An Inspector Calls - Who is to Blame?

• New lesson editor
• English
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• GCSE

Introduction

A lesson exploring who is actually to blame for the death of Eva Smith in An Inspector Calls.

Welcome to this interactive lesson on J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls. 

This time we ask the question: 'who is to blame?'

The following activities are intended to engage learners with this core question. 

Slides 11-15 are cunningly disguised easier to edit slides (that means you can create your own open questions, polls, or information slides that will blend with the images and theme.)

The learning objectives page.

1

Sheila jealously ensures Eva is sacked from her job in the shop

2

Mrs. Birling intervenes to stop the charity aiding Eva

3

Mr. Birling unfairly dismisses Eva from the factory

4

Gerald meets Eva (Daisy) at the Palace Bar

5

Eric gets Eva pregnant and steals money from the factory

Put Eva's timeline in order

Put the events into the order they happened to Eva.

Why didn't Priestley just reveal it all in order?

Open question to create discussion.

How does the order of questioning change our view of the Birlings?

Another open question to engage learners. 

Inspector Goole

Sheila Birling

Mr. Birling

Mrs. Birling

Eric Birling

Gerald Croft

An interactive information page.

This is setting up future activities. 

Who do you think is most responsible for Eva's death?

1

Mr. Birling

2

Mrs. Birling

3

Sheila Birling

4

Eric Birling

5

Gerald Croft

6

All of them

A poll to see if the learners have understood this aspect of the play!

Don't be scared - this looks more complicated than it is! 

If you are concerned about accessibility there's no need! You can click on each image to enlarge the text.

This creates a timeline as Eva experiences events. You could either make this clear at the start or let your learners work it out!

A way do to this is to 'host' this word cloud, clicking on each scrap of paper in turn so learners can drag them at the same time.

Have you changed your mind about who you think is most responsible for Eva's death?

1

Mr. Birling

2

Mrs. Birling

3

Sheila Birling

4

Eric Birling

5

Gerald Croft

6

All of them

A follow up poll - this is not accidental duplication!

Explain why you have or haven't changed your mind about who is to blame

Explain your choice here.

This is one of those slides that you can edit!

In this activity it's to encourage responses written in full sentences. 

How does Sheila's response contrast with her parents'?

How does Sheila's response contrast with her parents'?

This slide goes a step further - much closer to essay writing type response. Click on the hotspot to reveal a quotation.

What lesson does Priestley want the audience to learn about responsibility?

A

We are only responsible for ourselves.

B

People in power must be more responsible.

C

Everyone shares some responsibility for others.

D

Actions don’t matter if there’s no legal consequence.

A quiz slide.

“We are only responsible for ourselves.”

– That’s Mr Birling talk, and Priestley sets him up to be wrong from the start.

“People in power must be more responsible.”

– Not wrong, but it’s part of the message. Priestley does criticise the upper classes, but his lesson is broader — it’s about everyone, not just those at the top.

“Actions don’t matter if there’s no legal consequence.”

– This reflects the Birlings' initial attitude, but the play shows us the moral weight of actions. Eva’s death is the tragic proof that consequences go beyond the courtroom.

"Everyone shares some responsibility for others."

MOST CORRECT ANSWER

That’s the heart of Priestley’s social message — interconnectedness, social duty, and a call to reject selfish individualism. The Inspector’s speech hammers it home:

“We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”

What lesson does Priestley want the audience to learn about responsibility?

In the spirit of formative assessment, this slide is designed to give time for learners to reflect on their choice. 

Ask anything you are unsure about from this lesson

Ask anything you are unsure about from this lesson

Finally, a simple exit ticket to potentially follow up. 

How confident do you feel writing about the theme of moral responsibility in An Inspector Calls?

How confident do you feel writing about the theme of moral responsibility in An Inspector Calls?

And even more finally, here is a final poll to establish learner confidence. 

We hope you and your learners find this lesson useful!