Animation of a short story written by Roald Dahl.
One spring evening in 1912, the Birling family gather in the dining room of their home in Brumley, an industrial town in the North Midlands. Arthur Birling, his wife Sybil, their young adult children Eric and Sheila and a man named Gerald Croft are celebrating Gerald's engagement to Sheila.Mr Birling, a prosperous factory owner, toasts the newly engaged couple. He expresses his hope that, through the upcoming marriage, his company and that of Gerald's father will be able to merge rather than compete against each other. Amid the apparent happiness, there are signs of tension amongst the family members: Eric doesn't like being teased; and Sheila, teasingly yet seriously, reminds Gerald that the previous summer he spent very little time with her.After Mr Birling's toast the women retire and leave the men alone. Mr Birling (named 'Birling' in the play script) tells Eric and Gerald how optimistic he is for the future. He firmly believes that with all the technological and economic advances taking place, the boys can look forward to peace and prosperity. Eric leaves the room for a moment.
While he is gone, Birling confides to Gerald that he thinks he may soon receive a knighthood. He hopes this will impress Gerald's mother, a wealthy aristocrat whom he knows to be somewhat unimpressed by the social standing of the Birling family.When Eric returns, Mr Birling begins talking of the importance of looking out for one's own family. Just as he is rubbishing the idea of having to take care of other people, the bell rings. It is a police inspector, Inspector Goole. He says he has come to get some information concerning the recent suicide of. A young lady named Eva Smith. Using only a photograph of the girl, the diary she kept and careful questioning, the Inspector proves that each of the Birlings and Gerald played a role in the young woman's emotional decline.The Inspector begins with Mr Birling. Two years previously, Eva Smith worked in Mr Birling's factory.
Though she was a good worker, Mr Birling fired her when she led the other employees in a strike for higher pay. Mr Birling says his decision was justified and that the workers' demands were unreasonable. He accepts no blame for her suicide.The Inspector explains that after being dismissed from Mr Birling factory, Eva, with no parents to turn to, endured a difficult two months before she had the good luck to secure a job at a clothes shop named Milwards. When she hears the name of the shop, Sheila realises her involvement.
Interrogated by the Inspector, she explains that she had the shop manager fire Eva because she thought she'd seen her smiling rudely when she (Sheila) was trying on a dress that didn't suit her. In contrast to her father, Sheila feels terrible about her role in the affair and about Eva's death.The Inspector says that after being dismissed from Milwards Eva changed her name to Daisy Renton. Gerald gives an involuntary sign that he recognises the name. With the Inspector gone momentarily with Eric to fetch Mr Birling, Sheila presses Gerald on what he knows. He admits he knew Daisy Renton, but begs Sheila not to tell the Inspector.
The Inspector returns and, well aware that Gerald has something to confess, prepares to question him. Act twoWith Sheila, Gerald, Mr and now Mrs Birling present, the Inspector skilfully and sternly extracts Gerald's confession.
Gerald explains that he met Daisy Renton (Eva Smith) in a bar one evening. He saved her from a drunken lout who was trying to entice her.
They went to another bar and talked, and Gerald became quite fond of her. When he learnt that she was homeless and penniless, he offered her a room owned by a friend of his and gave her some money.
They soon became lovers, though Gerald insists his first thought was to help her. After several weeks, Gerald stopped the relationship, at which point Daisy left. Sheila, having earlier expressed a suspicion that Gerald had had an affair, gives Gerald her engagement ring.By this point the atmosphere in the dining room is very tense, but the Inspector maintains control of the situation and turns his attention to Mrs. A cold and joyless woman, she finds the Inspector's tone and manner highly unpleasant. To the increasing irritation of the Inspector, she evades his questions and refuses to reveal key information.
Eventually, she relents and explains her involvement.After spending two months in a different town, Eva Smith returned to Brumley and went to the Brumley Women's Charity Organization, of which Mrs Birling is the chair. Mrs Birling explains that when Eva first came she lied about her identity, claiming her name was Mrs Birling, without realising, of course, that Mrs Birling was on the committee. This immediately turned Mrs Birling against her. From there, Eva explained that she was pregnant.
The father, she said, was a young man who was trying to help her with stolen money. Mrs Birling said she didn't believe any of this and turned the girl away. When the Inspector convinces her that Eva's story is true, Mrs Birling says that the father is the one responsible, unaware that the father is Eric. At that moment, Eric arrives. Purchase our guide for the rest of this summary, as well as themes analysis, character profiles and classroom activities.
A 12-year-old girl and her mother are in London for anappointment with the dentist. It starts raining,as they leave forhome. They don't have an umbrella and so they decide to get a taxi.While they're waiting for a cab,an old man approaches them askingfor a favour. The girl's mother is very suspicious of strange men.The old man explains that he has forgotten his wallet and wants tosell them his umbrella. He says that he is too tired to walk backhome and wants a pound to hire a taxi.
He tries to tempt the motherby offering his silk umbrella worth twenty pounds at a throwawayprice. The mother likes the sound of the deal, but the little girlfeels that she is talking undue advantage of the old man.
Sensingher daughter's disapproval,the mother offers to pay for the cab,buthe insists that they take the umbrella. The transaction is made andeveryone is happy.As the mother boasts of her ability to judge peoplecorrectly,the daughter draws her attention to the old man,who hasquickly crossed the street and is hurrying away. They suspect theold man's intentions and decide to follow him.
He rushes throughthe rainy streets. They follow him to a pub called'The Red Lion'and watch through the window, as the old man entres and uses thepound to buy'a treble whisky'. The dughter finds the drink prettyexpensive as it has cost the old man a twenty-pound silk umbrella.After his drink,the old man goes to retrieve his coat and hat andcasually picks a wet umbrella from the coat-rack.
He walks back tothe street ans sells the umbrella to another unsuspecting person.He then heads off in another direction for another pub.The mother realises the old man's game. The daughter exclaims inhorror that he could be doing this all night.
The mother agrees asshe says,'But I'll bet he prays like mad for rainy days'.