Editing An Inspector Calls (section)

== Characters ==
===Eva Smith/Daisy Renton===
The deceased young woman who represents the working class in a capitalist society. She is described as young and pretty, with dark eyes. Her parents were dead, and she had no one to turn to when she was unable to support herself through honest employment.

=== Inspector Goole ===
Apparently a police inspector, sent to investigate a suicide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Inspector Goole Character Analysis|url=https://englishmadesimple.org/inspector-goole-a-character-analysis/|website=English Made Simple|date=15 November 2020 |publisher=englishmadesimple.org|location=England|access-date=29 October 2022|archive-date=7 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207103303/https://englishmadesimple.org/inspector-goole-a-character-analysis/|url-status=live}}</ref> He seems to be familiar with every detail of the case already, interrogating the family solely to expose their guilt rather than to discover unknown information. Many critics and audiences have interpreted Goole's role as that of an "avenging angel" because of his supernatural omniscience and his final warning, and because of his name, which is a [[homophone]] of the word "[[Wikt:ghoul|ghoul]]". It is suggested in the final scene that a real investigation will follow Goole's, and his purpose has been to warn the family in advance and encourage them to accept responsibility for their wrongdoing. The inspector is the drive for Priestley's socialist views within the play.

===Arthur Birling ===
Arthur Birling is "a heavy-looking, rather [[wikt:portentous|portentous]] man in his middle fifties". He represents the ruling capitalist class, repeatedly describing himself with pride as a "hard-headed businessman", and is arguably the main subject of Priestley's social critique. Dominant, arrogant, self-centred, and morally blind, he shows his stubbornness by refusing to take any responsibility for Eva's death. He remains unaffected by the suicide, and his concerns appear to be the avoidance of public scandal, the recovery of the money Eric stole from the company, and the resumption of Sheila and Gerald's engagement, which promises to effect a Croft–Birling merger (which looks likely to bring about a monopoly). Arthur Birling is used by Priestley as a dramatic vehicle to criticise capitalism, the arrogance of the wealthy middle class, and the ignorance of the older generation.

=== Sybil Birling ===
Sybil Birling, "a rather cold woman" of about fifty, is Arthur's wife, from a higher social class than his. As the leader of a charitable organisation, she assumes a social and moral superiority over Inspector Goole, whose questioning style she frequently describes as "impertinent" and "offensive". Like her husband, she refuses to accept responsibility for the death of Eva Smith and is more concerned with maintaining the family's reputation, even going so far as to lie and deny that she recognises Smith's picture. She derides women like Eva as immoral, dishonest, and greedy.

=== Sheila Birling ===
Sheila Birling is the daughter of Arthur and Sybil Birling, and the older sister of Eric. Sheila begins as a naive and self-centred young woman, but becomes the most sympathetic member of the group over the course of the play, revealing insecurity about her appearance, showing remorse for her part in Eva's downfall, and encouraging her family to do the same. By the play's end her social conscience has been awakened and she has a new awareness of her responsibilities to others. She represents the younger generation's break from the selfish behaviour and capitalist views of its elders. Sheila shows her naivety and lack of maturity in the way she reacts to her father. She is quick to apologise, it is clear that she is keen to behave well. She also refers to her father as 'Daddy', a childish term. As the play progresses, Sheila's character develops and she begins to stand up for herself.

=== Eric Birling ===
Eric Birling is the son of Arthur and Sybil Birling and the younger brother of Sheila. Eric is presented as a "[[wikt:Jack the lad|Jack the Lad]]" character with a drinking habit, who forced himself on Eva and made her pregnant. He is distanced from the rest of the family and feels he cannot talk to them about his problems. With his sister, he repents of, and accepts responsibility for, the way he treated Eva.

=== Gerald Croft ===
The son of Sir George and Lady Croft of Crofts Limited, a friendly competitor of Birling and Company, and the fiancé of Sheila. The revelation of Gerald's affair with Eva puts an end to the engagement, though Sheila commends him for his truthfulness and for his initial compassion towards Smith.

=== Edna ===
Edna is the maid for the Birling family. 
She introduces the Inspector into the dining room in Act 1.