the end of the play: he stresses "I haven't
much time." Does he know that the real inspector is shortly going to arrive? His final speech is like a sermon or a politician's. He leaves the family with
the message "We are responsible for each other" and warns them of the "fire and blood and anguish" that will result if they do not pay attention to
what he has taught them. All this mystery suggests that the Inspector is not a 'real' person. So, what is he?
Is he a ghost? Goole reminds us of 'ghoul'.
Is he the voice of Priestley?
Is he the voice of God?
Is he the voice of all our consciences?

Eva Smith
Of course, we never see Eva Smith on stage in the play: we only have the evidence that the Inspector and the Birlings give us. The Inspector, Sheila Gerald
and Eric all say that she was "pretty." Gerald describes her as "very pretty - soft brown hair and big dark eyes." Her parents were dead. She came from
outside Brumley: Mr Birling speaks of her being "country-bred." She was working class. The Inspector says that she had kept a sort of diary, which
helped him piece together the last two years of her life: however, in Act 3 we begin to wonder whether Eva ever really existed. Gerald says, "We've no
proof it was the same photograph and therefore no proof it was the same girl." Birling adds, "There wasn't the slightest proof that this Daisy
Renton really was Eva Smith." Yet the final phone call, announcing that a police inspector is shortly to arrive at the Birlings' house to investigate the
suicide of a young girl, makes us realise that maybe Eva Smith did exist after all. Think about Eva's name. Eva is similar to Eve, the first woman created by
God in the Bible. Smith is the most common English surname. So, Eva Smith could represent every woman of her class.

What is the importance of Inspector Goole, and how does Priestley present him?
The Inspector is a mouthpiece for the views that Priestly has, mainly in regard to social responsibility and the suffering that the ruling classes have caused
to the masses in recent history. Priestly, a socialist uses the inspector to try to change the future by questioning how the attitudes of the rich have led to
the horrific events in recent history. The Inspector is a character deeply ingrained in context and Priestly means him to be much more than a character in
a play.
Priestly introduces us to Inspector Goole just as Birling finishes his speech ending with ‘that a man has to mind his own business and look after himself
and his own – and…’ As well foreshadowing that the Inspector is going to challenge Birling, and presumably win, this is almost as if The Inspector has
been summoned by what Birling is saying. Such perfect timing is a little eerie, and Priestly continues to present the Inspector as not totally ‘real’
throughout the play. The Inspector’s name is ‘Goole’ (Ghoul), his intricate knowledge of the details of Eva’s life, his concern for moral law rather than
criminal law and his purposefulness and mystery. Priestly does this to demonstrate that The Inspector is an embodiment of a collective conscience, which
he hopes will influence the audience into thinking a little more into how the treat people.
The Inspector seems to be omniscient, as demonstrated by Shelia declaring that ‘…Why – you fool – he knows. Of course he knows’ and by The Inspector
seeming to know everything the Birlings and Gerald have to reveal before they say so. This could be Priestley showing that when judged by how we have
treated others – there is nothing we can hide. This could link to Priestley’s acute sense of morality. Priestley uses the Inspector here to prompt people to
become have more social responsibility – to do right what the Birlings and Crofts of the world did wrong both in the play and in history.
The Inspector is used to make all of the other characters feel guilty, and unsurprisingly given that Inspector Goole is the character representing the views
of Priestly, he is successful. This is demonstrated by the very last stage directions: ‘As they stare guiltily and dumbfounded, the curtain falls.’ This
illustrates that although some of the Birlings pretended to have no guilt; in closure they are all guilty. You could also interpret that ‘the curtain falling’ is
also a reference to the guillotine usage during the French Rebellion – used to execute the nobility as the ‘Eva Smiths and John Smiths’ revolted. They are
all struck ‘dumbfounded’ – Priestley thinks that they are unintelligent and that what they have done is stupid. This is present throughout the play –
Inspector Goole makes, notably Birling, look foolish.
Priestley also uses The Inspector to create change in other characters, creating distinction between the mistakes of the past and the change that Priestly
wants for the future. Shelia is seen to change a great deal in the course of the play, she is ashamed of what she did – admitting that she ‘behaved badly’
and crying as she says that ‘[not being able to say sorry] is the worst of it’. However, when asked by Gerald to take the ring back at the end she replies that
‘it’s too soon’ – perhaps she hasn’t changed totally. Furthermore, Shelia’s generation would be the ones in power at the dawn of World War Two – which
the audience would know certainly happened, along with the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and the Holocaust – so maybe they haven’t
changed at all. Having lived through all of these terrible events, it could be suggested that Priestley feels an element of bitterness about how his life, and
the lives of everyone else, have been tainted by the Birlings and the Crofts. Yet again Priestley is begging the audience to be the ones that change the
world – to be the ones who create a better future for everyone, regardless of wealth, gender, age or race.

As you read the play, it is important to imagine yourself watching and listening to the action. The stage directions are important in helping us to imagine
exactly what is going on
The play is in 'real time' - in other words, the story lasts exactly as long as the play is on the stage. So, what happens in a comparatively short time to
create such a dramatic contrast? How is the drama maintained and the audience involved?

Setting and Subtle Hints

The Setting and Lighting are very important. Priestley describes the scene in detail at the opening of Act 1, so that the audience has the immediate
impression of a "heavily comfortable house." The setting is constant (all action happens in the same place). Priestley says that the lighting should be "pink
and intimate" before the Inspector arrives - a rose-tinted glow - when it becomes "brighter and harder." The lighting reflects the mood of the play.
There are subtle hints that not is all as it seems. For example, early on we wonder whether the happy atmosphere is slightly forced. Sheila wonders where
Gerald was last summer, Eric is nervous about something, Lord and Lady Croft did not attend the engagement dinner. This arouses interest in the
audience - we want to find out what is going on!
OF MICE AND MEN sample question answer